When fear builds a wall
Last month Russian celebrity influencer Victoria Bonya posted an 18-minute Instagram video addressed directly to Vladimir Putin.
“Ordinary people are afraid of you”, she declared. “And so are bloggers, artists, and governors. Businesses are struggling, people are losing their livelihoods, and everyone’s exhausted: by the war; by flooding, environmental damage, and livestock destruction throughout the country; and by the internet restrictions.
Between you and the people of our country, there’s a thick wall built of fear through which the truth does not pass.”
“Vladimir Vladimirovich, I am addressing you directly … … Please, hear the people. Break through this wall. Learn what’s really happening in your country.”
According to Reuters, within three days the video had more than 20 million views, 1.4 million likes and 75,000 comments. It even drew a rare public response from the Kremlin, and provoked fierce reactions from opposition and pro-government voices alike.
So many of the commentators seem to recognise themselves in Victoria Bonya’s words. She has spoken aloud what many people knew but had not been willing – or able – to say publicly. She has given public shape to private fears.
And now that the wall of fear has been named, it’s far harder to pretend it’s not there.
Leaders create the conditions in which truth can be spoken.
When people are afraid, they self-edit: instead of saying what’s actually happening, they withhold key facts and evidence. When important decisions are made with incomplete information, mistakes are made. Everyone pays the price.
Leading by fear separates leaders from the reality they most need to understand. It may create the appearance of control, but the actual control is tenuous - because it’s founded on silencing dissent and forcing obedience.
Whereas, when the human spirit wants to find its voice, it will.
“I’m not doing this for attention,” Victoria Bonya insists. “I’m doing this because I love my country.”
This is Fearless Compassion in action.
Love is stronger than fear. When we meet fear with love, it gives us the courage to do the right thing. Instead of ignoring or suppressing our fear, we meet it with enough compassion and clarity that it no longer governs our choices.
We all build walls of a kind: through impatience, defensiveness, judgement, and other fear-led behaviours.
Pause for a moment now, and ask yourself this: “As a leader myself, do I make it easier or harder for others to speak truth to me?”
And sometime in the next week, perhaps ask someone else: “What am I not seeing?”
Whatever they say, listen - without interrupting.
Notice any urge to justify, defend, or explain. As best you can, stay open.
Because the courage to do the right thing doesn’t belong only to the person who speaks.
It also belongs to the leader who’s willing to listen.
With love from the mountain,
Sally-Anne
Wise and inspiring words from Victoria Sally-Anne - thanks for sharing and your commentary - sadly there are many "leaders" who are not able to create the conditions in which truth can be spoken. We need to have a higher bar for leadership and that starts with each one of us.
"Love is stronger than fear." This is it. When we lead from love, there is acceptance and unspoken support. And fear loses its power bit by bit as we build safety.