977: What Leaders Should (And Shouldn’t) Say When the World Is a Mess | Inclusive Leadership

Shameless Leadership

Sara Dean

Self-improvement, How To, Business, Management, Education

4.7 • 800 Ratings

🗓️ 3 February 2026

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When the world feels heavy and chaotic, I hear the same question from leaders over and over again: “What do I say?” In this episode, I talk about why that question matters and why saying nothing can be just as harmful as saying the wrong thing. When the people we lead are overwhelmed, grieving, angry, or exhausted, pretending it’s business as usual erodes trust and undermines our integrity as leaders. You don’t need perfect words or a polished message, but you do need the willingness to name the moment and lead with humility and humanity. What people truly need right now is trust, transparency, connection, and a sense of meaning in their work. This episode offers examples of what leaders can say to help people feel seen, supported, and safe, while still moving forward with compassion and grace. I share practical language leaders can use during tough days, weeks, or seasons - words that honor the moment without asking people to perform or explain their pain. These are ways you can acknowledge the reality of the moment without having to do a deep dive into sensitive topics. I also name what inclusive leadership requires beyond empathy. Trauma and systemic harm are not new for many people, and leaders need to be mindful not to center their own shock or selectively extend compassion. This conversation is an invitation to recognize privilege and power, elevate Black and brown voices and experiences, and act with integrity when neutrality could erode trust and integrity. Rest assured, you don’t need to be an expert on the issues at the center of global politics. You don’t need to be a therapist. You just need to show up as a human who demonstrates awareness and compassion. Sometimes the most powerful thing a leader can say is simply: I see this. I see you. You are not alone. Links Mentioned: Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:28.7	welcome to shameless leadership i'm your host sarah dean this show is for women, transgender people, non-binary folks, as well as allies, who are committed to advancing their leadership while also advancing the leadership of those around them. In each episode, we will offer practical tips, leadership strategies, and inspiring stories to help you become a more confident, compassionate,
0:55.1	and inclusive leader. The truth is, you were born to lead. What might happen for you if you
1:00.6	were to wholeheartedly embrace that part of yourself? So let's start now, together.
1:05.6	Hello, shameless leaders. I'm happy to be here with you because I feel like right now we have to just enjoy our
1:14.4	happy places and hold deep gratitude for the places where we can come, show up, plug in, tap in,
1:19.9	to feel a sense of meaning, purpose, a sense of connectedness, a sense of learning, maybe a sense
1:26.8	of commitment to being change makers
1:30.6	and culture shifters and culture shapers. When the world is really messy, it can be really hard
1:35.0	to know what to do and how to do it and what should I say or do, what shouldn't I say or do.
1:41.0	Lots of concern about getting it right and getting it wrong and we're in one of those seasons
1:45.2	right now for sure in some ways it's much more intense right now so I'm recording this the last week
1:52.2	of January in 2026 but in a lot of ways that this is just a continuation of where we have been
1:58.1	and where we've been heading and so kind of like nothing feels like a
2:02.8	surprise. But at the same time, the world feels really, really messy. So when I think about what I'm
2:09.7	hearing around me and what I'm seeing around me, because I talk really openly about what's going
2:14.2	on and because I have big strong feelings about what's going on at all times and big strong opinions typically that follow those big strong feelings and a very strong sense of justice. I'm often talking about things that are uncomfortable in various places. So sometimes it's here on the podcast. Sometimes it's on social media platforms. But because of that, people ask me, like, what should I say and what should I do? And I want to be doing more. And so I've had a lot of DMs in the last and what should I do and I want to be doing more and so I've
2:34.7	had a lot of DMs in the last few weeks of people saying I want to be doing more or I feel really
	...

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