"You’re not outside the system. You’re in it."

Over the past few emails, we’ve explored Ralph D Stacey’s view of leadership as something that happens in the moment, through participation, not prediction.

We’ve touched on:

  • Why polished communication isn’t enough.
  • Why open-door policies fall short.
  • Why the messiness of conversation isn’t a flaw, it’s the work.
  • And how politics isn’t something to avoid, but the space where leadership is practiced.

If there’s one thread running through it all, it’s this:

You don’t lead from above the system.
You lead from within it.

That’s not always comfortable. It means being seen. Being misunderstood. Changing your mind. Owning your part. Staying in the room when things get awkward. But it’s also what makes leadership human, and possible.

So the next time things feel messy, remember:
That’s not a sign you’re failing.
It’s a sign you’re in it.

And that’s where leadership lives.

Until next time,
Dermot
​The Messy Middle

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