Resistance Leadership When Systems Are Failing

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about resistance leadership.

This reflection was sparked by a post from Andrew Hudson, which gave language to something many leaders are experiencing right now but struggling to name. Across both the public and private sectors, leaders are being asked to hold teams steady while systems meant to protect people are causing harm, misinformation is spreading quickly, and the emotional weight of the world is showing up at work every day.

This is not a theoretical moment. Harm is not abstract. People are carrying fear, grief, anger, and exhaustion into meetings, deadlines, and decision-making spaces. Many are already balancing on breaking branches, doing their best to keep going while the ground beneath them feels increasingly unstable.

Resistance leadership emerges in moments like this.

What resistance leadership is, and what it is not

To me, resistance leadership is not about robotic responses or checking boxes to appease broken systems. It is not about issuing statements because you are supposed to, or moving quickly just to demonstrate action.

Resistance leadership is about who you are in the room when things are hard.

It is about presence, discernment, and integrity when clarity is scarce and trust feels thin. It is about choosing care over chaos and people over optics, even when that choice is uncomfortable or misunderstood.

Sometimes resistance leadership is quiet. Quiet enough to gather information, to understand impact, and to avoid amplifying misinformation. Silence, when paired with intention and transparency, can be an act of care.

And sometimes resistance leadership is loud.

Not loud for public consumption, and not loud for show. Loud inside teams. Loud in conversations where people are scared, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward. Loud in the form of truth-telling, boundary-setting, and clear guidance when the external world feels chaotic.

The volume is not the point. The presence is.

Leading people when systems are failing

When systems are failing communities, leaders are often caught in an impossible bind. Staff look to leadership for safety and direction, while leadership may have limited control over the forces causing harm. In these moments, the temptation is to default to process, policy, or neutrality.

Resistance leadership asks something different.

It asks leaders to acknowledge reality without sensationalizing it. To name harm without exploiting it. And to support staff not just as workers, but as human beings who are absorbing the weight of what is happening around them.

In practice, this kind of leadership often looks like:

• Regulation before resolution.
  Before solving problems or offering answers, leaders create emotional containment. Calm is not passive. It is an active leadership tool that helps people think clearly and stay grounded.

• Intentional pauses instead of reactive silence.
  Leaders name what is known, what is still unclear, and when more information will be shared. This prevents rumors from filling the gaps and builds trust during uncertainty.

• Being loud where it matters most.
  Resistance leadership is often loud internally. Leaders correct misinformation, name harm plainly, and offer direction so teams are not left alone to navigate fear and confusion.

This is not easy work. It requires emotional labor, self-awareness, and the willingness to sit with discomfort rather than rush past it.

Supporting staff as whole people

One of the most overlooked aspects of resistance leadership is how deeply the external world shows up internally. Staff do not leave their identities, fears, or lived experiences at the door. When systems fail, people feel it in their bodies, their relationships, and their sense of safety.

Resistance leadership recognizes this and responds with care, not dismissal.

It makes room for humanity without letting the work collapse. It balances empathy with clarity. It understands that supporting staff well is not a distraction from the mission, but essential to sustaining it.

Why this matters now

Resistance leadership rarely looks heroic. It is quiet, steady, and often unseen. It does not always generate praise or headlines. But it protects people, preserves trust, and creates space for work to continue with integrity.

Right now, many leaders are being asked to hold more than ever, often without clear guidance or sufficient support. Naming resistance leadership is one way to remind ourselves that this kind of presence matters, even when it feels heavy.

At Piñon, we spend a lot of time working with leaders across sectors who are navigating exactly these moments. Not to provide scripts or quick fixes, but to help leaders stay grounded, values-led, and human when the stakes are high.

Resistance leadership is not about perfection. It is about being human and showing up with care, clarity, and courage when systems fall short, and people need leadership most.