Hello.
Many of us felt shaken seeing such large numbers gather behind a divisive figure in London at the weekend.
It is natural to feel unsettled by this. And it is worth remembering that the same feelings show up inside our organisations too. Your people will have seen the headlines, and some will be carrying that anxiety with them at work.
The question for leaders is not how to remove fear, but how to meet it so it doesn't harden into division. This is where Leading with Heart becomes more than a framework. It becomes a skillset for moments like these.
Here are six ways to address the march in your organisation:
1. Name it
Acknowledge that events outside work can affect how people feel inside work. A simple “I know some of you may be finding the news unsettling” can open the door. I would imagine many in your organisation would have felt nervous about even going into Central London at the weekend.
2. Create safer spaces
Give people opportunities to talk about what they are feeling without judgement. Psychological safety is the antidote to fear.
3. Reconnect to shared values
Anchor the team back to your organisation’s values. Make them real by asking, “What does living this value look like in our work this week?”
4. Equip managers
Provide leaders with talking points so they feel confident responding if employees raise concerns. Silence can feel like complicity. Remember that managers may also be triggered by the events and should feel able to ask for support or pass on this ask.
5. Focus on connection
Encourage small acts of kindness and recognition. Fear shrinks when people feel they belong.
6. Remember everyone is right, only partially
My team hate this one! I have had to force myself to try and understand the views of those who went to London to march on Saturday. It's so much easier to write them all off as one collective than to sit and think about how they might be feeling. Because the truth is, some of those marchers came from my town, go to my drinking places, are parents of kids at our local schools. They are people whose voices feel silenced. Trying to understand that doesn’t mean I agree. It means I’m committed to listening before judging. And I believe that’s part of leadership too. We need to keep speaking. If anything, the murder of Charlie Kirk is a sign of what happens when we stop talking. An AI tip I learnt last week is to ask it for a perspective a couple of standard deviations away from what your view might be - try it.
So...What if someone in your organisation went on the march?
The reality is, some employees could have gone, meaning even harder ground to navigate. We've used our Leading with Heart framework to suggest ways of reaching a better understanding of colleagues who have different views than you...
Connection: Leading with Empathy, Compassion AND Accountability
Connection begins with empathy and compassion, seeking to understand what fears or needs may have drawn someone to attend the march, and recognising their humanity even if you disagree profoundly with their actions. But connection also requires accountability. Leaders must make clear that while private beliefs are personal, behaviour inside the organisation must align with company values (or in the absence of company values, inclusion and dignity). Connection, in this moment, means holding people to account in a way that is firm yet respectful, ensuring the community feels safe without dehumanising anyone.
Authenticity: Leading with Vulnerability AND Boundaries
Authenticity invites leaders to bring their full selves into the conversation. That might mean naming their own discomfort: “I feel anger / disbelief / despair to know colleagues may have attended.” This vulnerability models honesty and creates trust. At the same time, boundaries matter too - and boundaries are about what is ok as well as about what isn't ok. Authenticity includes the right to hold and express personal beliefs. Maybe it’s absolutely OK for colleagues to care deeply, to feel moved, to hold strong views, and even to want to take action in line with their values. It’s not OK for those beliefs to be imposed on others, or expressed in ways that undermine psychological safety, belonging, or inclusion at work. Leaders must be explicit about what is acceptable and what is not within the workplace. Attending a march may be a personal choice, but within the organisation, inclusion and respect are non-negotiable. Boundaries clarify that values are not just words on a wall but active commitments that shape what is acceptable behaviour.
Consciousness: Leading with Self-Awareness AND Decisiveness
This pillar is about tuning in to ourselves, our impact, and the systems we operate in. It means noticing our emotions, values, and triggers, and being honest about the lens through which we see the world. That includes acknowledging our own biases, privileges and framing, especially when tensions run high.
In moments of complexity, like recent events, self-awareness asks: "What assumptions am I holding? How might my own history or identity be shaping how I respond? What am I not seeing?" A very different version of this newsletter existed on Saturday night before I had dug in to my own biases and triggers. I was angry and scared. Then decisiveness asks: "What matters most right now? To me? To those around me? And to the communities we serve?". Again, our established purpose and values should unlock the action. One of our key beliefs is that the world is changed through conversation. These times are perhaps when it is hardest and when it matters most.
Difficult times. Hope this helps in some way.
Rox x