The Relationship Between Politics and Below the Surface Leadership

I just returned from Washington D.C., where I had the privilege of participating in the National Small Business Association Leadership Council. At this event, I got to network with fellow entrepreneurs and discuss pressing issues facing small businesses today, including fair taxation, rising healthcare costs, AI regulation, and childcare costs.

I'm proud to be part of this non-partisan organization that champions the cause of small businesses. One highlight of the experience was meeting with congressional staffers on Capitol Hill and lobbying for the first time. Below the surface leadership was at the top of my mind in D.C. as I carried out my duties as part of NSBA and met with clients - and I had a couple of revelations I’d like to share as we enter into the thick of the U.S. Election Season.

How Below the Surface Leadership and Politics are Interrelated

While engaging with various leaders and clients during this trip, I had three key reflections on the intersection of politics and below the surface leadership:

1. Leadership culture has a profound ripple effect.?

I had varying experiences with staffers in different congressional offices. In one office, the atmosphere felt unwelcoming, which highlighted how a leader's personality trickles down to the entire team's culture. The way we treat each other profoundly impacts not just our immediate environment but also our customers and stakeholders. Recent academic research shows that “bad” leadership at any level of a company - leaders that exhibit toxic or ineffectual behaviors - negatively impacts organizational effectiveness, bottom line, and reputation. This is crucial to remember when hiring or electing leaders. Mental health, day-to-day relationships across differences, and societal well-being are all at stake.

2. The “L” in REAL leadership - “loyalty” - is more important than ever

REAL leadership - leadership that is relatable, equitable, aware, and loyal, is the backbone of below the surface leadership. During my trip to D.C., I was struck by just how important loyalty is for leaders. Loyalty in leadership is a long game - and one thing I realized during my trip was how everything we do in today’s times has to be shaped by “long game” thinking. I was recently talking with a client, who reminded me that “we are in the muck” in terms of shaping the future, and only loyalty will be the key to moving us forward. This is no different in the political realm. It can take years to make change, and we often find ourselves in the muck more than we would like. It’s important to remember that we will always make it out one way or another – even though it may be small steps.

3. We need psychological safety in our political conversations

Throughout my interactions with fellow NSBA members, I was able to have meaningful conversations on both agreements and disagreements. Feeling safe in these discussions was crucial. It was more about understanding the concerns that affect us differently—like living in a city versus a rural area—than attacking personal identities or rights. This kind of psychological safety is foundational to effective leadership and productive dialogue. People often forget that you don’t have to agree to create safety. However, I know how difficult this can be in a world that can seem so divided. If you are trying to have safe conversations but don’t know where to start, try creating shared expectations first. These might include refraining from attacking identities, pausing the dialogue if it gets tense, and even truly acknowledging and validating each person through P2P (person to person) and P2B (person to belonging) listening.? You can learn more about this type of listening in the Change Coaches Guide to Psychological Safety, which you can download for free here .

Get Below the Surface This Fall - and Vote!

I encourage you to explore the Change Coaches Guide to Psychological Safety and peruse our workshop offerings . These resources might be the key to your organization navigating election season while closing the year out strong. You want to make sure people can continue to effectively engage across differences no matter which way the election goes.

Lastly, remember that politics, below-the-surface leadership, and civic engagement are deeply interconnected. By voting in the Presidential election this November, you are being an active participant in democracy and that is incredibly important.