There is a temptation in leadership to invest our energy only where success appears likely. That makes sense. Resources are limited. Time matters. Reckless battles help nobody.
But winnability cannot be the only question we ask.
Sometimes the person, principle or issue in front of us deserves advocacy even when we cannot guarantee the result. The distinction matters because “Did it work?” and “Was it worth doing?” are not always the same question.
A leader may challenge an unfair decision and still lose. Someone may advocate for a colleague and fail to change the outcome. A person may say what needed to be said knowing the response is beyond their control. None of this excuses poor judgment or celebrates futile action. We should choose our battles carefully.
But leadership cannot become a strategy for protecting a perfect winning record.
There are times when the decision to speak, challenge or advocate matters because of what silence would communicate.
The outcome remains important. So does what we were willing to stand for before we knew how the outcome would turn out.
The key is not to glorify losing. It is to recognize that integrity sometimes requires action before success is known. If certainty becomes a prerequisite for courage, very few meaningful acts of advocacy would ever begin.
— Jason Alderson