SOUTH CAROLINA’S GUBERNATORIAL LEADERSHIP:

Assessing the Past and Anticipating the Future 

Fred CarterFrancis Marion University

October 10, 2011  

Unifying Leadership?

Aggressive Leadership?....Policy or Politics?

Visionary Leadership?

Efficacious Leadership?

Progressive Leadership?

Enduring Leadership? 

THE STANDARD FOR DEFINING A “GOOD” GOVERNOR

Transactional Leadership (Sustaining/Maintaining)

Versus

Transformational (Changing/Adapting) 

 

JAMES MACGREGOR BURNS’ MEASURES OF EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP

• Short to Intermediate Term Effect

• Compromising or Bargaining Strategy

• Opinion/Group/Legislative/Party Influences

• Focus on Means to the Exclusive of Ends

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

• Long term Effect to Permanent Impact

• Reform or Revolutionary Strategy

• Policy and Value Influences

• Focus on Means to Achieve Ends

EXAMINING THE PAST TO UNDERSTAND THE FUTURE:

APPRAISING THE GOVERNORS

THE AGENDA

• Education Policy

• EIA Funding

• Enhancing Support for Medically Indigent

• Second Term Governor

THE AGENDA• Economic Development

Policy

• Hurricane Hugo - Response/Recovery

• Emergency Management Reform

• “Lost Trust” Reform

• Government RestructuringCARROLL CAMPBELL (R) –

GREENVILLE1987-1995

THE AGENDA

• Economic Development Policy

• Video Poker Abolition

• Confederate Flag Removal

• All Day Kindergarten Opposition

DAVID BEASLEY (R) – SOCIETY HILL

1995-1999

THE AGENDA

JIM HODGES (D) – LANCASTER1999 - 2003

• Education Policy

• Increase Teachers Salaries

• First Steps (Early Childhood) Initiative

• Hurricane Floyd - Response/Recovery

• Education Lottery

• Confederate Flag Compromise

THE AGENDA

MARK SANFORD (R) – SULLIVAN’S ISLAND

2003 - 2011

• Economic Development Policy

• School Choice Initiative

• Government Restructuring

• Heritage Trust Land Acquisition

ASSESSING THE GOVERNOR:PERCEPTION, SUBSTANCE AND LEGACY

 Governor

Perceived Accomplishment

Real Accomplishment Legacy

Riley Education

2nd Term Governor/Education Transforming

CampbellEconomic Development

Hugo/Economic Develop Transforming

BeasleyEconomic Development

Cabinet Government

Transactional (high)

Hodges EducationLottery/First Steps

Transform/Transactional

SanfordGovernment Restructuring

Heritage Trust Land

Transactional (low)

THE TEMPLATE FOR THE FUTURE:LESSONS FOR FUTURE GOVERNORS

1. Limit the Agenda (2-3 Issues Per Term)

2. Ideology/Politics/Policy Interface

3. Developing Initiatives for the Office that You Hold - Not the One that You Aspire to Hold

4. Some Issues/Events Can’t Be Manipulated (Natural Catastrophes/Economic Recession)

5. A Press Conference May Start a Policy – It Doesn’t Implement It

6. Intellectual Leadership Versus Symbolic Gestures

  

The Inevitable Result of Electoral Politics:

Ultimately We Get Whomever We Elect