What If Every Private Decision Became Public?
- Utkarsh Narang
- Sep 23, 2025
- 2 min read
July 21, 2025
Hey friend,
At a Coldplay concert, a moment meant to be fleeting became forever. Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and CHRO Kristin Cabot appeared on the Kiss-Cam. What followed?
A viral clip. 50M+ views. Board investigations. Both leaders placed on leave.
But this isn’t just internet drama. It’s a wake-up call.
🔍 Self: Your Private Choices Reflect Your Inner Compass
In a hyper-connected world, it is not just what you say about yourself—it’s how you show up when no one’s supposed to be watching.
Ask yourself:
If this moment of mine was made public, would I stand by it?
Do my actions reflect my values?
Is my integrity consistent, not situational?
Leadership begins at the level of self-awareness. The truth? You’re always leading—even in private.
🤝 Team: Trust Is Built in the Spaces Between
When you lead a team, your behaviour creates the baseline for what’s acceptable.
Your people are watching, not to judge, but to mirror.
How do you handle tough conversations?
Do you model the same boundaries you ask of them?
Do you live the culture—or just talk about it?
One moment of misalignment can ripple across a team’s sense of safety.
The teams that thrive are the ones built on consistent, visible integrity.
🏢 Organisation: Culture Isn’t a Policy—It’s a Pattern
An organisation's culture isn’t shaped in all-hands meetings or HR manuals. It’s shaped in how leaders live, love, and lead offstage.
In Astronomer’s case, a moment of personal conduct triggered public scrutiny, internal chaos, and reputational damage.
Why?
Because in the absence of clarity, people fill the gaps with assumptions.
Because inconsistency at the top fractures alignment at every level.
Culture is a living, breathing ecosystem—made visible in moments of stress, not slogans.
💡 So, What’s the Lesson Here?
Whether you're a CEO or a team lead:
Lead like every action might be seen.
Speak and behave like your legacy depends on it.
Build a culture where integrity is normal, not noble.
💬 Final Spark
Your values aren't tested when it’s easy. They are revealed when things are exposed.
I help leaders and teams stay grounded in values, even when the spotlight’s unexpected.
With honesty and humility,
Utkarsh (Coach | Culture Builder | Partner in Conscious Leadership)
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