There is a conversation that has emerged in Barbados concerning the ‘visible’ leadership style of Prime Minister Mia Mottley. A style that is accentuated if compared to the unobtrusive approach by her predecessor. Some feel justified levelling the criticism because Mottley presides over the largest Cabinet in the history of Barbados, probably the world if measured on a per mille basis.
What justification can there be for a prime minister to be at every ‘dog fight’ if the large Cabinet is unable to give wings to Mottley’s mantra – many hands make light work?
The blogmaster recalls during An Interview with Prime Minister Mottley conducted by David Ellis soon after the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) was elected to office – Mottley explained her reason for the large Cabinet. She asked Barbadians to be patient and to judge her government by results. After 15 months in office, it is fair to suggest several of the ministers are struggling to find their feet and undeserving of a minister’s salary during a time of austerity.
In the pseudo Westminster parliamentary system of government practice in Barbados all roads lead to the prime minister. It is not uncommon to hear the reference “primus inter pares.” Our culture is one where there is an expectation the prime minister must solve all problems. Have a read of this blog through the years, there was an unrelenting attack on former prime minister Freundel Stuart because he appeared to be uncomfortable in the leadership role and was rejected at the polls in unprecedented fashion.
A key characteristic of a good leaders is that they recruit the right people to do the job. This is why the quality of persons offering themselves for political office is important. Are we confident members of parliament elected on the 24 May 2018 possess the requisite skill set to get the job done?
The blogmaster is on the side of the side of the leadership style that works. The fact Mottley is always out front may reflect on the quality of her team. If this is the case who is to blame?
Our governance system needs reform. There was talk from the minister early in her term about devolving authority from the office of prime minister. Update anyone?
252 responses to “Mottley’s Dominant Leadership Style”
Ask Bajans if they would rather have Mottley or Froon… Oh that’s right, we did.
Every successful Prime Minister in Barbados’ history has led from the front
A good prime minster cannot micro-manage his or her senior ministers; s/he must give them the freedom to manage their briefs, to be accountable for their ministries.
Apart from being first among equals, micro-managing shows a lack of confidence, especially when there are unelected so-called consultants and advisers who appear to have more authority and influence than elected ministers.
In the case of this prime minster, from her behaviour at press conferences – interrupting speaks, finishing statements, and reducing senior public officials, such as the police commissioner, to walk-on parts on political theatre, then sitting like a naughty school boy, being seen, but not heard – the evidence s there.
The prime minster may be convinced that she is by far the politically brightest member of her government, and she may be. But that is more a reflection of her than of her colleagues. There are bright young men and women, members of or supporters of the BLP, who would jump at the opportunity to be members of parliament. Part of her legacy must be to bring on these young people, not keep them out.
Apart from a small cadre of friends and associates, these young people are largely left out in the cold. It is damaging to the government, the party and the nation. We need our brightest and best.
But trust is a two-way street, if she shows so blatantly that she has no confidence in her colleagues, then they too in time will show they have no confidence in her.
The biggest example of this is her apparent refusal to take a long holiday. She would not because she appears not to trust any of her colleagues to run the government.
Government might not even be there when she returns from vacation and she knows this, given their track records of NOT even understanding their PAID roles AS SERVANTS/EMPLOYEES OF THE PEOPLE…and not the people’s COLONIAL MASTERS as ALL OF THEM SEEM TO BELIEVE……first that REALITY has to be DRILLED into all of them…including her.
True! the way she hogs the political spotlight gives an impression that she has no confidence in her team
Being present at every cock fight does not send a comfortable message that the team she has chosen to help her pulled the weight has the a muscles to do so Therfore she must do all the heavy lifting herself
It is past time the public is given insight of the ministers capabilities instead of Mia standing in front of them as a protective barrier
Hitler won , and so how good was he to all People,Now after winning by Fraud now time for Action, The only Action the people got was based on Money moving to offshore Banks friends and Family, Any crook can do that , So that being said a set of fools still running behind her for that was how they always live in crime,and to receive things they may not get in any other part of the World without going to jail or being hanged, And this too shall pass! All will see Jail keep loving criminals and then you can join them when that time comes, BFP
This type of leadership style can be seen far and wide in most work place environments in Barbados, yet we ponder on the lack of productivity.
