I watched the Tower Hamlets Leadership Hustings video last night and it compelled me to reflect on my more than 40 years’ experience of studying leadership. By studying I mean both academically and through observation, and then using this knowledge when teaching leadership in numerous public and private sector organisations throughout the UK and Europe, as well as in many well-known Business Schools, and also acting as leadership coach to countless senior managers. I am not bragging but simply ‘setting out my stall’ before making the following comments about leadership in relation to Tim Farron.

Great leaders understand, and make use of, a raft of very specific skills and characteristics. They are exceptional communicators who are able to make use of all communication channels open to them. They not only write in a language that everyone can understand, but they are also able to speak directly to people and encourage them to buy-in to what they are saying and take action as a result. Great leaders not only have a very clear vision of where they want to lead their organisation in the future but also understand how the vision links to the past, as well as knowing what needs to be done now to make the vision become a reality. Great leaders have a well balanced mix of charm, humour and wit. They take their role as leader very, very seriously but not themselves. They are usually very humble, use the ‘we’ word rather than ‘I’, and are quite happy to use themselves as the butt of their own jokes, not other people. Great leaders understand the idea that ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’. They are very bright yet have a common touch – they can do verbal battle with the best of them but are also able to touch the soul of the woman or man on the street.  I could go on!

So, who are some of the great leaders who have possessed such skills and characteristics? Here are just a few examples: President John Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr, Winston Churchill, Richard Branson and Charles Kennedy. There is one more name that I believe in time will be added to the list – Tim Farron.

If anyone wants to find out a lot more about leadership, but also to have a great laugh whilst doing so, I suggest that you read the book “Sex, Leadership and Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Peter Cook.

It is now time for the Lib Dems to really Rock ‘n’ Roll and I firmly believe that Tim Farron is the leader we need in order to make that happen. He has the skills and characteristics I’ve outlined above, he lives the values, speaks with passion, and highlights the importance of that fire in the belly. So, rock on Tim!

By the way, I am 68 years old and although I have voted throughout my adult life, I have never joined a political party until now and I am very proud to say that I am now a Liberal Democrat. At long last, I have found a political party that not only has values, but values I believe in and will fight for.

* Jim Maxon is a new member of the Liberal Democrats