What can politicians can learn from the best businesses? Quite a lot actually.....

As we hurtle towards another election, am I alone in feeling increasingly frustrated with the political choices available to me?
 
Frustration doesn't cover it - a form of incredulity perhaps?  
Politicians have seemed to transform into an amorphous mass, not distinctive, open or willing to listen. 

The irony is, of course, that business is often pilloried by our politicians as a den of iniquity, amoral and closed to scrutiny. Whilst this may have been true in some cases (see Tesco and Banking blogs) even the most partial observer can't have failed to recognise that the House of Commons has a disproportionate number of cheats, liars and lawbreakers amongst its members. 

So what's wrong?

Controlling my rant, my sense of disappointment stems from just a few areas:

1. Engagement. Despite the ubiquity of social media which should make engagement with potential voters easier, few of our MPs use this route to really engage.  Listen to us first, not your political parties.
   
2. Courage.  Say what you believe please, stop trying to second guess what you think the voters will like.  
   
3. Greed.  Despite scandal after scandal we are finding that MPs are still dipping into the trough.  A minority are totally transparent on what they earn.  
4. Experience.   The term "career politician" should be a warning signal. How can we let people with no working experience outside politics represent us?

A new manifesto

So let's request a new manifesto for our politicians which is based on good business practice:

1. I will engage with my electorate frequently and listen (not necessarily agreeing) with their perspective.
2. I will say what I believe not what I think you'd like me to say.
3. I will accept the salary I was offered and publish all my expenses in detail.  
4. I will serve using my career experience to inform my views and will serve a maximum of 2 terms to stop me becoming out of touch.  

Of course, we are the ones to blame - we vote them in.  So, please, don't blindly vote for the party colour, vote for the individual who listens, has the courage of their conviction and will represent their community.