A great leader doesn’t hogged the show oh noooo what a great leader does is designate to their subjects as they watches on and lend assistance that made be needed, they find the necessary training for them as well, they designate to those who are capable of the task available, are we saying that she have NONE in her cabinet? The more she shove her subjects to the back the weaker they becomes but who CARES about this surely not mAh auntie😀. This is the first set of cabinet ministers that I have observed that stutters😀 these ministers are not exposed to the true meaning of cabinet responsibilities..If they were elected to serve then they should be serving if not stop trying to prove a point that you have the largest cabinet ever in Barbados of knuckles head wasting the tax payers money Auntie is just a Hitler😏
This is a very mealy-mouthed and vacillating post.
What is the writer’s position?
Mia latest role was taking on the job of being a Meterologist
With the recent passing of Dorian i have yet to see any leader take on the role of being a meterologist
For the most part the agencies in charge stay in the forefront and adress the media and public concerns
As Barrow once rightly said that those in goverence in the small island nations perform in a manner that reveals themselves as little tin horn dictators
@ Hal
said v well. MAM is v domineering. loves to hear herself. she always believes she is the most intelligent person in the room and must be heard. she listens only to the extent that she can reinforce her position but i doubt she actually considers what is being said.
mind you there are times that a PM must take charge but MAM takes charge all the time. i doubt it has anything to do with her trust or distrust of her ministers but all to do with her personality.
i remember when she first started out she debated Tyrone Estwick (RIP) with Julian Rogers (i believe) as the moderator. of the allotted hour for the debate MAM must have spoken for 50 minutes in toto.
Estwick could not get a word in and Rogers could not contain MAM. when Estwick was asked a question as he attempted to answer she would interrupt and rattle on. Estwick on a couple occasions asked Rogers to instruct MAM to allow him to speak.
Rogers tried but she would not oblige. Estwick gave up after that and it became a monologue. she was rude and came over as a bully who knew it but didnt care.
she has not changed
(Quote):
There are bright young men and women, members of or supporters of the BLP, who would jump at the opportunity to be members of parliament. Part of her legacy must be to bring on these young people, not keep them out. (Unquote).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You are most intellectually conflicted, aren’t you old boy?
Isn’t your mantra that of Barbados being a “failed state”?
What else are you expecting from a failed state?
Don’t you support and, indeed, perpetuate the view that PM Mottley is a de facto dictator?
Have you ever seen or heard of a dictator who surrounds himself with smart intelligent assertive fearless individuals instead of “YES” men (and women as in Mottley’s case)?
How else would a ’rough’ (unpolished) diamond shine unless placed among a ‘lot’ of base metals?
We’ve gone from a “hands off” PM to a “hands on” PM, we have observed the former and the latter is a work in progress; from my vantage point both approaches have negative consequences to the detriment of the nation.
If one takes the cues from Press Conferences there is a deference to the PM which borders on obsequiousness by members of the Cabinet (and Civil Servants) and they just trot out their lines when called to speak this is reinforced by the PM who is constantly correcting/adding/explaining their statements, she even removed the cap of a Minister in full camera view that bore nothing more innocuous that the term Barbados on the front.
Long term Bajans will just tune out cabinet members and wait for word from the PM who as she say’s “I don’t speak, I do”.
Good comment Sargeant.
@Dullard
You do not have an opinion?
The blogmaster has demonstrated leadership by creating a virtual space to encourage opinions discussion.
Funny post. Mottley is part and parcel of an essentially bankrupt of vision Duopoly. Stuart is also part and parcel of the decadence. I recall Tom Adams being praised for being media savvy. Barrow was heralded as the man who stepped in and solved every problem.Arthur became a little despot. Sandiford crippled an entire party and said who don’t like um could lump um.
