The cost of taking a stand
Leadership is about responsibility. Not just for results, but for people. And in today’s world—where integrity feels increasingly rare—leaders who stand firm in their values are more important than ever.
I once worked for a CEO who ruled through intimidation, belittling, and fear. He didn’t inspire greatness—he extracted compliance. People didn’t respect him; they feared him. And in that culture, the moment something went wrong, the search for a scapegoat was immediate.
One day, a team member of mine launched a marketing campaign that followed the CEO’s direct request. She was meticulous, thoughtful, and a true professional.
She followed every protocol to ensure the campaign ran smoothly.
She tested the front end of the form to confirm it worked.
She verified that the form generated a confirmation email.
She checked with IT to ensure the backend was correctly configured.
IT confirmed that everything was working as intended.
Except it wasn’t.
The form appeared to be functioning, but the data collection wasn’t linked to a database, meaning that the leads—every single one—went nowhere. We could see the clicks. We could see the conversions. But we had no data.
Disaster.
The Culture of Fear
As soon as we uncovered the issue, I did what any leader should do—I called the Chief Information Officer (CIO) to strategize a fix and plan how we’d communicate the issue to the CEO.
Instead of collaborating to resolve the issue, the CIO took a different approach. He ran straight to the CEO and told him marketing screwed up.
No discussion. No fact-finding. No accountability for IT’s role in the mistake. Just an immediate shift of blame.
The CEO’s response was exactly what you’d expect from a leader who operates through fear—he demanded that my team member be fired on the spot. No questions. No investigation. Just retribution.
When my boss, the CMO, delivered the message, he tried to justify it:
"Look, this is just how it works. You need to decide who’s more valuable—you or her. If you fire her, it will show loyalty to the CEO. It will solidify your position."
The expectation was clear. If I wanted to protect myself, I had to sacrifice someone else.
Fear vs. Integrity
My stomach was churning. My eyes burned with tears. I knew exactly what standing up to the CEO could mean for my job security.
But I also knew there was no other choice.
I looked my boss in the eye and told him:
"If the CEO wants a head on a pike, it’ll be mine. He can fire me. But if he wants to blame marketing, he’s going to have to fire me—or I’ll resign."
I led the team. I would take the blame.
That forced the CMO to go back to the CEO and talk him down. My team member kept her job.
But from that moment on, I was on shaky ground. My act of defiance—of integrity—wasn’t forgotten. It didn’t take long before the CMO was let go, and when that happened, I was next.
And you know what?
I have no regrets.
Because leadership isn’t about protecting yourself. It’s about protecting your people.
It is both the hardest and easiest thing to do. Hard, because standing up to power comes with consequences. Easy, because when you have a clear set of values, the decision itself isn’t difficult.
But today, integrity in leadership feels rare—not just in business, but in politics, in government, in every sphere where power is prioritized over principle.
The Political Parallel
We see it everywhere:
Leaders who deflect blame instead of taking responsibility.
Officials who protect their own interests rather than the people they serve.
Politicians who know what’s right but choose the easier, self-serving path.
It’s why we watch leaders excuse corruption rather than confront it. Why we see both Democrats and Republicans prioritize their re-election chances over defending democracy itself.
It’s why a mayor blames the fire commissioner for failures she should take ownership of. It’s why elected officials sit silently as autocracy grows—because speaking up comes at a cost.
But here’s the thing:
Integrity isn’t convenient. It’s a test.
When the moment comes—when you have to choose between what’s right and what’s easy—you won’t have time to think. You will simply act according to your values.
So ask yourself:
Do you take responsibility, or do you deflect blame?
Do you protect your people, or do you sacrifice them to protect yourself?
When the moment comes to choose between integrity and self-preservation, will you stand firm?
Because that moment will come.
And how you respond will define the kind of leader you are.
This isn’t just a business lesson. It’s a leadership lesson for every space we move through in life. We all say we want better leaders. We want bosses who are fair. We want politicians who act with integrity.
But real leadership doesn’t just happen at the top. It happens in the moment—when you decide whether to take a stand or stay silent.
So when that moment comes for you, what will you choose?