"The Courage to Use Power (Even When You're Not Sure)"

In yesterday's email, I shared a story about a release manager who quietly tried to fix a blocked release on their own, until I encouraged them to bring the team in.

The fix came fast. But what stuck with me wasn’t just the solution.
It was why the release manager hesitated in the first place.

They didn’t have formal authority.
They weren’t sure how much they could interrupt others.
They didn’t want to be a nuisance.

They were trying to be helpful—quietly fixing the issue alone.
But by not exercising their situational power, they were making the situation worse.

And that’s the thing about power:

What if you escalate and it turns out not to be that urgent?
What if the bug is in your code?
What if people roll their eyes or say, “That could’ve waited”?

Yes, that might happen.

But in most cases, if your clear about your intent, If you’re trying to stop the bleeding, not shift blame, People understand.

If the situation justifies it, speak up. Interrupt. Rally people. Ask for help.
Not because you’re certain.
But because the risk of doing nothing is worse.

Leadership isn’t always about making the perfect call.
Sometimes it’s about having the courage to act, even when you’re unsure, and letting your intent be seen.

Until next time,
Dermot
​The Messy Middle

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