A Question of Context: Why Good Leaders Struggle

You know that leader who seems like they tick every box? Clear vision and values, results-oriented, while balancing genuine care for their people. But somehow, they can't gain traction even though they seem to be working incredibly hard.

It’s likely to be a context problem.

I've been thinking about this as I’ve watched talented, thoughtful leaders exhaust themselves trying to lead with purpose and values in organisations that prioritise something different. They're not failing because they're doing it wrong. They're struggling because there's a fundamental mismatch.

Leadership success requires alignment between your values and style, role requirements, and organisational culture.

When aligned, our leadership gets amplified by our context. When they don't, even our strengths become exhausting to deploy.

The energy test

Think about the last month...where did your energy go?

Did you spend most of your time in flow with the organisational current, or fighting against it?

If you believe in transparency, BUT you're in a culture of information hoarding, every conversation feels one-sided. If your team is empowered to make decisions, BUT your internal partners lead by command-and-control, decision-making will be slow and opaque.

This isn't about lacking resilience or grit. It's about recognising that individual effort has limits when the system is pulling in another direction.

The strategic question

Once you notice the misalignment, it’s hard to ignore. Here are some options to consider:

Adapt. Modify your approach to work within the constraints. This isn't about compromise. It's a considered strategic response to your environment. You’re unlikely to be able to change the culture, but you can create a more nuanced response to the environment for your immediate team.

Influence. Help your team recognise and name the differences so that together you can refine your approach. Target specific, realistic changes like “shift how our team makes decisions" or "change the metrics we use for success." Small, concrete changes that are within your sphere of control.

Exit. Make a strategic move to an environment that's better aligned. This isn't giving up. It's recognising that your impact will be greater somewhere your energy isn't constantly fighting the current. It’s a last resort but worthy of consideration.

Sustain. You may have some personal constraints that make exiting unpalatable. In that case, it’s about consciously choosing to stay for specific reasons (learning, family, financial, team commitment) with clear boundaries and time horizons.

All four are legitimate choices. The key is making them consciously, not just enduring misalignment until you break.

What's actually in your control?

Ask yourself:

• What am I trying to achieve?

• What would have to be true about our environment for us to succeed?

• What's actually possible in this context?

• Where do I have real leverage?

• What's the true cost of staying versus moving?

These aren't easy questions, and there are no perfect answers, just the ones that will enable you to be at your best.

A leader’s responsibility

As senior leaders, there's a responsibility worth pondering:

We're responsible for creating the context for everyone below us.

Our choices about what gets resourced and prioritised, what gets rewarded, and what gets tolerated all shape the energy it takes for our people to succeed. It isn't about blame. Many of us inherited contexts we didn't create. But we do control what happens next.

Asking ourselves (and our teams) the question of context-fit creates a sense of possibility.

It stops the challenges from feeling personal. It enables us to manage the energy we once used trying to force alignment that isn't there. It refocuses our leadership efforts towards strategic choices that make sense.

Some environments will amplify who we are. Others will dampen it. This isn’t about succeeding anywhere or everywhere. It’s about finding the conditions that will help us and our people to thrive.