Did you see the CEO at the US Open who was caught on camera taking a signed hat meant for a child?
The moment went viral and the backlash was immediate. When his apology finally came, it sounded more like damage control than accountability and came too late to rebuild the trust lost.
In contrast, player Kamil Majchrzak quietly stepped in. He found the boy, and personally brought him a new signed hat and gifts.
No spotlight. No PR team. Just a simple decision to do the right thing.
That’s leadership.
It’s not about titles or press releases. It’s about character in real time. The decisions made whether people are watching or not (especially not).
CEOs often talk about brand, culture, and trust, but those things aren’t built in boardrooms. They’re built in moments like this. How you respond when something goes wrong says more about your values than any corporate statement ever will.
Every leader sets the tone for what integrity looks like inside their organization. The best ones don’t wait for PR teams to clean things up. They make it right themselves.
What is an example when you saw a leader take full ownership without being prompted to?