Chairman Right has come a long way from the General Staff patrol to the Defense Minister's Office • In the Corona crisis, he is making everyone a school in field leadership • But the political test is still ahead of him • Interpretation
Bennett has demonstrated leadership in the field
Photography:
Yariv Katz
The question "Who is a leader?"
Fascinating.
Especially when it comes to leadership at the national level.
Look at Western democracies and understand what is actually emerging.
In fact, in most of the Western world politicians are activists who have reached political positions without rubbing too much shoulders in life itself.
Without bringing anything meaningful out of their own framework.
Some will argue with me and tell me that a politician is a profession, but I think otherwise.
Fulfilled a politician, but a head of state?
Need something else to be head of state.
And really, when we look at the "Arsenal" claiming the crown, here with us, uneasiness arises.
Let's tell the truth, Netanyahu had no real competition.
Despite the "draw" with blue and white, the choice of center party did not come from a place of leadership.
But from a place of anti to the present leader.
Against this background, something fascinating is happening these days.
Naftali Bennett is a talented man.
His growth began in his positions in the military, moved to work in the private sector and continued to integrate into national work.
There, Bennett has come a long way since becoming chairman of the Jewish House, serving as a minister in various ministries and even becoming defense minister. I will not give scores here for his performance, but he certainly gained impressive mileage.
If we think about it, the man performed a service track at the forefront of military action, set up a successful private company, rubbed shoulders with positions at the public level, was Minister of Economy, Minister of Education, Minister of Defense - he knows this system from every direction.
He, as we say, lives the area well.
But that's not the point.
That's important, but it's not what matters about Bennett's leadership.
I thank.
As a warrior and field commander, I believe in field leadership.
I know you can't really win a challenge, a battle, or a war without "being there when it happens."
And Bennett in recent months, just doing school for everyone.
Because he is there, in the field.
With a mask, and with all the rules, he experiences the experience and understands the problem.
He does not zoom in on it.
He does it at eye level.
He goes down to the people and understands what is actually going on here.
We, the field commanders, have a clear understanding - nothing will move until you see the commander in your head.
The example, presence and experience - creates identification.
Field commanders are leading by their very presence.
Bennett uses his natural leadership skills here.
And not for the first time.
This also happened to him during Operation Resilient Cliff.
And he really understood what was right to do and what to focus on.
Bennett's activity screams to the sky at moments when most of us have a feeling of vacuum, purposelessness and quite a few questions of trust.
And it is clear that there is a dimension of self-marketing and "shuffled" in photos, posts and tweets.
After all, we are not innocent.
Still, a politician who has gone through such mileage, and pokes his feet deep into the ranks of the people - is something else we are not accustomed to.
And no, it does not require five security circuits.
The public accepts it.
Bennett is not received in front of him in a brawl.
It is not perceived as threatening, nor does it create antagonism.
Bennett enters the existing vacuum in a smart, intelligent and desirable way.
But there is another matter here.
As mentioned, to be a prime minister, you need something else, and that is the ability to form a coalition around you.
Produce a wide circle of support, produce connections.
Not to mention winning a wide number of seats in the election - these are the rules of the game.
So far Bennett has failed to create a political platform that will receive a large and wide response.
In the first round of elections in 2019, he did not even enter the Knesset.
Bennett has a double test - public and political.
In the political context he must invest effort in creating the right platform that will appeal to the general public.
But in the public context, meanwhile, he is making a school for everyone.
The author is a former commander of the Armored Division, a researcher of military-social relations, and leads a program to empower leading teachers in the education system