The Voice of Leadership
Recently, I was introduced to the Five Voices of leadership. I like the essential elements of this simple concept:
- We each have a unique voice of leadership.
- This personal voice comprises five key voices characterised as pioneers, connectors, guardians, creatives, and nurturers. Each of these different voices has its own volume (please see here to learn more about nurturing these voices).
- We can individually dial up (or down) each of these volumes depending on the needs of the situation.
- Some of these five voices are present-oriented while others are more future-oriented.
- We are better leaders when we learn how to utilise these voices in ourselves and others.
Like I said, it is a simple premise.
But some simple things are also the hardest to implement. When it comes to voices, we often desire/tend to say more than to listen, and we want to hear our own voices rather than the voices of others.
Worse, these days, many things drown out even our own voices. We are kept busy, stressed, distracted, anxious, and divided. It is hard enough trying to hear our own five voices amid the cacophony. It is no wonder we ignore the sixth voice, which in my view, is the most important voice of all.
The Sixth Voice: The Voice of Conscience
Wait a minute – there is a sixth voice? Yup. I call this the Voice of Conscience.
Our conscience tells us what is right and wrong, how to be right, and how to avoid doing wrong to ourselves and to others. It directs our leadership behaviours towards doing good, to become a FACTER for Good. In doing so, it relates with the following ideals:
1. Conscience and Fair Profit
It clarifies what earning a fair profit means, never profiteering, yet able to provide a fair wage to its workers. More than that, the voice of conscience directs these profits towards justice and mercy for the betterment of our neighbours. It may even turn part of its entrepreneurial pursuits into social enterprises.
2. Conscience and Mutuality
Conscience infuses innovation with wisdom. It not only solves problems with enterprise, but it does so in a manner that remains faithful to stewarding the environment. It observes ethical applications of mutuality in capitalistic pursuits. Such leaders would already be acquainted with terms such as ‘green’ or ‘circular’ economies, or triple and quadruple bottom lines (of people, profit, planet and purpose).
3. Conscience is against Modern Slavery
A leader of conscience would never exploit its workers in modern acts of slavery. A leader of conscience’s standards of kindness and consideration for the welfare of fellow workers are enshrined not on paper legislation but in the heart of the leader.
Such a leader ardently pursues both the welfare of workers as well as fair profit. Welfare is not a transaction made for the sake of fatter bottom lines. Likewise, being kind is not about being good for business. Instead, it is simply because one rejoices in the good of others, and because it is able to show gratitude towards those who have been good to us. Such welfare is transformational – people stay with the company because of genuine affect and a shared stake in the espoused vision of its leaders.
4. Conscience and Mental Health
The voice of conscience knows how to self-care, and to shepherd the mental wellbeing of others. It knows to run a good race, to set a good pace, and to create a safe space.
These days, the world is awash with mental health apps and self-care movements. People talk about creating psychological safety at work as if it is the latest fad. Well, I believe these are merely indications that conscience has been silenced at work. A good shepherd knows how to care for its flock, for such a shepherd does not work for selfish reasons, nor to steal, kill or destroy the enterprise and wellbeing of others.
Conscience: The Voice above all Voices
As leaders, we project leadership with our own voice. Good leaders know how to use our voice well. Great leaders help others find their own unique voice. Exceptional leaders are guided by the sixth voice – the voice of conscience. These leaders are not only good at what they do, they do good by being around and spread goodness by growing this in others.
May we become exceptional leaders of conscience!
