[July 07, 2014] The United States has an immigration problem. There is no denying the fact that the number of people crossing the southern border annually in violation of U.S. law has dramatically increased over the past several years. Likewise, the number of deportations has fallen. The real problem, however, is not the immigration issue itself, but the challenges of senior leaders to follow basic leadership fundamentals in communication.
View of Ellis Island, NY in 1913, looking across water toward immigration station
So, what exactly is the U.S. message on immigration? What is U.S. immigration law, but more importantly, what part of the law is being enforced? The fact that no one can really answer these questions, except for how the law reads, is at issue. It appears that just about every politician and political pundit has something to say about what the U.S. “should be doing”. Those messages are confusing, contradictory, and emotional. For our elected officials, the audience is clearly U.S. citizens. Yet, others across the world are listening and are just as confused.
As long as there is confusion with regard to U.S. immigration policy, there will continue to be an influx of immigrants illegally gaining entry. These are mostly Central and South Americans who want a better life and the U.S. is the place to go. The U.S. is a beacon for prosperity and freedom … that is both a good thing and everyone knows it. Our immigration policy is designed to be an orderly, lawful process that benefits the immigrant and this country.
Yet, there has been politically-motivated rancorous language used to attack politicians and ordinary citizens. This is not a successful or efficient method of getting out the right message. It has become a method of gaining political power and the American people don’t like it. The many recent polls showing the discontent and dislike of Congress is just an example of the failures in communication. This is why it is such an emotional issue and many believe that politicians are leveraging those emotions for personal gain.
The lesson for senior leaders is that it is important to clearly articulate the goals of the organization, how to get there, and what it will cost. In other words, create a vision on where to go and strategy on how to get there. Given where we are today, this will not be easy but that is why we have senior leaders … their job is to do the hard things, that which is difficult. When the message is not given early and often, we can expect a continuation of what we see today: confusion, frustration, and disappointment.
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