POLITICAL debates and interviews are intrinsic to the electoral process. To avoid or mishandle these opportunities would be to lose the chance to intelligently engage with voters aside from the usual campaign propaganda and gimmickry.
We need to shift from a monologue to a dialogue, says Jeanne Liedtka in the book “Solving Problems With Design Thinking.”
In the recent mayoralty and gubernatorial debates, I was able to validate my continuing premise -- that stakeholders, especially subject matter experts, have clear ideas and valuable insights to co-creating solutions for pressing problems.
In design thinking, the questions matter as much as the answers. In designing for growth, leaders become more of facilitators and managers of solutions that are derived from ideation with stakeholders.
I was listening keenly to the sectoral representatives for public health, local economy peace and order, environment, governance and youth development and I feel grateful both for the questions that to me, looked more like trigger questions as how we call them in design thinking - the very essence of problem-solving process - asking the right questions. The questions of the representatives were scaled from asking "what is" to "what works."
Looking at the baseline, generating ideas and eventually ideating concepts to lead to solutions.
For me, Bacolod and Negros Occidental civil society holds a plethora of ideas where leaders can generate solutions just like how intensively I have seen and been briefed in Taiwan in how the country systematically crowdsource ideas and prototype solutions directly from stakeholders.
From the explanation of each sectoral representative who asked questions -- they explained that their questions were outputs of discussion and decision of members of their sectors. This is a value of stakeholders mapping - a design thinking tool.
Their initial question elicited or stated data. For example, asking what the current Covid numbers are or laying the fact that we have a number of drug-related killings. This is a valuable stage we call "what is." The candidates were then asked to share at least three programs or plans they have for each concern. In design thinking, brainstorming and concept development, provide opportunity for core stakeholders such as public officials to generate and implement solutions.
The ongoing presidential interviews are no less than interesting as the local debates. It is important to note that there are many forms of public speaking according to purpose -- informative, directive, or instructional, motivational, or inspiring (or consoling as in a eulogy), entertaining, or persuasive, among others. Each of this type of speech requires specific module training, and a separate set of evaluation metrics.
Politicians on the campaign trail usually deliver persuasive speeches. In the past, landmark speeches (and interviews) of leaders shaped public opinion. Raw and directly delivered to listeners. Today, there are many ways to package information. These packaging could affect how opinions are shaped. Hence, I would rather hear candidates directly speak to us than hear or know it from a third-party source quoting them so I can personally gauge their level of persuasiveness.
There are questions I hear from the media hosts that pertain to things that are directly under the responsibilities of a president or cannot just be done or decided by him or her but acting as part of the whole policy process. Hence, there are questions that technically elicit opinions. And I am not really agitated by the choices because I respect opinions. And I appreciate that because we have a glimpse of their minds. But a president under the Constitution is the Chief Executive.
Every leader has his or her own set of beliefs just like everyone of us. But unlike every one of us, a true leader does not insist on his or her belief when insisting on the same will distort the legally mandated decision process. Let us pay more attention to how these leaders strategically and creatively executed their plans in their current positions.
As an ordinary bystander and no longer actively participating in running, or even campaigning for any candidate, I appreciate the effort of organizations to endeavor to spread valuable information to voters for them to have informed choices. I pray these platforms multiply in our city and all over the county. There is no need to engage in a brawl or encourage slander if our goal is governance, beyond politics.