Everyone, including well-meaning political colleagues, wanting to share with him their views on positive political habits he needs to cultivate and the others, those he should drop and avoid.
Usually, we listen politely when someone is trying to be helpful, telling us what we need to do to be successful at our job.
I have been inclined to take this sort of advice with a pinch of salt.
Because if you're not careful, within a few months you might not recognise yourself — changed to what and for whose benefit is the question.
When someone becomes a politician, either as an electorate member of Parliament or a list member of Parliament, voters and the party hierarchy obviously think that person has what it takes to be an effective politician.
And when it comes time to select and appoint a party leader, all politicians should know what is required.
And whether or not there are sufficient leadership qualities inherent in their choice to serve the party well and do an outstanding job.
If the anointed one is put through the political makeover wringer there is every likelihood he will come out looking and sounding like most politicians, bland and uninspiring.
When that happens you know instantly you'll probably get a good, but never a great, politician.
A political party leader should strive to be a great politician, in my books. It's definitely what I think is required to enable New Zealand to move to a better place in social and economic outcomes at this point in time.
And there is nothing like authentic leadership. You know it when you see it.
It's what the country needs more of in our politicians.
If you have a makeover, that is obvious too. Stands out like a sore toe. Contrived, bending to the populist view of leadership.
Authentic leaders don't get themselves all stitched up trying to remember what they said and did.
If they don't exaggerate or fudge the truth they'll have no problem remembering exactly what they said and did. And with whom.
I'm not interested in whether a politician is a churchgoer or not, a believer of any religion for that matter.
Behaviour and conduct mark values and beliefs. I don't care if a politician is married, divorced or living with a partner.
I'm not interested in past relationships or marriages either. Whether they attended a state or private school or were schooled at home.
Whether their wealth was inherited or from big earnings from previous top jobs. To me, those qualities are not what define an impressive politician.
I like to see our politicians, but especially party leaders, show genuine interest and concern for the serious issues confronting New Zealand.
To actually commit to focusing their efforts on actions to bring about necessary changes in these areas.
There are so many, and were, big issues prior to Covid-19: the transport, water and infrastructure scrapes, the lack of housing especially for low-income families, the low- wage economy, the increase in family poverty, the climate change urgency, the mental health funding and services, the lack of residential care and support for addiction sufferers, the increase in domestic violence and family harm, the health reforms, the RMA changes, the increase in crime, tax reforms including a capital gains tax. And that's just for starters.
By no means an exhaustive list, only some of the weighty problems that need urgent attention to stop New Zealand from fast becoming an undeveloping nation.
Without authentic leadership, little will change for the National Party. They'll just trundle along.
I think the leader must take a long-term view to solutions, and stop thinking in the usual short-term, three-yearly cycle.
Short-term thinkers only ever achieve short-term gains. An authentic leader will focus on transparent behaviour and encourage open sharing of information to make decisions.
He will value and welcome input from all members of the team. As a successful businessman before entering politics, Chris Luxon would be experienced enough to know what a top leadership job requires.
He can forget the bull**** mystique that surrounds politics, being somehow so special you need years in the training.
Maybe years ago under certain insecure leaders, they were able to get away with that nonsense.
But New Zealand doesn't have time to spare, neither does the National Party. Leave the makeover out of it and chances are Chris Luxon will be home and hosed within a short time.
