Leading On Moving Ground.
- Apr 19
- 1 min read
An article from the Harvard Business Review on authentic leadership under pressure really resonated with me. See the link below
Deepa Purushothaman and Colleen Ammerman describe leaders operating on “moving ground”, multiple disruptions stacking at once: funding shifts, political pressure, technology changes, without enough time to fully understand the landscape before the next decision is required.
That framing accurately relays what I’m seeing in real time.
Decisions without clean answers, only trade-offs. Teams are asking for certainty that leaders can’t honestly give. And leaders holding two responsibilities at once: protecting people and protecting the mission.
What’s showing up in my work isn’t a lack of capability.
It’s experienced leaders second-guessing themselves because every decision now carries meaning beyond the work.
It’s teams looking for steadiness in environments that aren’t steady.
It’s the weight of knowing that whatever you choose, something or someone, absorbs the cost.
The article names the conditions. What I’m seeing is the impact.
Authentic leadership in this moment isn’t about having the bravest public stance or the cleanest answer.
It’s about being willing to name uncertainty without collapsing under it. Staying anchored in values while the path keeps shifting. And actively tending to the emotional load people are carrying, not just the operational plan.
If you’re leading on moving ground and you feel that pressure, in your decisions, in your body, you’re not off.
You’re in it.
For those interested, here’s the article that prompted this What Authentic Leadership Looks Like Under Pressure by Deepa Purushothaman and Colleen Ammerman March 10, 2026
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