To have expected anything else from Mottley was foolhardy. Her style is what she has been fed on. People are already comparing her to Barrow. A man who fired people under a street light.
Mottley is therefore the latest leader product of George and Roebuck Streets. Stop pretending there is any difference. We change parties not governments.
The Duopoly Rules
Good comment Sargeant.
@Dullard
You do not have an opinion?
The blogmaster has demonstrated leadership by creating a virtual space to encourage opinions discussion.
hahahahaha you are so Funny , Be real , the blogmaster gate keeps of the DLp and BBLP crimes,
Commenting based on the headline:
Ms Mottley’s leadership style largely mirrors those former leaders like Mr Errol Barrow and Mr Tom Adams of whom we often refer to in awe and commend as leaders worthy of emulation and thus i cannot understand what the fuss concerning her leadership style is all about. Didn’t according to Duffus all roads led to Mr Barrow?
Times change. Leadership styles must too. In the work place we had top down management, do as you are told; now it is more collegiate, reaching a consensus is more important.
Using the headline as the basis for my comment i am at a loss as to what the fuss is all about surounding Ms Motlley’s leadership style which by and large mirrors that of former leaders like Mr Errol Barrow and Mr Tom Adams of whom the public rferred to in awe and regarded as leaders worthy of emulation.
DIdn’t Mr Duffus report that all roads led to Mr Barrow?
I say again. Times change. Leadership styles must too. In the work place we had top down management, do as you are told; now it is more collegiate, reaching a consensus is more important.
Leadership style defined. ” watch muh “….. “I don’t speak, I do”.
Charles Skeete
Reason why barbados is in the doldrums
Resorting to old methods of doing new things
There is absolutely no reason for Mottley to be in every photo op gracing every media opportunity leaving ministers in charge of their appointed ministry looking like buffoons
“Times change.”
Efficiency and Effectiveness are now the hallmarks.
Somewhere along the way we seem to have been unable to distinguish between effective change and fashionable change.
Flexibility is important. If the change is not working, then change again. Management styles change over and over again. But top down authoritarianism is now history, the same way Master and Slave is now no longer law. Business school 101.
“There is absolutely no reason for Mottley to be in every photo op gracing every media opportunity leaving ministers in charge of their appointed ministry looking like buffoons”
you might be rght but your comment would have carried more weight if you had been critical of the well orchestrated press coverage given to Housing Minister Michael Lashley walking about presenting keys to prospective owners of Housing Units when the National Housing Corporation was flat broke.
There are more than a few academic papers in the political science literature that criticize the Westminster parliamentary system for facilitating the concentration of power in the prime minister’s office.
Even in the United Kingdom itself, and certainly in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, journalists complain from time to time about ministers and MPs being reduced to the role of cheerleaders.
In a tiny island like Barbados, a man or woman who is bold and energetic can easily run the government almost singlehandedly, at least until he (or she) is overtaken by ill-health or political misfortune.
Why do we fear elected dictatorships? Barrow, Tom Adams et al. have left us with above-average results, as have Eric Williams in Trinidad, Edward Seaga in Jamaica, Eugenia Charles in Dominica, etc., etc.
Even the despised Eric Gairy in Grenada was responsible for several beneficial innovations, notably the introduction of the first offshore medical school in the English-speaking Caribbean. People of a certain age will remember that the medical school was a very controversial project, ridiculed in the 1970s by respected opinion journalists as a foolhardy venture. It took political courage and complete control of the levers of power for Gairy to prevail over noisy opposition leaders
“But top down authoritarianism is now history”
because sitting from a non- decision making disadvantage point you can comment negatively on Ms Mottley’s leadership style doesnt make it wrong. I am sure it has been endorsed by many others.Leadership by example should be the required norm.
It is 15 months now since the Mottley government came to power. When are we going to stop comparing it with the DLP?
