Awake on Purpose: A Leadership Series That Cuts Deep

The Silent Deal

Peter Comrie Publisher WBN News – Okanagan and WBN News – Winnipeg
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There’s a deal being made in boardrooms, team meetings, and leadership circles every day, a deal that’s rarely acknowledged out loud, but unmistakably present.

It’s the silent trade of integrity for approval.

And while it doesn’t show up on any balance sheet, this deal is quietly bankrupting trust, clarity, and the very soul of leadership.

The Price of Being Liked

Let’s name it plainly: many leaders aren’t leading anymore. They’re managing perceptions.

They soften truth to preserve image. They withhold challenge to maintain harmony. They swap clarity for consensus. And while these trades may feel small or strategic in the moment, over time they form a devastating pattern:

Avoiding conflict becomes a leadership habit.
Seeking approval becomes a hidden addiction.
Compromise becomes identity.

In these moments, leadership loses its edge, and its impact.

The Slippery Slope of Silence

Here’s the trap: silence often masquerades as diplomacy. But what starts as caution quickly becomes collusion.

You avoid naming what’s not working.
You watch values be violated and say nothing.
You nod in agreement while your gut says no.

Eventually, you become complicit in the very dysfunction you were hired to transform.

And worse, those around you feel it. Because even if your words are neutral, your silence is not.

The Real Reason We Stay Quiet

We don’t withhold truth because we’re confused. We withhold it because we’re afraid.

Afraid of being labeled difficult. Afraid of rejection. Afraid of losing favor.

And most dangerously, afraid of admitting to ourselves that we’ve drifted from our own principles.

That’s what makes this deal so damaging. It’s not just professional, it’s personal.

When we consistently trade our truth for approval, we don’t just lose influence. We lose ourselves.

The Cost of Approval is Too High

Approval feels good in the short term. But it’s a shallow currency.

What lasts, what actually inspires change, is trust. And trust is built when we are clear, consistent, and courageous—not agreeable.

When people know where you stand, they can follow. When they don’t, they flounder.

What Full Spectrum Leadership Demands

Leadership isn’t about being popular. It’s about being principled.

Full Spectrum Leadership demands that we:

Tell the truth even when it’s unpopular.
Stand firm when it’s easier to bend.
Speak clearly when it would be simpler to stay quiet.

We don’t need more leaders who play it safe. We need more who are willing to be real.

The Invitation

Take an honest look:

Where are you nodding when you should be challenging?
Where are you quiet when you should be clear?
What truth have you been avoiding to stay comfortable?

If this stirs something in you, good. That means you’re still awake.

You’re not here to please everyone. You’re here to lead.

Let’s stop making the silent deal. And start reclaiming the kind of leadership the world actually needs.

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