Four articles in as many weeks have batted around the topic of “speaking truth to power.” Task & Purpose recently took a swing at it. Doctrine Man provided two vantage points on the topic here and here. And our friends over at The Field Grade Leader published a guest piece here. But it just felt like something was missing. Speaking truth to power is as much about making sure you are speaking the truth as it is about speaking it to power. The art of speaking truth to power is equal parts credibility, maturity, perspective, and communication. Below are some tips garnered from the multiple leaders who have taken the time to teach and mentor me.
We too often picture the fireworks of a Lieutenant Kaffee screaming for the truth at Colonel Jessup when thinking of truth-to-power. But if we allow a situation to escalate to that level, then neither side is fulfilling their responsibility. The most effective way to speak truth to power is to build credibility through reputation and relationship.
You build your credibility and build your reputation through consistent words and actions. Are you a performer? Do you hustle? Are you a team-player? Are you a whiner or a problem-solver? The first trick to speaking truth to power is building a strong foundation of credibility. Your credibility is your currency; it speaks louder than rank and position. When your boss knows you, and knows you care about the mission and the organization, he or she is more likely to welcome and place weight on your candid feedback. Building this relationship requires maturity.
One of my favorite Mark Twain quotes is, “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to 21 I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”
Soldiers from C Co, 2-23 IN take watch in Eastern Afghanistan. U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Christopher Bouchard.
Few things are more irritating to a young leader than someone senior in age and experience dismissing them by reason of their lack of the two. But, sometimes this dismissal is warranted. Sometimes, we just don’t know what we don’t know. This isn’t to say that youth should be dismissed, but rather it is a useful warning to always seek greater maturity and to approach crucial conversations with heightened awareness.
The immature leader – and I speak from experience not a pedestal – gets fired up about trivial things. In the moment, blinded from the bigger picture, you go off half-cocked and choose the wrong hill on which to die. Leaders at all levels can fall prey to this. It is a failure to take a pause and see the bigger picture.
You have to ask yourself if it is THE truth you are speaking or YOUR truth. Our perspective often becomes our reality, and so there is value to your truth. But, understand that it is only your truth and may not be THE truth. It may not take into account the full picture. If you are going to speak truth to power, know how to approach the situation.
This is where strong communications skills come into play, knowing your boss’ voice and how to speak their language. Great communicators know their audience and understand the moment. Ultimately, you have to ask yourself, “Am I just trying to have my righteous anger heard or am I trying to make a difference?” Understand that you are trying to achieve an effect, and then communicate toward that effect taking into consideration your audience and the moment.
The Draw of the Inner Ring
C.S. Lewis’ gave a memorial lecture at King’s College, University of London, in 1944, titled “The Inner Ring.” Lewis tackles the dynamic between being in the room and part of that inner circle where by simply speaking you are doing so to power. While Freud would claim that sex is the strongest and most base human desire, Lewis says otherwise.
Photo of then General Stanley McChrystal, Major General Michael Flynn, and Colonel Michael Howard at Combat Outpost Gorbuz in Afghanistan. U.S. Army Photo by Marcus Butler. Retrieved from Stars & Stripes.
“I don’t believe that the economic motive and the erotic motive account for everything […] Even if you add Ambition I think the picture is still incomplete.[…] We hope, no doubt, for tangible profits from every Inner Ring we penetrate: power, money, liberty to break rules, avoidance of routine duties, evasion of discipline. But all these would not satisfy us if we did not get in addition the delicious sense of secret intimacy. […] Unless you take measures to prevent it, this desire is going to be one of the chief motives of your life, from the first day on which you enter your profession until the day when you are too old to care.”
Channelling my best Uncle Ben from Spider-man – with great power comes great responsibility. There is power associated with being close to power. Being “in the room” or inside the circle, provides you opportunities to shape decisions. Guard yourself against it.
You’ve proven your credibility, maturity, perspective on the larger picture, and your strong communication skills. But, do you know when NOT to speak truth to power? Don’t let the lust of being close to power inflate your ego or corrupt your motives. Remember, it’s not about you.
Never miss a good opportunity to keep your mouth shut. And don’t forget, MacArthur wasn’t speaking truth to power when he picked a fight with President Truman – he was just being a jerk. Don’t be a jerk.
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This is something often overlooked. Great article.
Thank you for the comment! And glad you enjoyed.