A simple question for you:
Could you work with and respect a leader who declares their unequivocal support for the kind of politics and machinations that occupy an entirely different moral universe to yours?
From Musk to Bezos to Zuckerberg. From law firms to media outlets to colleges. And from Governors to Secretaries to content creators.
All supine or genuflecting to curry favour or save themselves.
A quick pause here to say that yes, I’m talking about Trump and his impact, and no, I’m not interested in relitigating any of what we’ve been seeing. The point isn’t the specific behaviour — it’s what happens when leaders choose convenience over character.
Rationalising Turpitude
Part of me marvels at the ability of some leaders to rationalise away moral turpitude because “business”.
I mean, if a leader chooses to accept, dismiss or elevate behaviour that’s…let’s say, unethical, in their pursuit of access, money and/or power, doesn’t that speak fundamentally to how they think and what they care about?
Doesn’t it highlight their readiness to sweep aside their previously professed values and principles purely because it’s convenient?
Bending the knee isn’t a one-time thing either.
It shifts power to the top, often in a way that’s so fundamental that it relinquishes the ability to claim that power back.
It’s a statement of intent — to forgo values, agency and responsibility to appease — that puts us in completely separate moral universes.
I’ll Walk Every Time
Every single time I see a tweet, post or interview from a leader tacitly supporting turpitude, rot and duplicity, it hits me the same.
I can’t help but wonder what it’s like to work with them or under them. To sit in a meeting they’re running or receive direction from them, knowing full well that:
I couldn’t do it.
A couple of you might be rolling your eyes right now, telling me to stop being so holier than thou, and how nice it must be to not have to stick at a job you don’t like because there are bills to pay.
But…
I’ve quit roles where my boss was toxic and fired clients when they revealed their bigotry.
Life’s too short for that shit.
What The Good Leaders Do Differently
Think back to the best leaders you’ve known or worked with.
They’re connected to themselves, to others and to what they care about most.
They make the choice to create something that matters or serve something bigger than themselves.
And they respond to their responsibility by raising others up, not keeping them down.
The best leaders show us who they are through their actions.
That’s where I see the real opportunity here…
The Opportunity
One leader I worked with years ago made a point of stating his intention to always do the right thing, not the convenient thing. His actions showed that he meant it, and it became a behaviour that rippled through the organisation.
More recently, a client who was one month into a new role as COO came to a session in something of a panic. He didn’t know what management style he should be adopting to get things done, felt a weight of expectation to get results fast, and saw so many issues he felt were his alone to solve.
After some work on his values and assumptions a light bulb went off for him, and he realised he didn’t take the job so he could become a bottomless pit of people pleasing.
Good people are out there. Good leaders are out there.
