By Sonia McDonald, CEO of LeadershipHQ
Let’s talk about the real problem.
This isn’t about one viral video. It’s not just about gossip, or a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert.
It’s about leadership accountability. It’s about a culture that still, in 2025, excuses poor behaviour from those at the top.
It’s about the very real harm caused by leaders who think their power gives them a pass — to cheat, to manipulate, to abuse trust, to treat people like they’re disposable.
Too many CEOs and senior leaders are still operating under the false belief that their title makes them untouchable.
Let me be clear:
Leadership is not about power. It’s about responsibility.
You don’t get to lead people at work and destroy them in private — not anymore. The consequences aren’t hidden. They’re loud. They’re lasting.
They come in the form of:
Viral clips and news headlines
Broken families
Toxic workplace cultures
High turnover
Burnt-out teams
And trust that takes years to repair — if it ever is
This isn’t new. And this won’t be the last time we see a leader’s private life crash into public view.
I’ve seen this story before. In fact, I’ve lived it.
My Story: From Betrayal to Boardrooms
Before I became a CEO… before I built a leadership company that now coaches and trains thousands of leaders… I was a mum, standing alone with a broken heart in a foreign country.
My then-husband — a man in a powerful leadership position — abandoned me and our young daughter.
Why? Because I dared to take a job. His parting words? “I left because you got a job. You were supposed to stay at home.”
He didn’t just leave. He betrayed our family. He disappeared from the life we built — with entitlement, ego, and no accountability.
I came home to Australia with nothing but my daughter, a suitcase, and shattered dreams. I applied for over 40 jobs and was rejected again and again.
But I rebuilt. I created something from the ashes.
I turned my pain into purpose.
Today, I run LeadershipHQ, a global leadership business. I speak on stages around the world. I coach executives, boards, governments, and emerging leaders.
But no matter how far I’ve come, I’ve never forgotten what betrayal feels like — especially when it comes from someone with power.
We Need CEOs With Character
We’ve had enough of performative values and curated posts. Enough of “servant leadership” on slides while behind the scenes it’s ego, control, and fear.
We need leaders who live by their values — not just talk about them in offsites.
We need CEOs — and leaders at every level — who:
Embody integrity
Speak with truth
Treat people with dignity — in meetings and at home
Make decisions from character, not convenience
Because here’s the truth:
Your leadership legacy isn’t built in the boardroom. It’s built in the quiet moments — in how you treat the people who can’t do anything for you. It’s built in how you show up when no one’s watching.
If You’re a CEO, Read This Carefully
This moment — and my own story — is your reminder that leadership is about more than KPIs, influence, or image.
It’s about the impact you leave behind.
So, if you’re in a leadership position, I urge you to reflect and act on these truths:
✅ Your behaviour sets the tone — always.
If you’re dismissive, dishonest, or avoidant, that becomes culture. If you’re courageous, compassionate, and accountable — that becomes culture too.
✅ Your ego is your biggest risk.
Let humility in. Listen more than you speak. Learn where you’re blind. Invite feedback even when it stings.
✅ Your values mean nothing if they only exist on paper.
Live them. Breathe them. Make decisions that cost you, if they protect your integrity.
✅ Your team is watching, and so is the world.
Employees today are savvy. Audiences are aware. Transparency is non-negotiable. Everything you do — everything — matters.
✅ You don’t have to be perfect — but you do have to be accountable.
When you mess up, own it. Apologise. Repair the harm. Learn. Lead by example.
What Betrayal Taught Me About Leadership
Being betrayed by someone I trusted taught me this:
Titles don’t make you a leader.
Power without integrity is dangerous.
The people left behind carry the cost.
And silence is complicity.
So I made a promise — to myself, and to my daughter — to lead differently. To build a business, a platform, and a movement that holds leaders to a higher standard.
Not out of resentment, but out of responsibility.
Because I know what happens when leaders fail us. And I know what’s possible when they rise.
To Those Still in Power: Do Better. Be Better.
This message isn’t just for the betrayed. It’s for those in the C-suite. The boardroom. The ones still being applauded.
If you’ve caused harm — fix it. If you’ve coasted — step up. If you’ve forgotten the weight of your position — remember it now.
Because leadership isn’t about being followed. It’s about being trusted. And trust is earned, not assumed.
To Everyone Who’s Been Left Behind
To the women and men betrayed, abandoned, overlooked, or hurt by someone in power — I see you.
You are not broken. You are not invisible. You are not weak.
You are rising. You are rebuilding. And one day, your story will help someone else find their strength.
Just like mine.
I shared more of my personal story here: 🔗 Sonia McDonald – Mamamia
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Want to Be the Kind of Leader Who Breaks the Cycle?
Start here:
👣 Lead with empathy
🎯 Stay values-led, not ego-led
📢 Have the tough conversations
🤝 Be trustworthy, not just impressive
🔄 Reflect. Repair. Evolve.
Because leadership isn’t just about what you build — It’s about how you make people feel.
And if you’re not leading with humanity, what are you really leading?
Sonia McDonald is a global leadership expert, keynote speaker, and CEO of LeadershipHQ. She’s on a mission to raise the standard of leadership across the globe — one brave, human, kind leader at a time.
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And if you want to lead with courage, character, and impact, we’re here to help.
At LeadershipHQ, we work with executives, CEOs, and emerging leaders who are ready to ditch outdated models and lead with values, vision, and heart.
Through The Leadership Association, we’re building a movement of bold, values-driven leaders — a community committed to elevating the standard of leadership across every industry.
Because the future doesn’t belong to the loudest voice in the room. It belongs to the most authentic one.
Let’s raise the bar. Let’s rebuild trust. Let’s lead better — together.