News that New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof is considering running for governor of Oregon raises the question of what qualifications voters should expect of candidates
As a retired "knowledge worker" who is now co-managing a small farm, I think there's a lot to be said for the latter experience that is transferable to many jobs, including governor. Farmers learn to live with the uncertainty of known unknowns, mostly related to weather -- not to avoid them so much, they're unavoidable, but to be able to deal with them when they arise. That turned out to be a big part of my job when I worked for Gov. Kulongoski -- and one that tends to be underrated by those in the policy world.
Another example: The farmer across the road from our orchard once told me that, if you're farming the way your father or grandfather, you'll be the last of your family to do so. Change is constant in farming, not just from the weather, but from the vagaries of markets, blight, insect infestations etc. So I'd add resilience and the ability to change course as needed to your checklist for the qualities of a good governor.
To your larger point, I think that almost any job delivers experience that is relevant to other jobs and roles, often in unexpected ways. When I worked in the union movement, I was fond of saying that what best prepared me for dispute resolution and negotiations was my time as a night shift bartender on the Lower East Side of NYC when I had to defuse volatile situations and still be firm enough to cut off a guy who had too much to drink.
Life experience counts for a lot for a job like governor, as opposed to a job in the legislature, where one's voice and agenda tend to be the selling points. I think most people judge potential governors more on the basis of character, trustworthiness and qualities like empathy as well as life experience. If this person is going to be our leader, can we trust him or her with that power?
Reading Kristof (and his wife, Sheryl Wudunn)’s book “Tightrope” helps understand Nick’s interest in serving Oregon in elected office. Nick would be committed to combatting rural poverty and transforming education to provide living wage jobs for ALL Oregonians, not just urban liberals.
Mark,
As a retired "knowledge worker" who is now co-managing a small farm, I think there's a lot to be said for the latter experience that is transferable to many jobs, including governor. Farmers learn to live with the uncertainty of known unknowns, mostly related to weather -- not to avoid them so much, they're unavoidable, but to be able to deal with them when they arise. That turned out to be a big part of my job when I worked for Gov. Kulongoski -- and one that tends to be underrated by those in the policy world.
Another example: The farmer across the road from our orchard once told me that, if you're farming the way your father or grandfather, you'll be the last of your family to do so. Change is constant in farming, not just from the weather, but from the vagaries of markets, blight, insect infestations etc. So I'd add resilience and the ability to change course as needed to your checklist for the qualities of a good governor.
To your larger point, I think that almost any job delivers experience that is relevant to other jobs and roles, often in unexpected ways. When I worked in the union movement, I was fond of saying that what best prepared me for dispute resolution and negotiations was my time as a night shift bartender on the Lower East Side of NYC when I had to defuse volatile situations and still be firm enough to cut off a guy who had too much to drink.
Life experience counts for a lot for a job like governor, as opposed to a job in the legislature, where one's voice and agenda tend to be the selling points. I think most people judge potential governors more on the basis of character, trustworthiness and qualities like empathy as well as life experience. If this person is going to be our leader, can we trust him or her with that power?
Reading Kristof (and his wife, Sheryl Wudunn)’s book “Tightrope” helps understand Nick’s interest in serving Oregon in elected office. Nick would be committed to combatting rural poverty and transforming education to provide living wage jobs for ALL Oregonians, not just urban liberals.