Leading Through the Fog: Changing the Political Climate from the Inside Out

There are seasons in leadership when you feel energized—when the mission is clear, the team is united, and every ounce of effort matters. And then there are times when the energy shifts. Politics creep in. Agendas replace alignment. Conversations go quiet, not because there’s peace, but because trust has left the room.

If you've ever found yourself in an environment like that—one where image trumps impact, and people maneuver more than they lead—you’re not alone. I’ve lived through it. And if I’m honest, I’ve wrestled deeply with how to stay grounded in those moments.

But here’s what I’ve learned: we don’t need to escape the political climate—we need to lead in a way that transforms it.

🌫️ What Creates a Political Culture?

A political environment doesn’t just happen overnight. It usually builds slowly from:

• Leaders protecting power instead of empowering others

• Unclear expectations, where people operate in the gray

• Cultures where looking good is rewarded more than doing good

• A lack of honest conversation and mutual trust

These conditions might feel “normal,” but that doesn’t make them right. They drain energy, creativity, and loyalty. And the worst part? They often cause the most heart-driven leaders to go quiet or walk away.

🔄 But We Have a Choice

Not everyone gets to change the org chart. Not everyone gets to reset the culture from the top.

But every leader—regardless of title—has influence. The kind of influence that can reset energy in a room, reframe toxic patterns, and reestablish clarity in the middle of chaos.

🧭 Five Anchors for Leading Through the Fog

1. Be the North Star

When people don’t know where they’re going, they follow whoever speaks with the most clarity—even if that person is wrong. Don’t be louder—be clearer.

🛠 Say this in your next huddle:

“Let’s realign around what matters. This week, success looks like ____. Let’s block out the noise and focus there.”

2. Speak Hard Truths with a Soft Heart

One thing I’ve always believed—candor is a gift. But it only lands when people know it’s coming from a place of care. In political environments, people tiptoe. Leaders must do the opposite—lean in, tell the truth, and care enough to be honest.

💬 Use language like:

“I want to bring something forward that may not be comfortable, but it matters to our integrity.”

3. Stay In the Room

It’s tempting to emotionally check out when things get messy. I’ve done it. You stop speaking up. You stop giving your best. But that only lets dysfunction win. True leaders don’t rise above the mess by running—they rise by staying grounded.

🔥 Practice this:

Recognize people who lead with heart, not just hustle. Elevate quiet integrity over loud politics.

🧠 Personal Reflection: When I Almost Checked Out

There was a season in my leadership journey where the climate around me felt off. Not because of one person—but because the collective energy had shifted. People I respected—leaders, peers, and partners—began operating in ways that felt political, self-preserving, and at odds with the values we claimed to live by.

I started pulling back. I didn’t want to give my heart to something that didn’t seem to respect it.

I was still showing up. Still “performing.” But inside, I was tired. Quiet. Guarded. And worst of all, I began to question if the kind of leadership I believed in had a place there anymore.

Then one day, I asked myself: “If I stop showing up as me—who wins?”

The answer was clear: I’d be giving the very culture I didn’t believe in more space to grow. I’d be part of the problem, not the solution.

That’s when I shifted. Not because the environment changed. But because I remembered who I was.

I chose to re-engage. Fully. Not to play the game—but to break it open. To lead boldly. To speak with clarity. To keep being the leader I would want to follow, even when it wasn’t easy.

4. Empower Others, Don’t Shelter Them

Sometimes our instinct is to protect our teams from the mess. But that doesn’t build strength—it builds dependence. The goal isn’t to shield people from dysfunction; it’s to equip them to lead through it.

🗣 Coach this way:

“You don’t need to mirror their energy—you just need to walk in your own. Let’s talk about how to do that.”

5. Call Out the Real Cost

Here’s the truth no one says out loud: Political environments don’t just slow progress—they break spirits. People stop dreaming. They stop giving their best. And eventually, they leave—not always physically, but emotionally.

📢 Say this to your team:

“We’re too talented and too mission-driven to get stuck in small games. Let’s get back to building something real.”

❤️ This Is Why We Lead

If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of the leaders who feels the difference—who knows when things are off and wants to do something about it.

Let me just say: Don’t shrink. Don’t go quiet. Don’t become what you're not.

Instead:

• Be the one who leads clean in a messy system.

• Be the one who brings clarity when others create confusion.

• Be the one who shows what real leadership looks like—even when it’s not being modeled around you.

That’s how we change the climate. One conversation. One standard. One leader at a time. -Joe