This presentation covers the phenomenon of silencing while highlighting original research findings; it also reviews strategies people have used to recover and lead with voice currency. The silenced leader is a paradox as leadership implies a sense of voice and efficacy. Leaders need to communicate their purpose and vision to enlist followers. This is hardly done through silence, yet Arnold’s research suggests many sitting in senior roles feel silenced. There are three categories of silencing: Systems, Relationships, and the Self. It is a myth to assume men always silence women. Women silence other women in equal, and at times, more painful ways. The impact of silencing can be severe, which requires greater awareness. Voice recovery relies on the ability to focus on the phenomenon and frame it as a virus. Second, there are strategies to heal and develop a resiliency that requires a shift in focus.
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