Should Business Leaders Get Political? A Framework for Speaking Up

11 snips

Apr 20, 2026

A leader’s dilemma about speaking up versus staying silent during crises. Practical frameworks and six yes/no questions to decide when public comment is right. Tips on slowing down, getting curious, and evaluating truth, fairness, and mission. Considerations about influence, brand risk, and whether speech will help or just add noise.

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ADVICE

Ask Will I Regret It And Can I Act

Ask regret and capability questions before speaking as a leader.
Donald Miller asks: Will I regret this on my deathbed and am I uniquely qualified to do something about it?

ADVICE

Speak Only When It Aligns With Your Mission

Tie any public comment to your mission and aim to add clarity not noise.
Valorie Burton recommends processing emotion, showing empathy, and offering practical tools that help your audience be more resilient.

INSIGHT

Controversy Cascades Across Three Arenas

Public controversies overlap three arenas: personal, professional, and political.
Jay Papasan shows how a political statement can cascade to cost relationships, careers, customers, and employees simultaneously.

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When something bad happens in the world, every business leader has a difficult decision to make - the decision to speak up, or to stay silent. In the past, silence was the safest option - today, that’s no longer the case. In such a chaotic world full of conflict, inequality, and political polarization, it’s never been more important to get this question right.

In this episode of The ONE Thing Podcast, Jay Papasan tackles the modern leader's biggest dilemma: The choice to speak up. Whether it's a global crisis, a political movement, or social turmoil, the pressure to "say something" is at an all-time high. To find the answer, Jay sits down with four world-class experts - Donald Miller, Phil M. Jones, Julia Lashay Israel, and Valorie Burton - to build a definitive framework for navigating public conflict carefully and intentionally.

This episode is not about telling you what to think. It is about helping you make a wiser decision, one that aligns with your values, your responsibilities, and the impact your voice can have.

Challenge of the Week:

The next time you feel the urge to immediately post, react, or speak out, pause first and get curious. Ask what else you need to understand before adding your voice. That pause may help you create clarity instead of more noise.

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To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.

We talk about:

[00:00] Should Business Owners Speak Up or Stay Silent?
[07:05] Julia Lashay’s Framework for Posting With Integrity
[11:01] Phil M Jones on Curiosity, Context, and Slowing Down
[14:08] Donald Miller on Regret, Responsibility, and Brand Risk
[16:21] Valorie Burton on Mission, Empathy, and Adding Clarity
[20:56] How this shows up in our lives
[26:02] The 6 Question Framework for Deciding When to Speak
[36:16] Your Weekly Challenge

Links & Tools from This Episode:

The ONE Thing Operating System
Watch and Listen to Julia Lashay full episode here
Watch and Listen to Phil M Jones full episode here
Donald Miller Website
Valorie Burton’s Website
Free Resources
Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com

Produced by NOVA