opinion

Post-truth politics

The concept of post-truth politics has become more evident on a global scale in recent months. This is the concept of a culture in which statements are framed largely by appeals to emotion, completely disconnected from the political facts, and in which factual rebuttals in discussion are ignored.

The term ‘post-truth politics’ was coined in 2010 by American blogger David Roberts to describe the success of Republicans in Congress – and it has more recently been discussed by Jonathan Freedland in the Guardian, by Toby Young in The Spectator, and in an article in The Economist.

Truth becomes secondary to reinforcing prejudices

In post-truth politics truth is not necessarily falsified or contested, but rather it is of secondary importance to reinforcing prejudices. While Toby Young in The Spectator claims that ‘all the evidence suggests that those who place a high value on facts and see themselves as truth-seekers are no more likely to arrive at their political views through reason and analysis’, blatant and outrageous lying is nevertheless troubling, if only for the light it casts on the speaker’s integrity. For example, Donald Trump claims that Barack Obama founded Islamic State (indeed, Freedland comments that The Washington Post’s fact-checker blog has awarded its maximum dishonesty rating to nearly 70% of the Trump statements it has vetted). The Leave campaign leading up to the UK’s EU referendum claimed that the UK sends £350m to Brussels each week. Neither assertion rests on truth.

Human beings ditch the facts

And yet, as the Economist article points out, ‘presented with evidence that contradicts a belief that is dearly held, people have a tendency to ditch the facts first’. As human beings, we tend to look for evidence that reinforces our existing beliefs and that allows us to escape the effort of thinking (see also my blog on wilful blindness).

Post-truth leadership?

The readiness with which some politicians resort to emotional manipulation and happily sacrifice the truth – and their success in persuading and influencing a willing audience – is disturbing. We see it too in the rantings and actions of repressive dictators (Hitler comes to mind). And I can’t help wondering where this may go next: will we see the rise of post-truth leadership in our organisations? Indeed, are we already seeing it?

Leaders’ abuse of others’ emotions

I have worked with very senior clients in multinational organisations who were led by CEOs who, in emotionally charged interactions, enrolled other members of the senior teams into believing distorted pictures of the truth, or a dangerously incomplete portrayal of the facts, in an effort to drive forward their own agendas: they seemed to achieve this by tapping in to those individuals’ biases, fears and threat to their sense of safety. In other words, by nurturing wilful blindness.

Modelling on post-truth politicians

Are such leaders modelling themselves on those politicians who indulge in post-truth tactics and who appear to be successful because of them? If so, what kind of society are we in danger of building, and what kind of institutions and organisations are we at risk of developing?

Leaders of integrity have even greater responsibility

Perhaps this means that there is even more responsibility on leaders who are characterised by integrity, humanity, and humility to not only promote themselves but also to stand up for the truth more publicly than they might have done. There’s an equal responsibility on those whom they lead.

When good men do nothing….

As parliamentarian Edward Burke observed: “in order for for evil to flourish all that is required is for good men to do nothing.”

Photo by Ognian Mladenov via Compfight

Post-truth leadership

We are witnessing the rise of post-truth politics: a culture in which statements are framed largely by appeals to emotion, completely disconnected from the political facts, and in which factual rebuttals in discussion are ignored. Are we also seeing the rise of post-truth leadership?

Wilful blindness, belonging and exclusion

Wilful blindness - the blinding of oneself to uncomfortable facts - comes from fear of conflict and fear of change. A powerful, unconscious impulse to obey, conform, and preserve our sense of belonging, means that we favour information that makes us feel good about ourselves, and that makes us feel comfortable and more certain. However, it actually leaves us crippled, vulnerable and powerless. Without challenging our belonging, the chances of growth, progress and anchored, sustained change are diminished.

Coaching qualifications and accreditations: a new angle

Knowledge and experience alone may have little or nothing to do with what makes for an excellent coach – and yet until now many of the principles underlying coach assessment have been about competencies. Tatiana Bachkirova and Carmelina Lawton-Smith (2015), of Oxford Brookes University, argue that the complexity and unpredictability of coaching may need a new model, and they propose a capabilities approach rather than a competencies approach.

#hellomynameis: Courage, passion and pioneering

Consultant geriatrician Kate Granger, who set up, and became the force behind, the campaign #hellomynameis, has died of terminal cancer aged 34. Passionate about person-centred, compassionate care, she was a leader by virtue of her passion, commitment, courage and determination to reach as many people as she could in service of a message which she believed would create a better quality of medical professional by releasing more of their inherent humanity.

Leadership and the EU referendum

Leaders need not only to fully understand the issue they’re dealing with, especially if it challenges groupthink, but they also need to be able to communicate it in a way that is accessible and compelling to their audiences. The leader who connects with their followers will hold them in the palm of their hands. This is truly where the power is.

Culture and culture change

Organisational culture shows up in literally hundreds of different ways in which people behave and live out attitudes and beliefs. Changing a culture needs to be addressed both at the level of the leader and at the level of the whole system - and by exploring how these two interact. A culture in which the past is honoured is a culture in which change towards a new future can be embedded most effectively and sustainably.

Cross-cultural coaching: complexities and pitfalls

In cross-cultural environments the coach needs be cautious about challenging the assumptions that they might otherwise challenge: if the client's attitude or belief comes from their culture of origin, it may be close to their sense of self. Equally, issues such as self-promotion in the context of career development and the client's relationship to their family need to be handled sensitively.

Identity, transition and transformation

What a caterpillar calls death a wise man calls a butterfly. The coaching client travels from their current identity, via transition, to their new identity, and the coach travels with them from their current meaning, via meaninglessness, to their new meaning, equipping them to move through uncertainty to a new identity. This is a journey of transformation. The client makes the change. The coach does not remove any part of them, but works with them so that they release more of their capabilities. As they add to their current identity, they enrich who they are.

Talent management: the human side

Doctoral research reveals that the experiences and aspirations of 'the talent' are often different from their organisations’ expectations of them and aspirations for them. What's the impact on authenticity, integrity and effectiveness when talent management is commoditised and individual interests go unacknowledged?

What kind of leader do you want to be?

What kind of leader are you? And what kind of leader do you want to be? What’s the style that gets you best results and feels right to you? When you return to work after a break you may have a more balanced perspective than when you’re in the thick of the pressure. What are you doing to act on the messages that are now clear to you, to become the kind of leader you want to be and to shape the career you really want?

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