@Ewart Archer
You are with grown ups now, cut out the nonsense about academic papers, especially in a non discipline called political science, as if politics is a science. Next you will be quoting Rawdon Adams, the political sociologist with an MSc from the LSE.
What do you mean by cheerleaders? Cheerleading for whom? What do you mean by above average results. Barrow, no doubt a nice man, was a political failure. He was not the father of independence nor did he grow the economy, nor did he raise our standard of living, apart from the benefits of the global slip stream.
Stop dancing to the background noise. List some of Barrow’s great successes.
Is the introduction of an offshore medical school an innovation? Did you read this in an academic paper? BU is not for 6th formers, it is a grown up rum shop.
To return to the substantive issue, a 29/1 parliament has led to the neutralising of the authority of parliament. Our democracy is at risk.
.
I can comment as an observer and a citizen. Is there a greater authority – and as someone who spent more time than was good for him reading about management systems.
Top down authoritarianism is now history; if people in Barbados think this is acceptable, then they must be dragged screaming and shouting in to the 21st century.
Another smear campaign against our Most Honourable Prime Minister. I wouldn’t be surprised if Donville steers the campaign from his Florida jail.
Barbados was ruled for 10 years by corrupt cavemen who couldn’t even eat properly with knives and forks. We now need a strong leader with visions and an iron will. Dear Prime Minister, please don’t be misled by the completely unjustified criticism.
You should all be ashamed and apologize to our Prime Minister in person. Instead of attacking DLP and DPP for the nameless crimes of Donville and his entourage, you undermine the foundations of democracy like termites.
Hal Austin
Just so you know, political science is a well developed field of study pursued by hundreds of thousands of scholars around the world.
In the United States alone, there are doctoral programs in the subject at over 120 universities, including most of the top schools: Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, Chicago, Stanford, California-Berkeley, Northwestern, Michigan, etc., etc.
Many of the leading political strategists of our time (have you heard of Henry Kissinger or Zbignew Brzezinski?) were trained as political scientists and have no other expertise. Susan Rice, Condi Rice, Madeleine Albright, etc are all political science PhDs. I personally know some prominent academics working in political science departments and have a very high regard for their intellectual accomplishments.
Charles Skeete. Oh i didnt know Lashley was PM
Get with the program or else your comments would be seen as political yatdfowlism
@ Ewart Archer,
Really? So political science is not voodoo? Silly of me. I must go off and learn. No doubt you have a PhD in the subject. Who is/was Henry Kissinger? And Brzezinski? Susan Rice? Condi Rice (are they r elated)? Madeleine Albright? Wow! And you PERSONALLY know even more. How sad of me. Can you plse send me just some of your wisdom?
Here we go again with our rum shop habits.
Those who never achieved a high level of excellence in the classroom, or at anything more complicated than journalism (or learning-by-doing), can be forgiven for anti-intellectualism.
After all, if you couldn’t do it, it can’t be any good
Good leadership is about getting results by any means necessary. If we do skills audit of elected MPs one can easily accept why some ministers cannot be trusted. It begs the question why appoint them ministers. The answer like most things will be found in the politics.
@Hal Austin September 3, 2019 7:06 AM
Why the hell don’t you tell us something about what is going on political in the UK and leave the people in Barbados to comment on what is happening there. Confusion reigns in UK politics and not a word from the bullshitter from the Ivy.
Good leadership is about getting results by any means necessary….(Quote)
Mussolini made the trains run on time. Hitler’s scientists were the most advanced of their age.
@Ewart Archer
You are young. Youth is a time for learning.
@hamicb65
Surely you do not want me to bullshit you about UK politics?
@ Hal Austin September 3, 2019 12:28 PM
“Good leadership is about getting results by any means necessary”.
That’s the way it is. After 10 years of regression, we can no longer afford weak leadership. The people have given Mrs Mottley an overwhelming democratic mandate.
The people and their Prime Minister are one. The blue opposition stands against the people and undermines democracy.
