There are moments in leadership that test not your skill, but your soul.
Recently, I went through one.
I was accused…. of favouritism, of giving “a handful” too many opportunities, even of borderline racism.
It shook me. Because in a people-centric space, politics is expected. Ego clashes, status games, they very much come with the territory. But when racism is used as a weapon, it cuts much deeper and It doesn’t just hurt you but It hurts the people you serve, the ones you guide, the ones who truly benefit from your work.
For a while, I didn’t know what to do.
- Do I fight it out?
- Do I ignore it?
- Do I walk away quietly and protect my peace?
- Or do I let it consume my energy…the same energy I built through years of learning, healing, and evolution?
I won’t lie …it triggered me.
Past accusatory traumas came back like echoes. I felt that old “fight or flight” impulse rise in me again. The one that whispers, “Just walk away… it’s not worth it. or even how dare they do this to me, when i have done so much and more…. ”
But then something happened.
My mentees, the very people I had been accused of favouring, started standing tall. They were finding their voice, their confidence, their independence. Some stumbled, some soared, but all were growing. And that’s when it hit me: I can’t leave them behind.
If I drop this path, if I walk away from leadership because a few voices decided to twist my intent, I would also be walking away from those who truly believed in what I stood for. The ones who show up, who learn, who grow, who light up when they realize they can. So I made a choice, not to fight the noise, but to fuel the light.
To become even stronger, even wiser, even more unshakable. Because real leaders don’t lead for applause. They lead for impact.
And impact doesn’t stop when it’s misunderstood, it grows through it and both me and my mentees grow strong from his learning.
If you’re ever caught in that same storm, remember this:
- Don’t let your wounds silence your purpose.
- Don’t let politics poison your progress.
- And above all, never leave your mentees behind.
They are the proof that your work mattered. And they are the reason you rise again, not bitter, but better.
