I was going through some old leadership material the other day when I came across an article I had saved by Patrick Lencioni on The Financial Crisis. It was published back in 2008 at the beginning of the housing and banking crisis that shook our economy so badly that we still haven’t fully recovered.
In the article Pat asserts that responsibility of our nation’s financial free fall doesn’t lie at the feet of greedy lenders or lax regulators but rather with board members, executives, and quite frankly, leaders at many levels who knew their companies were making poor or downright irresponsible decisions and failed to stand up and say anything about it.
That inaction, or better yet, that conscious decision to protect their careers instead of protecting the wellbeing of the people and the country’s financial stability has left few Americans untouched by what has become known as the Great Recession.
Leaders, let me be clear: When you choose to remain silent, you are not communicating your opposition. You are conveying your support.
Speaking up and sharing your beliefs to your peers and to those above you isn’t easy, but it’s the right thing to do if you’re going to lead others. We like to talk about “character” and “integrity” in corporate America today, but both require action. And it’s that action that is rewarding in your heart – even if it may not be rewarding to your career – but as leaders we cannot allow self-preservation to be the deciding factor.
There will come a day in all our lives when we are faced with the option to stand up and speak or remain seated and stay silent. The choice is ultimately yours, but know that whatever you decide, there are others in your wake who will be influenced and affected by your decision.
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