Over the past few months, I’ve seen many examples of a leadership failure that people rarely speak openly about – one that’s political, messy, and threatens those who prefer safety over responsibility. Sometimes the biggest problem isn’t the out-of-touch leader at the top, it’s the weak leadership team quietly hiding behind them.
Yes, a disconnected leader can certainly cause damage, but a disconnected leader protected by a risk-averse, largely silent, self-preserving leadership team? That’s how organisations begin to rot from the inside out.
From nodding on cue in meetings, to agreeing publicly but disagreeing in private, a leadership team that chooses silence is not being loyal, they’re being complicit in the erosion of trust and morality.
Weak leaders are often the first to benefit from an out-of-touch boss. When expectations are unclear and decision-making is muddled, mediocrity has room to hide. Accountability becomes an option rather than a responsibility and difficult conversations are ignored.
As a result, the courage within the leadership team is never challenged, hard decisions are passed up the chain, and the top leader becomes a convenient scapegoat.
How often do we hear statements like “It was their call”, “You know how they are”, “I didn’t agree with this decision”? In other words: “We didn’t challenge it”, “We didn’t offer alternatives”, “We didn’t lead”.
The fallout of this is inevitable – employees receive contradictory direction, decisions slow down or stall, high performers question leadership credibility, lose trust, and start looking elsewhere. Employee relations cases rise as managers apply inconsistent standards, culture decays, talent development suffers, and strategic priorities slip. Even routine operations become obstacles. Ultimately, the organisation’s energy is spent managing chaos instead of focusing on results.
Yet this pattern often continues unnoticed because the leadership team has mastered the art of invisibility. By creating an illusion of alignment while avoiding the risks of speaking out, they protect themselves by staying in the shadows, preserving their position, and avoiding conflict.
However what happens when there’s a change at the top? The spotlight is then on the leadership team and every overlooked decision becomes visible, every deferral becomes evidence and every “I knew but didn’t say” becomes a credibility crisis.
This isn’t just a leadership alignment issue – this is an issue of courage. While HR can guide, advise and support, I’ve yet to meet an HR professional who can teach courage, install integrity, and force accountability where self-preservation has become the norm. Courage must come from the individual and it must be visible.
An out-of-touch leader is a challenge, but a leadership team hiding behind them is a threat. Organisations don’t need leaders who wait for permission, they need leaders who step into responsibility, who speak up even when it’s uncomfortable, who challenge assumptions and earn trust through integrity rather than titles.
Small acts of courage can make a big impact. Stop nodding on cue and stop whispering your concerns, raise them in the room – respectfully but firmly. Offer alternatives, even if uncomfortable and debate with integrity, asking tough questions along the way.
When leaders refuse to hide, the entire organisation benefits. Clarity replaces confusion, high performers stay engaged, culture strengthens and priorities can move forward. By making your decisions visible and holding yourself responsible for every outcome, teams learn that accountability and courage are rewarded, not punished.
Through these small displays of courage, leadership teams can transform from a passive protector of dysfunction into an active force for a thriving organisation.
So, step into the discomfort, challenge assumptions, speak truth, and stop hiding. Lead visibly, lead boldly, lead responsibly.
Silence isn’t loyalty. It’s sabotage