Learning to Listen: Leadership Lessons From North American Indigenous Voices

摘要

What difference does it make that Indigenous peoples were destroyed by Western colonial hoards, often in the name of God? What can be learned from the voices of Native Americans who understand traditional values and pre-colonial leadership practices? How can these voices be lifted up into twenty-first century conversations concerning cultural and leadership issues in a post-modern world? Are these voices worth listening to? What are they saying? This paper proposes a call to pay attention to traditional ways of thinking that need to be renewed today, particularly for individuals and organizations that are weary of faddish leadership rhetoric that is more often than not theorized rather than experienced. This paper is a call not only to learn to listen to authoritative voices but to also live out a way of life that includes a more human, less institutional way of thinking and behaving that can impact individuals and organizations that desire a healthier way of being. The voices in these pages are primarily Indigenous calls to think and behave in more humane ways. They are voices that cry out for equity, justice, and common sense. They are voices from history, but they are also contemporary, very much alive in the twenty-first century. They are longing to be heard but not with fanfare or acclaim. These are humble and strong voices that have been temporarily suppressed but that refuse to be silent any longer. My hope for this project is that many would heed these voices and consider a better way, a simpler way, and a more sane way to treat and to lead others. It is time to learn to listen carefully.