I always enjoy somebody who thinks hard about a topic and who comes from a point of view I would normally have walked past. Rod Carr is one of these people. I enjoy his honesty and clarity of thinking. In this article Who is influencing New Zealand’s most influential? | The Post he stated:
We live in an age where we have been told that every opinion counts and every voice should be heard, but we know not every opinion should have equal weight. As the definition of evidence expands to include opinion and assertion, we are witnessing the rise of financially motivated stakeholders and those who appeal to our passions rather than our intellect. Not for the first time in history has there been a revolt against the intellectuals among us, or the perceived constraints technocrats place on our lives. It would be good if we could drive fast, smoke, drink and burn stuff without consequence, and while we can’t change the truth about the harm, we can vote for those who offer to throw a veil over the truth, at least for a time.
So what? In my opinion, unveiling the motivation and intention of those who offer advice or seek to influence is critical. The question we should constantly seek to answer is, ‘why would you say that?’ and ‘what outcome do you expect?’ A belief, no matter how genuinely held, is not a fact. An honourable intention does not prevent unintended consequences.
Each of us are motivated by a range of emotions and desires, including the need for a sense of belonging. It has never been easier to access diverse views yet we construct echo chambers and allow technology to feed us more and more views like our own. Diversity and inclusion are a source of resilience in changing times, yet alienation and polarisation are on the rise.
Great leaders lead from the front not the back, they seek to unite not divide those they seek to lead, they exercise power in the interests of the whole community not just those like them, they look to the future and learn from the past. They are open minded, curious, courageous and disciplined. They are also effective communicators. They need to explain why they say what they say and what outcome they expect from their expressions and actions.
And regardless of what they say, we need to know exactly who is advising and influencing any leader ‒great or otherwise ‒ and judge for ourselves the purity of their intentions.
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