On Projecting an Appropriate Image

What's going on here? Haven't we lost track of something that is worthwhile? I'm referring to the appropriateness of the image that candidates project. Shouldn't a person have personal attributes that are appropriate to the position that he or she seeks?

To illustrate what I'm getting at, try to visualize an ideal principal for a high school that you would want your child to attend. I understand that every job requires specific skills that are necessary for functioning successfully. I am not thinking of the specific skills that the person will use regularly. I am thinking of the kind of person that a high school principal should be.

A high school principal should be a role model for teenagers -- a mature adult who is dignified, learned, well-mannered and well-spoken.

- A principal should be able to engage faculty in informed discussions of the curricula of every subject.

- A principal should be physically fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

- A principal should have facility with at least one foreign language.

- A principal should have a deep understanding and appreciation of literature, music, art, dance, and drama.

- A principal should should habitually demonstrate behavior that we would want teenagers to emulate -- courtesy, respect, kindness, etc.

All of this is part of the person's image. I would want to see that all the desired image components were in place before considering a candidate for the position. Only after ascertaining that a candidate is the kind of person we want, should we try to assess his or her job-specific skills.

Image IS important. Do you agree? If so, good.

Let us now extend this concept to another leadership position -- President of the United States. Shouldn't a candidate for President have all the attributes that we would look for in a high school principal and then some? In 2016, we've seen some candidates for President whom I would never consider for a school principal's job because their image is inappropriate. If I can't visualize someone as a good principal for a school, I cannot vote for that person to be president. I hope that you couldn't either. Let's have a little class.