Don’t Be the One Who Sits Back Quietly

Leaders: Don’t Be the One Who Sits Back Quietly

Leaders, don’t be that person who sits back in silence as a power tactic—waiting for one of your managers to show vulnerability when presenting an idea that’s still forming.

Yes, statistics and data are critical. But let’s be honest—how do you think ideas become actions before the data exists? Every innovative strategy starts in an undefined space, long before the metrics can catch up. Creativity must be appreciated differently by your analytical mind. Both are vital, and together they drive progress.

We could learn a lot from Nashville songwriters. Imagine walking into a small room with two other writers you’ve just met. You’ve each got a guitar, a blank page, and a shared goal: to create something meaningful from nothing. That blank sheet demands courage, vulnerability, and trust.

It’s easy to critique a slide deck or pause over a missing word in a polished presentation. It’s much harder to start with a blank page and risk imperfection.

True leadership means creating psychological safety for those willing to step into that vulnerable space—to create before the data exists. Because without that first spark of creative courage, there would be no numbers to measure at all.