Leading with Love Means Taking Accountability—Even When It’s Uncomfortable
By Ellie Scott, MA, Founder & Chief Strategist at Bayleaf Consulting
(This post was originally shared on LinkedIn, where I write about the realities of nonprofit leadership. If you're not following me there yet, let's fix that!)
Let’s take a collective deep breath before we get into this one.
Relax your shoulders.
Unclench your jaw.
Let it out.
Because here’s the thing:
🛑 We have to stop saying we lead with love when we aren’t willing to stand up when our communities are in need.
🛑 We have to stop seeking trust when we won’t be held accountable for our actions.
🛑 We have to stop apologizing for harm when we have no intention of repairing or rebuilding.
And before you think I’m pointing fingers, let me be clear—I said we, not you. I’m not about to call out anyone without examining myself first. That would be hypocrisy, and I don’t play that game.
If We’re Not Willing to Do the Work, We Need to Step Aside
If we aren’t willing to:
👉🏾 Confront our own biases,
👉🏾 Acknowledge how we’ve benefited from oppressive systems, and
👉🏾 Check our egos at the door...
Then we need to remove ourselves from leadership. Period. Clock out. Resign. Pass the torch. Do whatever needs to be done.
Because if we refuse to do this work, we are actively causing harm—no better than the systems, leaders, and institutions we claim to resist.
This Work Is Messy—And That’s the Point
We WILL be uncomfortable.
We MIGHT do the wrong work before we get it right.
We ARE going to mess up along the way.
There’s no shortcut around that. The only way is through. 🗻
I don’t say this from a place of judgment—I say it as someone who is in the thick of it, too. I have a circle of people who hold me accountable: my therapist, my business coach, my trusted friends. They call me back to my values when I drift. They push me to show up for myself the way I show up for others.
That’s what accountability looks like. And, to me, this is what love looks like.
Ready to Do This Work Together?
If this made you uncomfortable, good. It means you’re paying attention.
This is hard. But we don’t have to do it alone.
Love you, friend. ❤️
Let’s Talk!
If any of this resonates, let’s have a real conversation about what’s on your plate. No pressure. No pretense. Just a space to think through the hard stuff and move forward with confidence.
Click here to schedule your 20-minute call.
I’m here to help you move forward with clarity and confidence. 💬
(Or if you’re more of a LinkedIn person, come join me there!)
