A Prime Minister's Register of Governance Sins: Using Cybernetic Leadership Levers to Study and MaximizeCommand Effectiveness and Helm Longevity

ABSTRACT

According to conventional wisdom, one of the main reasons for the spectacular failure of former British Prime Minister Liz Truss during her extremely short stint in the top job was her allegedly radical and obstinate "Brexit ideology." However, this off-the-cuff explanation misses the point since it lacks a solid theoretical base and reliable evidence. Instead, using state-of-the-art scientific concepts-especially the new "cybernetic leadership levers" framework-and sound empirical methods, it is possible to pinpoint the real objective causes for stunning derailment at the top, as witnessed in the case of Liz Truss, the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the United Kingdom. Viewed in comparative perspective, the striking difference between her failed approach towards governing and the successful, transformational and sustainable leadership methods used by the Russian Federation's president, Vladimir Putin, coupled with his concomitant significantly longer political life, serves as a vivid illustration of the four key factors contributing to effective "helm longevity."