Speaking Truth to Power: You may be doing it the wrong way.

“Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” 
― Warren Wiersbe

Photo Credit: Christopher Penler/Alamy Stock Photo

Speaking truth to power is sometimes viewed as a dangerous adventure because it is a mission that could unsettle the powerful and those in the position of authority. A person with a preservationist mentality will, therefore, turn a blind eye and embrace the path of least resistance and sanctimonious loyalty in other to preserve their positions, privileges or sources of livelihood. The wise and humble presents the truth by communicating authenticity, showing empathy and displaying selflessness. To the “wise-fool”, they speak truth to power with so much bravado and “spill-the-bean” mentality. They put themselves at the centre and are only motivated by possible accolades they may get from their actions.

This article is not about leaders rejecting what is right; it is about how the subordinates speak truth to the power. Many great ideas, battles and opportunities are lost because a flawed style of presenting the truth is adopted.  Everyone under authority must develop the right skills in speaking the truth.   Like the popular saying “truth is bitter”,  many people do not like to be confronted with the truth,  especially if they already know the truth and chose to ignore it.  Therefore, a new approach to speaking the truth to power must be adopted. In speaking the truth, however, the following questions are fundamental: what is your motive behind that truth? Are you rent-seeking and driven by possible accolades? In what tone do you speak the truth? What is your body language saying to the boss? Do you as the speaker of the truth have a pattern of integrity and loyalty?

A story was told of a warlord in the Old Oyo Empire, southwestern Nigeria, the warlord (Basorun Gaa) became so powerful that he killed four prominent Alaafin (the title for the King of the Oyo ). As it was reported, one day, he asked his wife to help scratch his back. His wife humorously and tauntingly said: “so you are just this smallish, and the whole kingdom dreads you so much, do they know you are not even more than this…” Unbeknownst to the woman, he deployed his soldiers and asked that they should go and behead her father (his father-in-law), and bring his head. The deed was done, quickly, and he presented the lifeless head to his wife and replied that the magnitude of his power does not lie in the smallness of his body.

What lessons do we have in the story? Different leaders behave differently, some are given to their ego (like the Oyo warlord) therefore, they will go to any length in exerting the full weight of their power. When speaking truth to power in the workplace or in businesses environments, the following should be taken into consideration

1. Recognise no one has the monopoly for the truth: it is a great mistake to believe that you alone have the truth in the situation, remember that convictions do not need truth, therefore, learn to build on the strength of others.
2. Don’t go after the credit or accolades: if your motive for speaking the truth is driven by the possibilities of receiving thumbs-up or accolades, and outshine the power that is, then your message will be lost, and your credibility questioned.
3. Don’t be confrontational or rude: Speaking the truth should not be confused with radicalism. Many people think that they must be radical to be able to speak the truth to those in power. This approach has affected and ruined a lot of careers. Other times, it has led to the outright destruction of the life of the victim.
4. Truth should be spoken with humility: as someone under authority, presenting the truth to your boss with so much arrogance will send a wrong signal, which may compel your boss to prefer the counsel of the fool to the wisdom of the arrogant.
5. Truth should be spoken with sense: a sensible approach should guard how the truth is presented. When you want to speak the truth to your leader, study the leader’s environment, his mood and ensure that it is the right time. If you don’t observe these common-sense principles, there is a higher chance that the leader becomes defensive and less receptive.
6. Show empathy and don’t be judgmental: your change initiative will become meaningful if you do not present it with a judgmental attitude. Let your presentation be fact-based and demonstrate empathy throughout the whole process.
7. Be willing to bear the cost: Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor, of sexual misconduct stood firmly against the evil practice and was not afraid to bear the cost. Recounting what the ordeal had done, she said: “I lost my church. I lost my closest friends as a result of advocating for survivors who had been victimised by similar institutional failures in my own community. I lost every shred of privacy” At the end of this ordeal humanity won, and Rachael Denhollander got her integrity back.

Conclusion

Failure to speak the truth in an acceptable manner is a strong motivation for the powerful to continue to keep fools as their confidants. However, if you desire to have your way among the powers that be and effect a meaningful change, you must exhibit the right attitude and uphold a strict ethical standard.  As we look at this topic in more detail in our forthcoming research, we love to have your view on your perspectives on speaking truth to power that be. Share your experiences and observations with us and let us all have more holistic learning.