It’s Presidents Day: How to design your president
The Lincoln Memorial — Photo: Mark Tenally / Associated Press
It’s Presidents Day.
These days the holiday is more associated with car dealerships, retail sales and a much-appreciated three-day weekend than it is with reflection on the leadership that helped America thrive over the past 230 years.
And, yet, as the country becomes increasingly fractured and vulnerable — we need presidential leadership more than ever.
The holiday was created in 1879 to celebrate George Washington’s birthday and later, Abraham Lincoln’s as well. The first president was born Feb. 22, 1732, and the 16th — credited with keeping the union together during the Civil War — Feb. 12, 1809. Both men showed extraordinary leadership, and each helped the country navigate critical, complex and costly transitions in its history. Washington by pioneering a new government with a democratically elected leader, and Lincoln by helping repair the single greatest division the country ever experienced.
But what does presidential leadership even mean in today’s world of increasing complexity and rapidly shifting geopolitics? What is most needed — in the highest office of the land — to lead our country through a time of deep polarization and into a better future?
“Designing the President” is on a mission to find out.
“Designing the President” is a non-partisan, issue agnostic approach that uses design to help voters (both current and future) find clarity on the leadership qualities most important to them. Launched last fall, “Designing the President” has been piloted in diverse groups, including high school voters participating in the presidential election process for the first time.
It reframes the question from asking which person do you like best to a more foundational reflection: What is the job of the president, who holds the highest leadership position of our country? And, given that, what specific leadership traits are needed in the Oval Office right now?
If we were able to design the president, what criteria would we use to make choices? What are the past experiences, leadership qualities and personal attributes that matter most?
“Designing the President” also examines what “good” has looked like in the past so we can learn from leadership in a historical context.
For example: Who was your favorite president, and why? Early results vary, but some interesting patterns have emerged :
• Lincoln, due to his ability to unite the country during its greatest time of division and his moral conviction to end slavery — even at great cost.
• Washington, for his military victory over the British army and commitment to a peaceful transfer of the presidential office.
• • John F. Kennedy, for his bold vision of space travel to put humans on the moon.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt, for his ability to build the alliances that brought an end to World War II.
• Teddy Roosevelt, for his vision to protect our precious lands as a national treasures.
Great design starts with “user requirements.” This approach asks people to complete the statement, “I want a president who is ... ”
The answers have included descriptors like “compassionate,” “empathetic,” “unifying,” “moral,” “honest” and “trustworthy.” Responses that you won’t necessarily find in the latest media poll, but more authentically reveal what might be needed to create the future that people want.
This process asks voters to reflect on the leadership qualities that we believe will best serve the country now and in the future, prototyping those qualities against events that could unfold, such as more extreme weather events, infrastructure crises and rising geopolitical tensions, among other national challenges.
Clarifying and exploring these criteria in context helps people develop their own point of view and articulate their assumptions, embodying one of our foundational democratic principles articulated in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: “A government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
While we know we can’t “design” a president, this approach offers a more proactive, informed stance to the presidential 2020 election. We want to build voter agency — outside of the noise and reactive campaign vitriol that has become our new normal.
This is particularly important for new voters, who are exercising their democratic right and responsibility for the first time but may not have had a way of thinking about their choice beyond listening to opinionated family members, the media or social media echo chambers.
As we head into the next wave of primaries and debates, here’s a small holiday prompt to get you thinking about the presidential leadership qualities that most matter to you. Consider answering this for yourself or using it as a conversation starter with others:
“In thinking about our next president, I hope the country becomes _______ as a result of the president’s leadership qualities and time in office.”
Chances are, regardless of political affiliation, policies or background, you’ll likely choose an adjective that describes a more unified, less divided, resilient country that’s more committed to a stronger whole.
This article was published www.sfchronicle.com on Feb. 17, 2020
