Someone asked me recently, “Has leadership always been about beating people down, or are leaders getting worse?” My answer: leaders are getting worse. Let me explain.
The Decline of 
Leadership in Politics
Leadership, at its core, should be about vision, integrity, and guiding people toward a better future. However, in politics, we are witnessing an unprecedented erosion of these principles. Political discourse has always included disagreements, attack ads, and heated debates, but there was once a time when leaders, despite their differences, could at least respect each other enough to joke about grabbing a beer after a debate. That time has passed.
Today, political attacks are deeply personal, often rooted in misinformation and outright lies. Leadership has become more about dominance and spectacle than about governance and problem-solving. The increase in hyper-partisanship, fueled by media algorithms that reward outrage, has made cooperation nearly impossible. As a result, public trust in government has plummeted. According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, trust in government globally has dropped to just 42%, with many citizens feeling their leaders no longer represent their interests.
The Corporate Leadership Crisis
This crisis is not limited to politics; it extends into the corporate world as well. Many business leaders are making decisions that prioritize control and short-term profits over employee well-being and long-term sustainability.
Take the return-to-office mandates, for example. Despite overwhelming data demonstrating the benefits of remote and hybrid work—including increased productivity, lower turnover, and better mental health—many companies are forcing employees back into the office. A 2023 Stanford study found that remote workers were 13% more productive, yet leaders continue to ignore these findings in favor of outdated managerial mindsets that equate physical presence with performance.
Similarly, the resistance to four-day workweeks, despite research showing a 33% reduction in employee stress and a 40% increase in productivity (UK Four-Day Workweek Pilot Study, 2022), highlights how many leaders are unwilling to adapt to modern work trends that benefit both companies and employees. The refusal to embrace these changes despite clear evidence points to a deeper issue: a loss of humanity in leadership.
The DEI Rollback: A Failure of Leadership
One of the most glaring examples of failed leadership came with the rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. When the Trump administration rolled back federal DEI programs, many corporations saw it as an opportunity to follow suit, cutting back on efforts to create more equitable workplaces. Instead of standing firm in their commitment to inclusive leadership, they opted for what was easiest, prioritizing appeasement over progress.
True leadership is about doing what’s right even when it’s not convenient. Disregarding DEI efforts is not just a betrayal of marginalized employees—it’s bad for business. Studies have shown that diverse teams outperform homogenous ones by 35% (McKinsey, 2020) and that companies with strong DEI policies see higher innovation and profitability. Rolling back these initiatives isn’t just unethical—it’s economically shortsighted.
The Loss of Human Equity
Perhaps the most alarming aspect of this leadership crisis is the erosion of human equity—the inherent value of people within an organization or society. Human equity is built over time through trust, investment in employees, and creating an environment where people feel valued, respected, and empowered. When leaders prioritize control, cost-cutting, and short-term wins over human dignity, they deplete this equity.
The problem? Once human equity is lost, it’s incredibly difficult to restore. Employees who feel disposable disengage, morale plummets, and company culture deteriorates. In politics, citizens who feel ignored or devalued lose faith in democratic systems, leading to disengagement or even civil unrest. Repairing human equity requires deep, systemic change—not just surface-level policies or PR campaigns. It demands that leaders genuinely care about people, not just their output or votes.
Where Do We Go From Here? Solutions for Better Leadership
If leadership is in crisis, how do we fix it? Here are some steps leaders must take to rebuild trust, integrity, and effectiveness:
- Reprioritize People Over Power: Leadership is about service, not dominance. Leaders must shift their focus from winning and controlling to supporting and empowering those they lead.
- Make Data-Driven Decisions: From flexible work policies to DEI initiatives, decisions should be grounded in research and evidence—not personal biases or corporate inertia.
- Hold Leaders Accountable: Organizations, shareholders, and voters must demand more from leaders. Transparency, ethical leadership, and accountability should be non-negotiable.
- Encourage Human-Centered Leadership: Employees are not commodities. Leaders must foster environments where psychological safety, well-being, and equity are prioritized.
- Rebuild Trust Through Actions, Not Words: Trust in leadership is at an all-time low. Empty rhetoric won’t cut it anymore—leaders must prove their commitment through tangible policies and behaviors.
The Future of Leadership
Leadership isn’t inherently about beating people down—it’s about lifting them up. But too many leaders today have lost sight of that responsibility, prioritizing power and profit over people. It’s time for a shift. The leaders who will thrive in the future will be those who understand that leadership isn’t about control—it’s about service, integrity, and human connection.
The question isn’t just whether leadership is getting worse—it’s what we’re going to do about it. The answer starts with demanding better from those in power and fostering a new generation of leaders who refuse to repeat the mistakes of the past.