We are not just tired of politics. We are tired of leaders. A new national survey says most Americans see a crisis in leadership from city halls to Capitol Hill, and the judgment is blunt: the people in charge are serving themselves, not the public.
Here is what the poll shows, in plain terms
• Eighty seven percent say public service has a leadership crisis.
• Eighty five percent say officials care more about power and influence than the people they represent.
• Trust splits by institution. About two thirds trust the Supreme Court to act in the public interest, but fewer than half say the same of the Trump administration or Republicans in Congress, and only a bare majority say it about Democrats in Congress.
• Disappointment spills beyond politics. Seventy three percent are disappointed in health care leaders, seventy two percent in business, and sixty eight percent in education.
• Politicians dominate what we think of as leaders, yet they rank among the least trustworthy. Community, military, nonprofit, and education leaders are seen as more trustworthy, even though the public does not instinctively label them as the face of leadership.
• What people want is consistent across sectors. Trustworthiness and honesty top the list. Other traits matter by field: loyal and collaborative in public service, strategic and innovative in business, passionate and authentic in education, and empathetic and innovative in health care.
• Many Americans do not aspire to lead at all, which deepens the void.
Why this matters
When the figures we think of as leaders are the ones we trust the least, legitimacy erodes and policy gets harder to deliver. The gap between who holds power and who earns trust suggests a demand for a different kind of leadership culture. One that elevates service over status, proves honesty with transparent decisions, and brings more diverse voices into visible roles, especially in schools and local government where trust remains higher.
A practical way forward
Start local, where confidence is stronger, and let results travel upward. Make truth telling and measurable outcomes the default. Align incentives so that leaders gain standing by solving problems the public names as urgent: access to health care, mental health, economic competitiveness, climate resilience, and reducing toxic division. Invite community, nonprofit, and education leaders into national conversations, not as guests but as partners.
If the public is telling us that authenticity beats theatrics, then the fix is not a new slogan. It is a new standard. Go beyond the headlines…
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