Political leadership in turbulent times : a Maltese case study : Dr. Lawrence Gonzi’s second term as prime minister 2008-2013

Abstract

Leadership can be seen as the art of motivating people to act towards achieving a common goal. Political leaderships can be regarded as the most important and visible type of leaderships, taking decisions which are aimed at furthering their nation’s prospects. Like other kinds of leaderships they are susceptible to turbulent times, which if not adequately addressed can threaten their incumbency.

Dr. Lawrence Gonzi’s second term as Prime Minister was a prime example of leadership during turbulent times, encountering various challenges which marked his tenure. This research focuses on three prominent episodes of Dr. Gonzi’s leadership: the economic crisis, the Libyan Crisis and dissident members within his party. By making use of two different leadership approaches this research sought to mould a comprehensive analysis of these challenges.

These three challenges offer important lessons on leadership which can be applied to other political or organisational leaders operating in the face of challenges. Having several systemic challenges acting simultaneously exerts an insurmountable amount of pressure on leaderships. Challenges tend to affect a leadership’s role, which if not carefully adapted can lead to its demise. Centralised decision-making, confidence and strong-will makes exceptional leaders in face of challenges. With this being said, followers tend to judge their leaders on the results which they manage to attain. In a democratic society, the judgement of followers is what ultimately decides the future of leaderships.