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The Voice
I’m a big fan of singing competitions on TV: Idol, X Factor, Sing Off (the acapella one around Christmas time) but right now, The Voice is my favorite. At first The Voice seems like every other singing show. Gifted yet undiscovered artists perform before a largely affirming audience hoping to impress the four judges/coaches and win a place on their team. But on The Voice there’s a twist; these are blind auditions. The judges’ backs are turned and they don’t actually see the contestants perform. They don’t get to assess if they have the right look, if they’re marketable and fit the image of the pop star as you sometimes see on these kinds of shows. They don’t get to show bias due a contestant’s age and stage of life. They listen to The Voice and then decide. The quality and the richness of the Voice is all that matters, everything else is immaterial.
Now, The Voice is a TV show and reality TV at that. Of course there were auditions before these ‘blind auditions’. And raw undiscovered talent? More often these contestants are accomplished musicians already in bands or contestants from other reality shows. Sometimes they are session musicians and backing singers who have sung in the shadows enhancing the sounds of a famous singer. Whatever their background and previous skills, the contestant’s chance to perform on the main stage and the weekly coaching they receive draws out new dimensions of their talent. The experience also provides countless opportunities to build network of personal and professional relationships creating potential for future opportunities.
I love the Voice because I love seeing people get their chance. I love watching artists grow and shine.
But beyond the show, the Voice and its blind auditions have been something of a metaphor for me whenever I think about women in leadership today. Because it captures my two hopes for them, two things that I’ve been so blessed and so thankful to have over the last 20 years:
The opportunity to step into leadership and dare I say it - onto the platforms – surrounded by affirmation. Affirmation isn’t everything, but it is valuable! It diffuses the lies in your head. For every contestant on the Voice who hit that note, owned that run, led the crowd into a moment…that round of applause, that cheer, that standing O? I promise you it mattered. Because for years they’ve been hearing other voices in their heads. The voices that say they should just give up, tell them they’re no good. Those taunting voices tell them they’re too fat, not marketable, too old, don’t fit and don’t belong there. When the audience affirms a truth they were too scared to believe, those voices are silenced.
Today’s women leaders hear loads of voices too and sometimes the loudest ones come from within. These voices say that they’re not enough, good enough, skilled enough, deep enough, pretty enough, anointed enough, nice, strong, feminine enough. And then those voices tell them they’re too much: too strong, too feminine, too shallow, too woman, too young, too old. It’s hard to step forward and open your mouth and let your Voice out when you’re intimidated by all the other voices.
Women called to leadership need the opportunity to be seen and known. Some have hidden and held back for years; its time to step out of the shadows. Its time we heard their voices loud and clear. Again we all know that leadership and influence is not limited to public platforms. I’m talking about the conferences and the conference room, the pulpit and the strategic planning meetings. And of course I’m talking behind the scenes too, and in the local community, in the workplace. Wherever God has called women to serve.
The Voice judges are successful artists in their own right. They’re also team coaches ready to nurture their protégés. They instruct and advise on song choice and arrangement, encourage their look and style, challenge with tough love when required, and equip their disciples to navigate the way ahead. They lend their megastar voices, but more than that, they invest their capital to cultivate and unlock potential. You can tell the parallel I’m going to bring in here. Our women leaders need fresh opportunities, lots of them. They also need established leaders (male and female) prepared to encourage, challenge, stretch, instruct, train. They need leaders who will invest their capital, and open their connections, and networks, put them forward for an opportunity. They need leaders who are secure enough to even step out of the way. Without investment, we have leaders with a call but without cultivation. And the work of the kingdom suffers, the spread of the Gospel suffers as a result.
I’m aware that The Voice is not a robust parallel! Its just a picture that ignited a series of thoughts in my mind. Perhaps these are the ramblings of a woman with a penchant for reality TV singing competitions.
But if you’re a woman called to lead, tell me:
Did you wrestle with the voices inside and around you as you stepped into your call to leadership?
What helped you?
Who invested in you, helping you hear His voice leading you above all others?
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15 Responses to The Voice
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Thank you. You have just voiced something that I realised I felt but hadn’t entirely recognised for what it is. Being not enough, sure I know about that. But too much? Too feminine? I just realised that is something that I have been subconsciously worried about. But that’s me; who God made me and called me as.
Yes! It’s amazing these whispers can hold us back. But in God’s eyes- we’re fearfully and wonderfully made in all our wide and varied forms. I’m looking forward to seeing you flourish in your new role Zan! X
Thank you darling xxx
Thank you for this great piece, Jo. I’ve been battling with those voices all year as God’s been calling me to take the first baby steps into leadership. But I’ve also found God’s sent people with exactly the right encouragement at the right time to counter the attack going on in my head.
