The Labour Of Courage, Whistleblowing and Broken Trust

Charles Feltman[1] in the Thin Book of Trust defines distrust as a general assessment that

‘what is important to me is not safe with this person in this situation (or any situation)’

A definition which many of us, women especially, will recognise from experiences both inside and outside of the work place.

When we find trust. In our teams, with our peers, leaders and organisations we find ourselves

‘Choosing to risk making something you value vulnerable to another person’s actions’

I recently watched the BBC Documentary The Whistleblowers, and aside from the unquestionable courage, it was also the violation of trust which shouted out so loudly in all the testimonies.

The documentary is a shocking expose on personal testimony of unethical, immoral and corrupt abuses of power within the UN. I encourage you to watch it for many reasons. For the various roles you play in personal, professional and societal capacity.

I have been researching courage, notably in women, for a good 10 years now.

My unfinished PHD thesis on women's courage would probably conclude it is so powerful it's too threatening for any of us to want to look at. Which is why I personally think it’s afforded so little attention and focus by cultural norms and societal understandings of courage and bravery.

As a researcher who moved from a limiting mindset to a be braver mindset. Built a programme, a community and a business leading others to choose courage, to stand up for what is right, to live fear-lessly and lead courageously. I resist the messages telling me I lack authority on the matter. I persist with my northern grit, determination and dedication to continuously question and explore the Be Braver way - what we can learn about courage in women.

I thank Mary Ann Seighart and Tomas Chammaro-Permusiz for unknowingly helping me persist here.

I watched the Whistleblowers Documentary on the day that Roe Vs Wade overturned.

A combination of reported and unfolding events where women are betrayed by governments, institutions, and bodies. Not men. Women. Institutional betrayal the case of the UN.

‘An institution causes harm (by action or inaction) to an individual who trust or depends upon that institution”[1]

In the WhistleBlowers we see evidence of cover-ups for decisions and behaviours of the worst kinds. Abuses of power, corruption, a culture of shame, fear, unethical and immoral decision-making.

One where power, money, reputation overrides the basic human dignity of the individuals, communities it is supposedly there to serve. A shameful system. A complicit culture.

United Nations is an instrument of iniquitous power, not a check upon it. Creating a perfect cloak for abuse. And there is a lot of it. Negligence, corruption and decisions made at the very top. In the face of evidence, with one outcome in mind. Preservation of power and reputation.

Idealist or not – it’s a sombre methodical account of testimonies. Difficult to watch.

I commend all whistleblowers for their courage and I see in each of them an exemplar of a Be Braver mindset put in to practice in such high stake scenario’s.

The bravest in our institutions must be those who have the courage to speak truth to power when everything is at risk.

To have the clarity, confidence, connection and courage to live by deeds not words.

To competently gather the merits of their position, knowing full well that the risks of an unfavourable outcome will reach far further than their own personal and physical well being. But choosing to do so because what is at stake morally and ethically is even greater.

A courageous decision to persist. To serve something, greater even perhaps than their own personal moral and ethical values. Those that the organisation so publicly and repeatedly profess to practice. To represent the violations they have witnessed for the sake of future communities and practices.

I couldn’t help but notice that the courageous stories of all of the women in the program were stories of abuse.

Sexual abuse.

“Let me be clear:?the United Nations has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, with no exceptions.”[2] UN Secretary?General António Guterres

Betrayal.

I see it again and again and again. Women's courage being expended on decisions that they have to make, on situations and circumstances particular to being a woman

Anyone in the UN might be exposed to the situations that involve corruption in theory. Not anyone will be exposed to sexual abuse, misconduct, misogyny, racism too no doubt.

Toxic boys-clubs keep women pre-occupied with defending their safety, freedom and access to power and influence.

The courage labour we see in women is being expended on decisions and choices they need to make on the basis of being a woman.

Men get to go to the meat market to peruse and pursue the latest recruits (watch the documentary for the reference).

Women. Adult intelligent, talented, smart women. Get to stand on the toilet and hide in stalls at the end of the evening and avoid the lifts to remain safe and avoid being degraded and violated.

Now imagine. A world where all these powerful and courageous women. These whistleblowers, advocates for womens rights, change makers, truth tellers, troublemakers, campaigners.

The hundreds of women, a cross the globe, leading change, movements, speaking out – being brave – making strong and bold courageous decisions based on living truthfully to their strong social, ethical and moral values. ?

Imagine. That they were free to expend their courage labour to issues that were NOT in defence of protecting and advocating for the rights of women.

What else their energies, ideas, ethics and morals might have the space and freedom to turn to. The impact that they would make to communities, society and organisations.

But they aren’t. They are distracted in the defensive, or perhaps offensive depending on your perspective, positions they need to protect - pertaining to being a woman.

I don’t know whether it’s right to say to there is courage gap. What authority on the matter do I have after all.

I do think women’s courage is a threat. It is a labour we practice. Daily. We have far more need for it and many more opportunities in a life time to practice it.

Research courage or bravery and look for the heroic visualisations , depiction, case studies and examples of it and you’d think it was a male trait. I don’t imply men don’t lack courage. History has demanded more physical courage of men. Mostly admittedly for labour they have created.

Yet women are courage. They labour courage on a daily basis. Emotional, organisational, physical, psychological, moral and ethical courage.

Perhaps the courage women labour, their virtuous powerful courage – of which they have an abundance of it is the greatest threat of all to power and patriarchy. Abuse is the antidote to it. Institutions cover up the abuses and society covers up the courage of women with narratives of masculine archetype of courage and bravery to keep it distract from the real magic it could bring to our planet, communities and world?

[1] ‘Institutional Betrayal” September 2014, American Psychologist 69(6):575-587

[2] https://www.un.org/press/en/2019/sgsm19764.doc.htm

[1] The Thin Book if Trust Charles Fletman, The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work, Kinde Edition (Thin Book Publishing,2008), 9-11