Sachin Jain, President and CEO, Board Director at SCAN Health Plan, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“One of the most important leadership qualities any of us can develop is conviction.
I’m reminded of this almost every day.
A person shares an opinion they genuinely believe…until someone with more positional or relational authority raises an eyebrow or offers a different take.
And then—almost instantly—they fold.
Not because they’ve re-examined the facts.
Not because they’ve been persuaded by a better argument.
But because they want alignment with the ‘more powerful’ voice in the room.
The paradox is that, in trying to build agreement, they actually weaken the foundation of trust.
People don’t trust you because you nod along.
They trust you because you speak plainly.
They trust you because your views are steady, considered, and not easily swayed by hierarchy or momentary pressure.
They trust you because your north star does not change depending on who’s speaking.
I’ve come to believe this:
Short-term agreement is cheap.
Long-term trust is priceless.
And long-term trust is earned only one way: by demonstrating, over and over, that you will voice your truth, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable.
That’s conviction.
A leader without it can follow the conversation.
A leader with it can change the conversation.”
More posts featuring Sachin Jain.