The measures of leadership

I’ve several times said that one of the most remarkable news conferences by a politician that I’ve ever seen was the one New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg had after the Cirrus plane, piloted by a pitcher for the New York Yankees, slammed into an apartment building.

He just kept facts coming, delivered in a fashion that he knew what he was doing, without much in the way of flash. If leaders appear to know what they’re doing, people tend to feel better about things.

Today’s news conference on the situation in New York was similar, and left reporters with few good questions to ask because he’d already answered them (full news conference here).

These sorts of situations give us a good glimpse in the styles of leaders. There are few similarities between Bloomberg and New Jersey’s Gov. Chris Christie, who gets his points across in a more emotional way.

Two styles, both seem to get their message across in dramatically different ways.

These sorts of things are “part news conference, part fireside chat, and they require the full portfolio of executive skills: confidence, calm, empathy and wit,” the New York Times says.

Which style do you favor in a leader?