Leadership Quote by Jim Hodges

Slowness is doing double duty here: it reads as temperament, and it functions as a quiet argument about power. “I move very slowly” isn’t the humblebrag of a meticulous person; it’s a stance against the political ecosystem that rewards speed, certainty, and constant reaction. In an era where leaders are expected to have a take before the facts are even assembled, Hodges frames deliberation as discipline.

The key move is the reversal of the usual hierarchy. “It’s usually material first” puts the world ahead of the message. Most politics runs the other way: start with the narrative, then go shopping for evidence. Hodges’ phrasing suggests a self-image of governance as craft, not performance. “Material” is an interestingly tactile word for a politician to choose. It implies budgets, data, constituent stories, the gritty stuff you can’t spin into existence. He’s not saying he’s indecisive; he’s saying he refuses to treat policy as improv.

“I sit with the material for a long time” signals patience but also containment. Sitting with something means resisting pressure from donors, party operatives, and the news cycle; it’s time spent in the uncomfortable middle where easy slogans don’t help. The subtext is reputational: trust me because I don’t rush. It also carries a faint warning to opponents and allies alike: you won’t hurry me into your timetable.

Contextually, the line fits a post-scandal, post-spin hunger for “process” politicians who perform sobriety. Slow becomes a brand: less charismatic, more credible.