Tempered radical
From eg
Debra Meyerson is the author of Tempered Radicals: How Everyday Leaders Inspire Change at Work (Harvard University Press, 2001) and an associate professor of Education and Organizational Behavior within Stanford University's Schools of Education and (by courtesy) Graduate School of Business.
This "quiet persistence of everyday leadership" is reflected in lead/manage/moderate. Meyerson describes tempered radicals as "people who want to succeed in their organizations yet want to live by their values or identities, even if they are somehow at odds with the dominant culture of their organizations.... These men and women of all races, religions, ethnic origins, ages, and sexual orientations from every corner of the globe...are quiet catalysts who push back against prevailing norms, create learning, and lay the groundwork for slow but ongoing organizational and social change." Their affinity for principled action and humble, long-term perspective make them natural systems thinkers.
From chapter 9 of her book: "Possibly the most fundamental thing to remember about successful tempered radicals is that they know who they are and what is important to their sense of self. They realize that they have multiple selves, some aspects more enduring and "core" than others, and they are clear about the ways these core values or identities are at odds with the dominant culture. Though tempered radicals stay anchored to their core commitments, they must also remain flexible about how and when to fulfill them." See also an operational definition of moral and a general description of the so-called moral core.
"Tempered radicals favor action. Some people act with modest and self-directed objectives; others act with more bold and outwardly focused ambitions; and most move back and forth along a spectrum between these extremes, choosing their actions based on circumstance, interests, risks, and even energy level. Regardless of how quiet or bold their actions, tempered radicals sustain their "selves" and avoid conforming by acting. Even as they favor action, however, tempered radicals must also be notably patient, willing to wait for opportunities and outcomes."
