In 1994, I decided to move from my Norway homeland to the United States. I spent a year living in Nebraska, Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz’s native state, and soaking up the small-town culture and the American values it represents — values I now see in Walz.
America is at a crucial turning point as we approach the 2024 election. Seeing a man hardly known to the public almost overnight speak to the soul of what I, a foreigner, had come to know as the American spirit — the heart of what the U.S. stood for — has made for an interesting twist of events. Walz is issuing a wake-up call: speaking on the essence of American culture and re-invoking its core values.
Walz was brought up in small-town Chadron, where the focus was on community and caring for one another. This was the spirit that met me after I moved to Benedict, Nebraska. This was not new to me. I had grown up in a small town in Norway, where the same understanding of life was baked into the very ethos of Norwegian culture.
In Norway, we call this “dugnad.” The Danes are famously known for the cozy “hygge,” and Norway was built on dugnad. It is the collective understanding, not one of independence, but one of interdependence, rooted in our exploratory forefathers who put my small country on the global map. With 200 people living in the village and only seven students in my senior high school class, it was clear to everyone: you show up for others, and they will show up for you. We had to participate in all kinds of activities, from track and field, basketball and football to the marching band, for a truth: If we did not participate, the others would not have a team.
When Walz talks about being a football coach and coming from Minnesota, the home of the NFL’s Vikings, he brings out the light and strength of the United States — not only united by name but by values. A culture built on the principles of “when you fight together, you win.” Walz understands the importance of having a larger vision and a common goal, but he believes that progress is achieved through a process driven by micro-ambitions that compound to greater change. In his opening statement after being chosen as Kamala Harris’ running mate, he stated that anything can be accomplished in the remaining days, concluding with, “My mantra is, we’ll sleep when we’re dead.”
The United States did not become a powerhouse in sports, business and beyond through pessimism. It is the unwritten commitment to a declaration of interdependence— “I am because you are”—that the United States is built on, and which America’s original immigrants set out in boats to pursue.
Between naïve optimism and negative pessimism lies possible-ism. I got to know the American dream as one of “Possibilists.” Yes, there are challenges; yes, there are difficult times. But, you get together, commit to the dugnad, and move on.
It has been a culture of progress, not one of finite solutions. Yes, we celebrate the wins, but it is the infinite striving toward better problems that is the core of the United States. It is a culture of high performance deeply rooted in common values.
Walz appeals to basic principles of leadership. Coach Tom Osborne led the Nebraska Cornhuskers to back-to-back national championships in 1994/1995, and I had to dig deep into my library to find a physical copy of his leadership philosophy: “Reflections of Perceptions.”
His insights into uniting personal growth and core values are the very essence of the American dream. It is the holistic focus on people and how everyone can come together by bringing their best effort without intimidation and manipulation. It is a philosophy that underscores the significance of integrity, consistency and values in personal and professional life. It is about dealing with adversity, maintaining a strong work ethic, and being loyal and united as a team.
As the 2024 presidential campaign continues, the essence of modern leadership — the importance of adaptability and continuous personal growth — will be put to the test. The Democrats appear to be embracing the core essence of what it means to be an American. Time will tell if Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can also succeed. However, 2024 has the potential to lead to a movement of togetherness.
