Leverage on soft power to reduce increasing number of squabbles between leaders

Since the advent of devolution in 2013, we have witnessed numerous squabbles between the Governors and Members of County Assemblies on one hand and county to county disagreements, especially on boundaries, which of course have a bearing on revenue collection for concerned counties. These squabbles in most cases affect the vulnerable in society, who end up missing out on required developments programmes. These squabbles are caused in my opinion because of inappropriate application of soft power on the part of the leaders.

Leaders need to leverage on the power of what Professor Joseph Nye of Harvard University, called the soft power, in the 1980’s. Soft power is the ability to attract and co-opt rather than coerce and intimidate, aspects which are common in the hard power approach. This is because hard power tactics have been practiced for long and as such leaders might see it as a quick fix to conflicts.  Through soft power, leaders shape and re-orient the opinions of other leaders or the electorate through the appeal and attraction. According to Prof. Nye, “the best propaganda is not propaganda” and that in the information age, “credibility is the scarcest resource”, which means that a leader guided by soft power will not mind their opponents resorting to propaganda or mudslinging because under soft power, a leader can disarm such tactics.

Most of the conflicts are related to positions of power, finance and influence, but through soft power, a leader is able to make their opponents agree with them in the process, which increases their chances of getting what they have wanted all along without breaking a sweet. A leader will be inclined to use more of diplomacy, strategic communication, assistance to people, civic actions, economic reconstruction and development, all of which pull and attracts people and opponents to their train of thought. In soft power, they will influence the behaviour of others and hence get the outcomes that they seek to achieve. We require our leaders to acquaint themselves on the powers and efficiency of soft power, which will rid us of stagnation in development and delays in service delivery. It is time we trained all leaders on issues of leadership, soft power and innovative governance.