When we see what we want to see in our leaders, we risk missing where they’re really taking us.
We talk a lot about leadership—what it should look like, what we value in our leaders, and how they should show up in moments of pressure. But what happens when we strip away the brand, the noise, the identity politics—even the name itself—and simply evaluate leadership for what it really is?
Let’s do that now.
This isn’t a political debate. This is a leadership reflection.
I invite you to set aside the name and the emotion tied to it, and consider this person—not as a president or public figure—but as a leader of people. A CEO. An executive. A team lead.
Would you work for someone like this?
The Case Study: An Unnamed Executive
Imagine a leader who…
- Publicly champions the working class, yet implements strategies that significantly increase living costs and make life harder for those very workers.
- Installs tariffs and trade barriers that claim to protect local jobs, but result in higher prices for everyday goods, retaliatory job losses in export sectors, and economic instability.
- Encourages division and mistrust among their team—fuelling internal rivalries, pitting departments against each other, and fostering a culture of blame.
- Repeatedly takes credit for others’ achievements while shifting blame the moment something goes wrong.
- Surrounds themselves with loyalists who echo their ideas instead of challenging them, ultimately weakening the diversity of thought needed for resilient decision-making.
- Uses their platform to elevate the wealthy and well-connected, even offering special residency to those willing to pay millions—while making it harder for everyday people to access basic opportunities.
- Quietly profits, directly or indirectly, from moments of crisis—through strategic investments or policy-driven market dips—while the rest of the team struggles to stay afloat.
Now ask yourself:
Would you want this person running your company?
Would you trust them to protect your team?
Would you believe they have your back when it matters?
Let’s Bring It Closer to Home
If this was your boss:
- Would you feel respected?
- Would you feel safe to voice concerns or offer new ideas?
- Would you trust their judgment?
- Or would you quietly look for an exit strategy?
And if this was your CEO—someone meant to safeguard the company’s future—would you feel confident in the direction they’re taking it?
Or… would you be worried they’re gambling with your future?
The Leadership Lens We Can’t Afford to Ignore
Too often, when leadership is wrapped in identity, charisma, or a brand, we overlook the actual behaviour. We excuse it. We justify it. Sometimes, we even defend it—because we feel connected to the person, not the principles.
But leadership—true leadership—should never require blind loyalty.
It should stand on values. On character. On actions.
And it should serve everyone, not just a privileged few.
Because when we view leadership through rose-coloured glasses, we might just see a path where there isn’t one.
A road that looks inspiring—until we realise it leads straight off a cliff.
Your Choices Shape the Future
At the end of the day, leadership isn’t just about the person at the top.
It’s about all of us—what we tolerate, what we support, and what we allow to continue.
Because at the very core of leadership—and risk management, for that matter—
It all comes down to the decisions and actions you take… or don’t take.
👉 Not making a decision… is a decision.
👉 Not taking action… is an action.
And in both leadership and risk management, what you ignore is just as important as what you address.
So, take a moment.
Reflect.
And ask yourself:
What kind of leadership are you choosing with your silence, your voice, your decisions?
What are you allowing to continue—by default?
Because every choice—even inaction—is shaping the culture, direction, and future of the world around you.
You have more power than you think.
And the future is being written by those who dare to use it.
Risk Rebel Mic Drop
It’s easy to point fingers. Harder to face the mirror.
But Risk Rebels know—the mirror is where the real revolution starts.
So if you’re tired of the noise, the blame, the circus…
Don’t just vent—own it, shift it, lead it.
Ask yourself:
- What am I tolerating?
- What am I excusing?
- What am I contributing—through my choices, or my silence?
Because if it bothers you enough to complain…
It should matter enough to change.
Draw your line. Make your move. Because complaining without action? That’s just choosing your cage.
And Risk Rebels?
We don’t do cages. We do courage.
