(Mis)Managing Leadership Capital

Abstract

This chapter applies the Leadership Capital Index (LCI) to Canada, focusing on the experience of two recent prime ministers, Paul Martin and Stephen Harper. While leadership capital may initially seem less important in the Canadian system, where leaders appear all-powerful with few party or parliamentary restraints, it remains important in explaining how leaders adapt, or fail to adapt, to their circumstances. The chapter contrasts two recent prime ministers, Stephen Harper and Paul Martin, and demonstrates their very different accumulation and spending of leadership capital. Martin came into office with overwhelming popularity, but failed to meet expectations and squandered his leadership capital and projection of authority. Harper began under more modest circumstances but carefully built and husbanded his leadership capital to achieve long-term success.