Why Do You Stare Down at the Table? The Cost of Silent Compliance in Leadership

Reading the extraordinary book Patriot by Alexei Navalny inspired me to write this. His words resonated deeply with my corporate experiences, particularly the moments when people see wrongdoing but choose silence or, worse, complicity. I hope my take on this resonates with you, too.

In Patriot, Alexei Navalny recounts a moment in the courtroom where he confronts those complicit in injustice:

“I am talking to you but you’re looking down at the table all the time. None of you have anything to say.”

It’s a powerful image. People who know the truth yet refuse to acknowledge it. But in corporate life, the problem goes deeper than just silence. Many don’t just look away; they actively participate in misconduct as a survival tactic. They rationalise their actions, convincing themselves that staying in line, protecting their own position, and going along with unethical decisions is the only option.

This is not just a failure of courage; it is a failure of character, and it is rife in boardrooms, leadership teams, and corporate culture.

The Rot in Leadership: Silence and Participation in Wrongdoing

Weak leadership isn’t just about making poor business decisions. It’s about people who choose self-preservation over integrity. Those who see misconduct and do nothing, or worse, actively contribute to it.

How often have we seen:

• Boards rubber-stamp unethical decisions rather than challenge the status quo?
• Executives manipulate numbers to satisfy short-term market pressures?
• Leaders protect toxic individuals because confronting them would be “messy”?
• Team members turn on colleagues to align with power, rather than stand by their principles?

This behaviour is rampant in many businesses, and ironically, the higher you go, the worse it gets. When you reach the boardroom, where people are meant to be the stewards of governance and ethics, you often find the most cowardly decisions made in the name of “fiduciary duty.”

Take, for example, the board of Theranos. A group of highly experienced, well-connected leaders chose not to challenge Elizabeth Holmes’ fraudulent claims. Not because they didn’t have the intelligence to see through the lies but because it was easier not to look. The cost of questioning things was too high for their own careers, reputations, or financial interests.

This isn’t just a historical example; it happens in businesses of all sizes every single day. The decision to remain silent, to enable misconduct, or to betray colleagues is too often seen as “just business.”

Why Do We Stare Down at the Table?

People justify inaction or unethical behaviour in countless ways:

• “If I speak up, I’ll lose my job.”
• “Everyone else is doing it.”
• “It’s not my responsibility.”
• “Pushing back won’t change anything.”
• “This is how the game is played.”

These rationalisations are the language of weak leadership and character. They allow corruption, toxicity, and unethical practices to thrive. They erode trust, degrade workplace culture, and ultimately destroy businesses.

The harsh truth? People who go along with wrongdoing aren’t just “surviving”. They are actively contributing to a broken system.

The True Cost of Looking Away

When people choose silence or complicity, they think they are protecting themselves. But in reality, they are eroding their own credibility, integrity, and self-respect. The long-term consequences are severe:

• Businesses lose public trust. Customers, investors, and employees eventually see through dishonesty and mismanagement.
• Toxic leaders thrive. When misconduct is tolerated, the worst actors rise to power.
• Good people leave. Talented employees don’t want to work for leaders who betray their values.
• Personal reputations are ruined. When a scandal breaks, those who stay silent are often judged just as harshly as the perpetrators.

History doesn’t remember the people who “played along.” It remembers those who had the courage to stand up, even when it was inconvenient, uncomfortable, or dangerous.

What Real Leadership Looks Like

If you’re in a leadership role or aspire to be in one. Ask yourself:

• Are you willing to speak up when something isn’t right?
• Do you challenge decisions that feel unethical, even if they benefit you?
• Would you rather be respected for your integrity or liked for your compliance?

The best leaders, those who build legacies that last, do not stare down at the table. They don’t engage in unethical behaviour just because “everyone else is doing it.” They don’t betray colleagues to get ahead. They hold themselves and others accountable, even when it’s difficult.

A Call to Action: Raise Your Head

Navalny’s words should haunt every boardroom, leadership meeting, and corporate gathering. If you are sitting in a meeting where something unethical is unfolding, and you feel the urge to lower your gaze, fight it. Raise your head. Speak up. Ask the hard questions. Refuse to participate in wrongdoing.

Because when the dust settles, the people who turned away, the ones who stayed silent or played along, will find their legacies defined not by their successes but by their failures of character.

Leadership is not about maintaining comfort. It is about challenging complacency. It is about refusing to look away.

So next time you find yourself in a moment where silence seems like the easy option, remember Navalny’s words:

Why do you stare down at the table?

And then, do something about it.