@ Hal Austin
It is clear the BLP social media agenda is to attack individuals who exposed who they are.
They are coming with both new and old aliases on BU.
Singing from the same choir, overseas so should keep your mouth shut, malign and bad talk others experience and qualifications.
Their government can do no wrong so you are a DEM.
Can go on and on but anyone with common sense can get the picture and their ineffective strategies.
Charlie Jong surely working hard for his coin
@ Hal
I really thought you had more common sense. You don’t understand that you are no longer a Barbadian and that while Barbadians can fill up BU with their opinions about Trump Brexit and anything that happens in Amurca or Englan’ , you are not allowed to say anything about Barbados.
Furthermore you just from the Ivy you ain’t no British National that can write anything he wants on BU.
You dont get it. Why don’t you send the barrel and a few pounds and keep yuh mout close.
All like now you should be working a second job and breaking yuh backside to come down fuh the gathering rather than come on BU telling the people how to run their country.
Why the hell you so hard ears ?
@ Tron
@ Hocus Pocus
The arena of public opinion can often be robbed of its critical function and be manipulated and stage-managed. The easiest way of so doing is through the deceptive belief ( what some call false consciousness) of the common good which encourages the poorest and most disconnected to sacrifice wages and opportunities in the mistaken belief that we are all in this together, that we are all equal, when the realty is that it is a social function serving a narrow group of people.
It is a necessary social illusion which is often executed through the educational system (learning by rote), while maintaining the actual power of a narrow group – education and property – and with slogans such as we are all in this together and many hands make light work, the slogans of the new ideology, but which fundamentally lack any conceptual coherence.
Autocracy comes in many shades, but it always ends in tears.
@ William
Apologies. I should know my place.
Only if the blogmaster was to become as distracted as you and others are inclined. How difficult is it to ignore one or two comments and focus on making substantive contributions?
Mottley one official statement speaking on behalf of the people of Barbados having much concern and a need to support the People of the Bahamas in times of devastation is worthy of many kudos
@ Hal Austin at 1:13 PM
You are something else and a piece on top. Are you aware that you have used a brilliant tool of political science especially in your submission at 1:13 pm? How can you speak so disparagingly of the discipline? I believe that you have gone tongue in cheek. And you are not very good at it.
@ David BU
You are starting a riot. Brilliant piece of opinion mining. Not likely to be used or useful.
@ Vincent
I have never intentionally used anything to do with so-called political science. Don’t know what it is. Any resemblance is coincidental. However, if you point it out to me I may explain.
Good leadership
varies according to the abilities of your followers. If they are full of talent, the good leader uses his knowledge to empower and enable the members of his team. But if they are not very bright, the leader takes charge at the front, and issues plenty of detailed instructions
In a democracy, where every Tom, Dick and Sally has the same number of votes, the leader usually feels compelled to issue plenty of instructions
Where were the so-called economic experts between 2008 and 2018? They all kissed Chris and Donville’s ass. Why are the GG, the DPP and COP silent about all the crimes during this time? Are they under the influence of shadow people or are they bound by a blue party membership? These are all legitime questions. Said persons should take an example from Lord Simmons, who has openly named the problem.
The DLP is a criminal syndicate, without question. What other party puts a suspected criminal as an idol behind the president’s desk at headquarters? We were economically raped and robbed by Barrow’s henchmen for 10 years. They humiliated Barbados and set it back 30 years in its development. And we are to remain silent? Are we still the slaves of this blue, arrogant upper class that lives only at the expense of others?
@ David Bu
Every Barbadian PM and premier has brought his personal leadership style with him/her into office.Most have modified their preferences according to the level of respect he/she has for the constitution and the conventions of the Westminster model. The current PM is no different. Her leadership style does not surprise the discerning.
To compare styles of leadership is not very useful. PMs can only be themselves. Some will be effective and some will not be. Some have a dream team ; others do not. The term” Primus inter pares” can only be functional if the ” pares” believe and behave as” pares”. So the ball is in their courts.
Enough baid.