The Compass
Reflections, strategies, and real leadership insights to help you navigate change, challenge, and growth.
Why ‘Nice’ Leaders Fail (and What Great Ones Do Differently)
Early in my career, I thought being nice was leadership. Smiling through tension. Softening every bit of feedback. Keeping everyone happy.
I believed harmony built trust. Over time, I realised: it didn’t.
What it built was confusion. Mistrust. Even resentment.
Why 'Nice' Leaders Fail (and What Great Ones Do Differently)
In many organisations, niceness is the mask that hides fear and a lack of clarity.
‘Nice’ leaders smile in meetings, nod in agreement, and write warm Slack or Teams messages — all while sidestepping the conversations their teams desperately need.
They delay decisions, dodge discomfort, and use kindness as a shield from accountability.
But let’s be clear: niceness without clarity isn’t leadership. It’s self-protection dressed up as empathy.