Common Sense in Politicians

The primary requirement for a successful politician is common sense.
Describe a specific situation in which a politician might need an asset other than common sense to be successful. Discuss what you think determines when politicians need common sense in order to achieve success and when they do not.
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Every organization needs an effective leader to nurture team work among employees and meet certain objectives and goals. Some leaders may be responsible for a few people; others, such as politicians, represent large communities and therefore, tend to deal with more complicated issues . For example, politicians are confronted with an array of conflicting interests within their communities and must make difficult decisions regarding which problems to solve and where to focus their priorities. To handle these responsibilities, successful politicians need to possess several qualities, including common sense above all things.

A person may have studied years on end and possess multiple degrees from prestigious universities; however, she will still face obstacles in trying to promote positive changes in the real world if she lacks common sense--or the ability to resolve common problems that have a simple solution. A leader possessing common sense can envision problems from a practical point of view that can be explained to and understood by his constituents. In contrast, some people who have been enclosed in an ivory tower lose the ability to view problems from a realistic point of view, often developing theories that have no practical relevance outside academia. While great politicians have the ability to process esoteric knowledge and theories, they also can place themselves in the position of the regular Joe and analyze problems from a common-sense perspective.

Common sense, of course, is not the only asset a successful politician possesses. He must also have the discipline to work toward goals and have extraordinary "people skills" to attract and maintain support. These leaders must also be able to analyze problems on an intellectual level and clearly explain ideas and proposals to different types of audiences. Indeed, the positive assets of a successful politician are seemingly endless. No one, of course, is perfect and can achieve the ideal standard of a "successful politician." Even those considered extraordinary leaders exhibit personal weaknesses that can ruin their careers.

Common sense will always be needed by a politician to be effective in his job. They are voted into office to make positive changes in the community and a lack of common sense for solving problems will prove to be a huge liability. Voters will realize when a politician fails to approach his work from a practical standpoint and will, therefore, punish him at the polls.