Never be afraid to speak up is one piece of advice I vividly remember from my days as a cadet in West Point. While plebes are trained to only have four standard responses when asked, one professor told me to always ask whenever confused. And I was one confused plebe having difficulty understanding American slang and culture. My professor encouraged the entire class to freely make comments as he allotted the last five minutes in class for free discussion. His only rule was that whenever we decide to speak freely, we should be respectful. As I always tell my children, you can say anything, but it must always be said carefully and respectfully.
A former student, now a lawyer-consultant for the Bureau of Customs, was recently criticized for calling the Speaker of the House an “imbecile” in a Facebook post. Lawyer Mandy Anderson’s propriety has, thus, been commented on by lawmakers, lawyers and the public. Admittedly, it was posted in her capacity as a private citizen exercising her freedom of expression, but it does raise a question: having spoken loudly and clearly, was it smart to do so when she is a public servant?
Proverbs 16:20 tells us, “The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction.” That is
exactly how a colleague in Philippine Airlines (PAL) speaks during meetings. I have yet to attend a management meeting where Mr. Emilio Yu will not speak with much articulation and passion. As special assistant to the Chairman Lucio Tan, Yu will always share his observations, comments, and queries—from the simplest spelling error to the most complicated issues presented by the managers of PAL. Owing to his vast experience and commanding voice, everyone listens whenever Yu has to say something. He never shies away from sharing his insights, not to show off, but to benefit the
company he has served for so many years. Often referred to as the brainchild behind PAL’s vision to become a five-star airline by 2020, Yu speaks up during meetings with prudence, carefully using the right words to promote collaboration among the senior leaders in PAL. He is respected, even if others may not always like what he says. Yu shares his thoughts and concerns in a way that never demeans or degrades.
Free speech is one of the basic rights guaranteed in any democratic society. But whenever we exercise this sacred right, we should be mindful that our words should build and not destroy. Our objective in speaking up should be to make things better and not vilify nor persecute. And there are occasions where prudence dictates not to speak up.
My colleague in the legal profession, lawyer Ernesto “Ticky” Tabujara, has been a very vocal promoter of responsible gun ownership. Some of the reforms in our gun-licensing policies can be attributed to his constant and persistent criticisms. He easily becomes upset when he sees the lack of empathy among public servants, particularly those in the police force. He nonetheless exercises, as best as he can, polite language to point out inefficiencies in government bureaucracy. While his arsenal of profane words can easily outmatch that of President Duterte’s, Ticky engages his Facebook friends in an intelligent discourse through carefully chosen words and diplomatically correct language. Of course, among friends, Ticky easily unleashes his verbally vicious attack on certain persons in government. The fact that he has chosen not to openly use abusive language in public is a clear sign that my good friend has matured and mellowed.
In his song “Say What You Need to Say”, John Mayer sings, “You better know that in the end, it’s better to say too much than never to say what you need to say again. Even if your hands are shaking and your faith is broken; even as the eyes are closing, do it with a heart wide open. Say what you need to say.”
Some say that we need to learn how to say what we need to say to relieve stress. When words are left unsaid, we become anxious and
regretful.
A mark of a servant leader is that he is never afraid to speak his mind. By speaking up, a servant leader may inspire others to be more outspoken when the situation calls for it. But whenever a servant leader decides to speak up, it should be loud enough for others to understand and smart enough for others to learn from his words. So, why should we emulate Anderson, Yu and Tabujara? Being forthright with a noble purpose is the right thing to do when it is done with love and respect.
For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.