I also love your comment about established leaders being secure enough to step out of the way. I’m finding that even as I start to step out myself, God has been challenging me to look to see where I can open up the way for other people in the areas where I am already established. It was really hard at first. Often this has been in leadership roles I’ve only been doing myself for a couple of weeks. I wanted to hold onto everything because I was worried I would lose the ground I’d battled so hard for in my own life. But I’m finding that as I focus the tiny bit of leadership I’ve got into honouring the gifts God’s placed in other people, the way in front of me somehow opens out bigger and bigger!
Great to hear from you Emma. I think you identity a common feature for men and women who have waited a long time/ battled for opportunities to lead. When it’s finally here it’s tempting to hold on, after all we’ve waited so long! Yet the example Jesus demonstrates is one where he disciples leaders and entrusts them with opportunities until they are ultimately ready to carry on the work. So it’s fantastic that you are starting out with the model you’ve found in Jesus- it’s a huge win for the kingdom!
Adore “The Voice” for the same reasons! All those fabulous singers finally getting a shot because they’re not first judged for their looks, but for their talent.
While leadership has always come naturally to me, speaking was long-feared. I’d still rather write than speak, but it was my pastor who really helped me past my phobia of being up front and center. Even when he didn’t agree with everything I thought or said, he encouraged me to speak on what God was saying to me…which was a gift I didn’t fully recognize until you wrote this post. Thanks! Off to dash him a note. Leaders who don’t fear us, but encourage us to be all God has built us to be, are precious.
Thanks Lisa! I’m looking forward to hearing the results of that note! x
Thanks Jo and thanks for being real it’s refreshing to hear and read what you so creatively teach preach and write. I also love the voice for much the same reasons its great to see people with a great gifting be given a opportunity my heart as a leader is to give women especially, a hand up a platform to speak and perform from because I found it very hard to even believe what God had gifted with me with the voices of doubt were much louder but I’m so blessed to be part of a leadership team that is great in encouraging and opening doors and creating platforms for women the very culture of my fellowship is to encourage others and mentor them creating space for them to grow and flourish in there gifting… Thanks again
Thanks Rhi!and it’s wonderful to hear that your are immersed in such an encouraging culture. Your journey will help those who have wondered how to move forward. Much love x
Jo, thanks for your blog post. We can all be a little like Moses when it comes to God calling us to be in a place of leadership. But God, what about this…..and I’m not that good at….. and so forth. Those voices we hear within can be silenced by people that affirm us and also invest time in us. I have found myself in areas of leadership where I never imagined I would be. God has blessed and continues to bless me with great people in my life who affirm me and sharpen me. Jo, thanks for being a great leader and for sharing what God is teaching you.
Yes to the Moses tendencies! Great to hear from you- keep moving forward Rhonda!
Jo
Great stuff Jo, as a bloke moving on in leadership I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what I can/must do to help encourage and release sisters called to lead. Your post is v. helpful… any more tips?
Hi there Ben! Great to hear from you and its so encouraging to read your words. I think there are a number of things you could do to encourage the emerging female leaders around you:
Pray about who of these leaders you are seeing that God might be leading you to invest in. Huddle is a great vehicle for training men and women alongside one another.
Be an encourager, even if you feel like you are repeating yourself, that your position is clear. Your voice will need to be louder and more persistent than the other voices they here.
When you’re teaching and refering to leaders in the Bible , perhaps refer to both men and women - it just gets it out there. Recommend books and resources - but ensure you read the books and listen to the resources too - it will help broaden your experience and understanding
Opportunity! Everyone needs opportunity - what would it look like to open doors for the women around you that are called to lead? Is it to advocate for them, put their names forward for specific roles, team teach, take a few God inspired strategic risks?
In the end try something, and if it doesn’t work - try something else - its part of the learning process!
Hope thats a helpful start - my next few posts will be on this topic, so keep reading along! God Bless!
Hi Jo. I have been reading your blog posts for several months now and caught some of your presentations from Verge. I appreciate your missionary heart!
The Lord gave me a missionary leadership calling about 18 years ago, not overseas, but right where I was. While the calling is very clear, I continue to wrestle with how to live that out…as a woman…as a mission developer…as an evangelist…as a female leader in a very male dominated arena. I am currently serving as a director of an urban ministry and am still seeking the Lord’s wisdom every day in how to live this out!
Above all the voices, hearing the Lord’s voice is the most important, especially in the season of change we’re in as the church in North America. Daily time in the Scripture is vital! Time to keep company with the Lord - - not to prove any point, prepare any teaching, or go through the exercise of reading the Scriptures - - time to hear His heart. I’ve found it critically important to also keep company with other kingdom-minded leaders. I am thankful for those who encourage my calling, my husband, my pastor, other sisters in Christ, some denominational leaders, other Christians (including authors and speakers whom I don’t know personally) who have a burden for those who don’t know the love of the Lord.
I am thankful for your leadership! Your heart, your passion, and your teaching have provided an example for what female missionary leadership could look like. You encourage me to carry on!
T.
T! Wonderful to read this post, what an inspiration! Thanks for your encouraging words and your insights x