The international admiration of Jacinda Ardern is understandable. Yet some commentary reads the PM thru the great leader theory of history. In which the hope is that great leaders can make nations great, but most often good leaders emerge from already healthy political systems

PM Arden’s admirable leadership traits are enabled by and emerge from a NZ with strong democratic institutions, a culture of relative social stability and equality and less political polarisation in comparison to other more powerful nations around the world.

It’s symbiotic. Healthy systems and institutions facilitate healthy leadership. Whereas unhealthy systems and broken institutions both undermine good leadership and enable toxic leadership behaviours.

Politics as whole down under is less focused on the great leader theory of a PM who can lead us to the promised land, but rather on effective leaders who have a common touch, don’t think they are a big cheese & don’t mess it up too much. If they are a great leader that is a bonus