Speaking Truth to Power

“In 30 years of being a coach and consultant the failure to speak out and give feedback are in my experience the two major causes of dysfunctional organisations and relationships. I have encountered people being bullied, subject to prejudice and the refusal of so many, being too scared, to risk speaking truth to power.”
Marie Faire

What is going on in the world is, in many ways, a similar wake-up call to speak truth to power. Too often abuse of power and unethical behaviours (in relationships, teams, organisations and countries) are condoned by the failure of people to speak their truth in response.  As individuals we may be fearful to speak up, but we also risk ourselves by not speaking out.

I am reminded of the poem by Pastor Martin Niemoller:

‘First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out…
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.'”

We will ask questions such as:

• How does our relationship with power stop us from being honest and speaking up?
• What is power and how do we give power?
• What stops us challenging authority?
• How do we change patterns of being nice, being afraid, being fearful and being compliant?
• How come we ‘talk about’ rather than ‘talk to’
• What does it take, as an individual, to stand up and speak truth to power?
• What are we prepared to risk?

We will explore answers to these questions and consider models that can help us to have these ‘difficult’ and courageous conversations.

• We will share a new model that we have been developing.
• We will work with modelling ourselves and each other.
• We will draw on the work of Marshal Rosenberg, Judith Glaser, Paul Zak, David Whyte, David Richo and Marie’s own experience in a wide variety of contexts.

This workshop is about our relationship to power, risk, trust, truth and loss. Small stuff then!

Please join us to explore this important theme.

Marie Faire

Marie is co-founder and owner of The Beyond Partnership Ltd. She has been a consultant, coach, conference speaker and trainer for over thirty years and a Coaching Supervisor for over ten years. In all her roles Marie has a reputation for being both supportive and challenging. She works in partnership with a CEO’s, directors, senior managers and their teams helping them to clarify and manifest their vision, challenge their thinking and develop effective strategy through people. Marie describes herself as relational and a ‘fellow-traveller’. She brings humour and compassion to her work and takes an integrative and relational approach, drawing on different psychological theories.

Following her first degree Marie has gained several post-graduate qualifications including a Masters degree (MA) in Management Learning. Marie is an Accredited Coach and Coaching Supervisor with AC. She is the lead trainer of an AC recognised Coach training programme and has pioneered Coaching Supervision training in Turkey. Marie is an ANLP recognised ‘Master’ NLP trainer.

Dates: TBA

Price: TBA

Further information: please email info@thebeyondpartnership.co.uk with your name and invoicing address.