When leaders feel their team’s needs are repeatedly overlooked, the temptation can be to stay silent rather than risk appearing self-serving.
But leadership expert and former Google executive Ginny Clarke says speaking up isn’t selfish — it’s a hallmark of strategic leadership.
In a recent Instagram post, Clarke explained that the key is reframing requests so they focus on organizational impact rather than personal convenience.
“When you connect your team’s needs to organizational outcomes, you’re not just asking for resources — you’re presenting solutions,” she wrote.
In an accompanying video, Clarke advised documenting the broader business case for a team’s needs and asking strategic, forward-looking questions like: What would help us do this better?
She stressed framing advocacy around collective benefit:
“When my team has the resources, here’s how we can all benefit as an organization.”
She also stressed the importance of distinguishing between advocating for essential resources and support versus personal preferences.
The result, Clarke said, is a balanced and context-driven approach that earns trust and gets results.
