Being there

The behaviour of politicians and senior public officials as portrayed in the media often strikes impartial observers as erratic, inconsistent and sometimes foolish. Also, outsiders are often bewildered by the conflicts and coalitions in political and bureaucratic games. They wonder how ‘big’ political decisions come about, particularly seemingly misguided ones. They see leaders rise and fall for no obvious reason. It matters because outsiders worry. Citizens expect their leaders to grasp the bigger picture. They expect clear decisions, reasons and effective problem-solving. Memoirs, ‘diaries’ or autobiographies are self-serving and only go some way in helping us understand the perceptions, motives and ideas underpinning elite actions.