The Power of Listening, The Wisdom of Voltaire, and A Challenge for Leaders
"What is the cost of failing to listen as a leader?"
This question became personal when I read a single line from Voltaire:
"The ear is the avenue to the heart." – Voltaire
At the start of this year, I committed to becoming a more loving, intimate, and fun-filled husband to my beautiful wife. This quote challenged me - not just to hear, but to truly understand. It set me on a journey through Voltaire’s words, and before I knew it, I was immersed in the wisdom of one of history’s greatest thinkers.
What began as a personal reflection on listening soon led to a broader realisation of leadership, influence, and the power of independent thought.
We live in an era of information overload, division, and competing narratives. Leadership demands clarity, courage, and independent thought, whether in business, politics, or daily life. Voltaire’s insights mirror our time, offering a warning and a way forward.
Who Was Voltaire?
François-Marie Arouet (1694–1778), Voltaire, was a French writer, philosopher, and fierce advocate for reason, free speech, and justice. He lived through an age of absolute monarchy, religious persecution, and global conflicts such as the Seven Years' War. His ideas—often censored or banned—laid the groundwork for the French Revolution, challenging the blind acceptance of power and the suppression of independent thought.
François-Marie Arouet (1694–1778), Voltaire. Image Credit: Wikipedia
Voltaire was exiled, imprisoned, and vilified, yet his words endured. His legacy is boldness, wit, and an unrelenting commitment to truth.
Kings and religious authorities ruled his world; today, data, media, and influence shape ours. But the struggle remains the same - who controls how we think?
The Warning: When We Stop Thinking for Ourselves
Voltaire’s time may have been centuries ago, but the dangers he warned about still echo today. His words cut through the illusions of power, the manipulation of belief, and the dangers of unquestioned authority.
"Common sense is not so common."
"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."
"It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere."
Does this sound familiar? Today's world is filled with loud voices, misinformation, and unquestioning loyalty - in politics, business, and even leadership teams.
"Tyrants have always some slight shade of virtue; they support the laws before destroying them."
"Clever tyrants are never punished."
"It is forbidden to kill; therefore, all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
In our spheres of influence, we see leaders who manipulate, companies that justify unethical actions, and institutions that demand loyalty over logic. We tell ourselves, "That’s just how it is", but Voltaire reminds us:
"Opinion has caused more trouble on this little earth than plagues or earthquakes."
"Prejudices are what fools use for reason."
And perhaps the harshest truth of all:
"Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do."
The Leadership Wake-Up Call: Are You Paying Attention?
Where do you see people mindlessly following instead of thinking in your business, team, or community?
What unquestioned beliefs are shaping decisions that may need to be challenged?
Where have you stayed silent when you knew something was wrong?
If we stop at the warning, we become cynics. However, leadership isn’t about pointing out problems but finding a better way forward.
The Awakening: Leadership Requires Courage and Clarity
Outstanding leadership is marked by the ability to challenge, think, and seek truth. Voltaire didn’t just critique the world - he urged people to think for themselves.
"To the living, we owe respect, but to the dead, we owe only the truth."
"Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too."
"Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers."
As leaders, it’s not our job to have all the answers. Our job is to ask the right questions, listen -not just to words but to intent - and challenge narratives that seem convenient but lack substance.
"To hold a pen is to be at war."
"We have a natural right to make use of our pens as of our tongue, at our peril, risk, and hazard."
We don’t need to be philosophers or revolutionaries to lead with conviction. We must engage in sustained thinking rather than following trends or reacting emotionally.
"No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking."
"It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong."
The Leadership Wake-Up Call: Are You Paying Attention?
Are you asking the right questions or just providing answers?
Are you challenging the right things, or only what’s comfortable?
Do the people around you feel safe thinking for themselves, or do they say what they think you want to hear?
If leadership is about truth, curiosity, and courage, it must also be about action.
The Challenge: Creating a Better Future Through Leadership
It’s not enough to see the flaws of the present - we must also lead toward something better. Voltaire reminds us that freedom, wisdom, and fulfilment are choices we make every day.
"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be."
"God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well."
"Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us."
Leadership is about helping others move forward despite challenges. It’s about helping people play their hand well - no matter what cards they’ve been dealt.
"Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her, but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game."
And above all, it is about building a culture of understanding and growth.
"What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly—that is the first law of nature."
"We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually pardon each other our follies—it is the first law of nature."
"Appreciation is a wonderful thing: it makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well."
The Leadership Wake-Up Call: Are You Paying Attention?
How can you help your team, clients, or organisation move forward instead of being stuck in problems?
What can you do differently to foster a culture of curiosity, accountability, and integrity?
What legacy of leadership do you want to create?
Final Thought: The Present is Pregnant with the Future
Voltaire’s words are a gift, but what we do with them is our responsibility. As leaders, we must challenge assumptions, listen deeply, and act courageously in business, leadership, and life.
"The present is pregnant with the future."
Leadership is the courage to think - and the cost of not thinking is always more significant than the risk of questioning.
So, the question remains:
What will you do today to shape the leadership of tomorrow?
This week, ask one challenging question in your leadership team that sparks real independent thinking. Pick one commonly accepted ‘truth’ in your industry or workplace. Challenge it. See where it leads.
Stay inspired and lead with excellence.
Gary Good
Founder - LeaderLegacy
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