Business leaders as champions of democracy – are you in?

Democracy is currently facing its toughest challenges since “government of the people, by the people, for the people” was presented as an alternative to kings and autocrats. Authoritarian movements are strongly raising their heads and we cannot take it for granted that democracy will win the ongoing battle in Western countries. That's why it's important that each of us does our part in the defense of democracy, both as individuals and as communities.

In a democracy, power belongs to a multi-vocal community. When everyone's voice and participation matter and issues are discussed openly and directly, the views, values, experiences, and skills of different people can be harnessed to enrich and to build a sustainable society. Human potential, on the other hand, is wasted when people must adapt to the reality defined by the dictator and remain silent when they disagree.

It is therefore not at all surprising that a democratic society is better than a totalitarian system in terms of economic growth and thus the economic well-being of citizens. The accumulation of relationships, knowledge, know-how and capital is faster in an operating environment that is stable and respects laws and people's rights than in an unstable operating environment where property rights are uncertain. It is more motivating for individuals, teams, and families to be entrepreneurial and companies to invest when the operating environment is more predictable, and you can trust that you can enjoy the fruits of your labor and investments yourself without fear that kleptocrats will wrap the profits or take the entire property for themselves.

An administration built on shared wills and goals is generally thought to claim a wider right from the people and better protect the rights of individuals and minorities than a discord fomenting and oppressive administration. However, this should not be taken for granted. The basis of the success of authoritarian movements is to convince a sufficiently large part of the population that things are bad and in decline and that they are the victims of the current system. As despair grows, it can be surprisingly easy for a person who aspires to be a dictator to mislead the people into giving all power to him or her. A revolution is possible if enough people buy the wannabe dictator’s idea that "your world is broken and only I can fix it". Few may be aware that it is an irreversible decision. A dictator who has gained power will quickly abolish the institutions that are essential for democracy, which could question his or her legitimacy and return power back to the people.

If we, who live in democratic countries, wish to continue to choose our own paths, to participate in decision-making, to fairly enjoy the fruits of labor and entrepreneurship, and to hold on to that which is ours, we must defend democracy and develop the system together. Only in this way can we maintain the rights and opportunities that democracy and our democratic societies offer us. When democracy as a system is in trouble, strong citizenship is needed - that is, each of us taking responsibility for what kind of a society we live in.

In shaping a democratic future, strong leadership is also needed. In present time, business leaders have an emphasized role of social responsibility – as promoters of workplace democracy and good organizational citizenship, and as financiers of civil society through effective and responsible philanthropy. In addition, there is call for business leaders to set an example of what good citizenship means in practice. When companies have a truly eloquent purpose and meaningful values, why would company leaders be silent in the societal debate? Business leaders can speak out about things that others keep silent about - whether the reason for this is a political game, or fear, or simply the desire to please certain reference groups. Courageous observations and opinions are needed, because a functioning society needs an honest and constructive dialogue, just like a functioning working community does.

Perhaps the most urgent thing right not is for business leaders to show strong support for the democratic system and engage in active discussion about its development. This applies to leaders of companies in all democratic countries, whose organizations are connected to each other through various value chains. Business leaders can also play an important role in highlighting positive issues and resources and in communicating solution-oriented inclusion-based visions that promote peoples’ faith in the collective future. The approach can be that of empathy and hope for everyone.

The key question is – are you in?

Written by
Iiro Jussila

About the author

Iiro Jussila is the founder of Frontline Forum. His background is a professor of management and organization at LUT University (Finland), whose field of specialization is systemic change. He has published numerous scientific articles on the forms of entrepreneurship and ownership in business organizations, the application of democratic principles in governing and leading work organizations as well as the attitudinal and motivational backgrounds of good organizational citizenship. As a work community developer and management coach, Iiro Jussila has created operating models in organizations that increase the participation of personnel and elevate a sense of personal responsibility of their work and business.

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Key words

#democracy #voice #participation #governmentbythepeople #democraticprinciples #citizenship #workplacedemocracy #organizationalcitizenship #democraticleadership #freedomatwork #empathy #hope #fear #desparation #dictator #dictatorship #authoritarian