Extra! Extra! Peace Begins With Us!
Imagine waking up tomorrow to a headline that reads: “Peace Breaks Out Across the Nation.”
No more neighbor-against-neighbor shouting matches.
No more lives lost to political violence.
Just a country finally taking a collective breath.
We are not there yet, but we could be. This week’s headlines remind us how far we have to go — and why leaders need to step up now.
Words Are Weapons or Tools for Healing
Language is not neutral. Every “us vs. them” speech, every casual meme, every soundbite that turns real human beings into caricatures or villains adds fuel to a fire that is already raging. When we strip away the humanity of the people we disagree with, we make it easier for others to treat them as disposable. That is not leadership.
Leadership’s Responsibility
If you lead a company, a team, or a community, you have a platform, and platforms come with responsibility. Here’s what we must start doing right now:
Stop calling for violence, explicitly or implicitly. Metaphors about “fighting” and “taking people out” might sound strong, but they have real-world consequences.
See people as people again. They are not pawns, hashtags, or headlines. They are human beings with families, fears, and futures.
Lead the way back to common ground. This is not about left versus right. The center is where dialogue happens, where compromise is possible, and where solutions are found.
Let’s use our voices to call for something different:
One giant step toward center. Not toward blandness or apathy, but toward a place where we can look each other in the eye and talk like humans again.
Moral and respectful treatment of every person. Even those we disagree with. Especially those we disagree with.
A commitment to peaceful resolution. Model what it looks like to solve problems without tearing each other apart.
The Leadership Moment
This is a moment for courage…not the loud, chest-thumping kind, but the steady kind of courage it takes to cool things down instead of heat them up. To choose words that heal instead of wound. To take the temperature of the room and bring it back down.
Because if leaders do not do this, who will?
The headline we all want to read…the one declaring peace and unity…will not write itself. Leaders have the pen in their hands. It is time to write a better story, one where respect replaces rage, connection replaces conflict, and we step together toward the center.
If you need help navigating these difficult communications - give me a call. I’d be happy to help.