Awake on Purpose: A Leadership Series That Cuts Deep

Peter Comrie Publisher WBN News – Okanagan and WBN News – Winnipeg
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I’m sitting with something this morning, something that’s been rising quietly in me for years. And like many of you, I’ve swallowed my share of discomfort, sidestepped confrontation, and granted silence where speech might have stirred trouble.

But I can’t pretend anymore.

I’m not angry. I’m awake.

And I’m tired, not in the way a nap or a vacation can resolve. I’m tired in the deeper way that only truth can address. Tired of watching capable people surrender their dignity for acceptance. Tired of watching bright minds retreat into comfort while the world asks for courage. Tired of pretending we don’t know better.

We do.

Let’s stop calling it confusion when it’s really cowardice. Let’s stop mistaking politeness for wisdom, and let’s stop labeling silence as “neutrality.” In a time that demands ethical, conscious, human leadership, choosing not to see is no longer a harmless option. It’s complicity.

Over the course of my forty years in leadership work, I’ve learned that the hardest truths are often the ones that set us free. But only if we’re brave enough to face them.

No, this isn’t an angry rant. It’s a clear signal:
We are standing at a crossroads, and pretending otherwise is a lie.

You see it in boardrooms.
You see it in politics.
You see it in our families and communities.
And yes, you see it in yourself.
The most dangerous threat we face isn’t ignorance.
It’s intentional ignorance, the kind that looks directly at a broken system and says,
“Let’s just not rock the boat.”

I will no longer meet that attitude with silence.

I’m not here to offend. I’m here to invite.
Invite you to remember that your awareness is your responsibility.
That every time you choose comfort over clarity, approval over truth, you dim the very leadership the world desperately needs.

There are those who will call this harsh.
Let them.
History will not remember them.

But to those of you who feel something stirring as you read this, a pulse, a resonance, a flame, you are who I’m speaking to.

The ones who are still willing to lead.
The ones who still choose integrity over illusion.
The ones who are still alive enough to be uncomfortable.

Let’s stop apologizing for waking up.

Let’s stop pretending that being “reasonable” is the same as being responsible.

And let’s begin again, louder, clearer, and more rooted than ever before.

Because if not us, then who?

And if not now, then what are we really waiting for?

Let’s Keep Talking!

Peter Comrie
Co-Founder and Human Capital Specialist at Full Spectrum Leadership Inc.
Reach out to me at peter@fullspectrumleadership.com

Or connect with me here to book a call!

Reach me on Linkedin; https://www.linkedin.com/in/petercomrie/

We can also chat on Bluesky: @petercomrie.bsky.social

Tags: Full Spectrum Leadership, leadership accountability, ethical leadership, courageous leadership, emotional intelligence, conscious responsibility