In a recent LinkedIn post, Lee McCabe delves into the pervasive issue of “optimizing for optics” within organizations, arguing that this behavior, while often seeming counterintuitive, is a direct result of systemic incentives that prioritize safety over genuine execution. McCabe contends that the corporate world, including private equity, often rewards visible alignment and consensus, inadvertently punishing the very actions that lead to tangible results.
McCabe opens by stating the core of his argument:
People don’t optimise for optics by accident.
They do it because the system quietly punishes the alternative.
According to McCabe, this focus on optics stems from a fundamental misalignment between what organizations claim to want and what they actually fund. “Most organisations say they want execution. What they actually fund is safety,” he writes. This safety, as McCabe explains, manifests as consensus-building and group alignment, where individuals are hesitant to introduce dissenting opinions or uncertainty for fear of rocking the boat or appearing as a threat.
The Discomfort of Execution
McCabe contrasts this with the nature of true execution. He argues that execution inherently involves making difficult choices, which inevitably creates winners and losers and exposes the trade-offs that presentations often gloss over. “Execution forces choices. It creates winners and losers. It exposes trade-offs that the deck was politely hiding,” McCabe points out. This process, he notes, leads to accountability, often culminating in specific individuals being responsible for decisions.
The journalist highlights that McCabe views real execution as a significant political risk. “The moment you move from ‘we should’ to ‘we will’, you start reallocating budget, headcount, attention, status. You’re not just doing work. You’re changing the shape of power,” McCabe asserts. This disruption of established power structures, he suggests, naturally faces resistance.
Punishing Discomfort Over Failure
A particularly striking point made by McCabe is that discomfort is often punished more swiftly and severely than outright failure. While failures can be rationalized with external factors like market shifts or competitive responses, discomfort is immediately apparent and social. “But discomfort is immediate and social. You can see it on faces in the room. It triggers the fastest internal immune response: pushback, delay, committees, ‘let’s revisit’, and the most lethal phrase in corporate life, ‘I’m not sure we’re aligned,'” McCabe writes.
So people learn the game. They stop trying to be right and start trying to be safe.
This dynamic, McCabe explains, extends even into private equity. He observes that within PE firms, the perceived currency is conviction, yet the career risk lies in being demonstrably wrong. Similarly, in portfolio companies, momentum is valued, but the personal risk comes from alienating key stakeholders while driving that momentum. In essence, McCabe argues, individuals are constantly seeking approval, and that approval is rarely granted for causing discomfort.
Optics as a Survival Strategy
Ultimately, McCabe frames optics as a form of hedging or a survival strategy within these systems. “Optics are a hedging strategy. They’re a way to look active without becoming accountable. They’re a way to show progress without making irreversible decisions. They’re a way to survive,” he states. By focusing on the appearance of progress and alignment, individuals can navigate the corporate landscape without incurring the risks associated with decisive, potentially disruptive, action.
McCabe concludes that once the underlying incentives are understood, this behavior becomes predictable, not necessarily admirable or malicious, but a natural outcome of systems that prioritize safety and avoid consequence. As he puts it:
And systems get what they pay for.
His analysis underscores the critical importance of examining and realigning organizational incentives to foster genuine execution rather than mere displays of activity.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Lee McCabe on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on January 28, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →