Legitimate Leadership

Whether it is a family, a small business, a corporation or a country, the true success of any leader can only be measured by the performance of the entity long after the leader is no longer in charge. Imagine you have a thriving business with good people. The business grows and sets up the usual hierarchies. The senior management team is established and working well, with managers taking responsibility and accountability for their departments. Business thrives and the measures of success in departments - typically OTIF (On Time and In Full Delivery), financial stability, and production efficiency - are visible and tangible. This goes on for a number of years, the business grows further and the people get older. Some may even be getting close to retirement age. Read Dieter Jansen's article by clicking below.

The original research into management-employee relationships, which led to the development of the Legitimate Leadership Model, found that trust in the management of any enterprise was granted or withheld based on employees' perceptions of leadership’s genuine concern for their welfare. Leaders are seen to be worthy of support, or not, on this basis only. Extrapolation of the research findings led to the conclusion that leaders stand or fall based on a single criterion: their INTENT or motive. Those in positions of authority, in essence, succeed to the degree to which they are there to “give” to their people instead of “get” something out of them. Further, any leader's intent is wholly within his/her control. Each individual - no one else - determines the motive(s) behind and driving their actions. Intent bears no relationship to intellect, qualifications, interpersonal skill, managerial style, or personality. Intent is not an ability issue but rather a matter of the will, and, as such, intent is a choice. Therefore, it follows logically that anyone in a leadership role who chooses to give to his/her people, to care for and grow them, can lead. From experience, most managers who are exposed to the above logic feel liberated. They are released from the notion that only those blessed with a charismatic personality, superior intellect, oratory skill, and an inclusive management style can lead. As a result, managers from diverse organisations worldwide have gone on to be exemplary Legitimate Leadership leaders. They have changed, their people have changed, and the results have followed. Join Wendy Lambourne (Founder Of Legitimate Leadership) and Tony Flannigan (Associate) on 11 March 2025 in Edinburgh. This half-day workshop is a small taste of a non-conventional leadership approach that will empower you and your business and allow you to develop as a sought-after and proven leader. 📩 Email events@legitimateleadership.com to reserve your place.

If you have a people problem, you have a leadership problem. Work overload, stress, frustration, and lack of motivation... These are all issues organisations tend to place on their staff's shoulders. But the responsibility lies with leadership. In this episode of Engage Care Talent, Chris Le'cand-Harwood 📺 chats with Sean Hagger, Senior Consultant at Legitimate Leadership. ✅ They explore the myths surrounding leadership and motivation. ✅ They discuss how great leadership impacts people and true employee engagement. ✅ And they examine what leaders can do to better serve their teams. This is a particularly important conversation given the challenges facing the NHS workforce and its role in the nation's health. While investment matters, is strong leadership the key to driving real change? Watch the episode here: https://lnkd.in/gqphxyqx Listen to the episode here: https://lnkd.in/guv-5bfq

WATCH | Ian Munro from Legitimate Leadership discusses the importance of trust and leadership in fostering accountability and responsibility among team members. 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 • Trust is essential for organisational success. • Leaders should focus on giving, not just getting. • High standards drive better results than mere target increases. • Effective communication about purpose builds trust. • Empowerment leads to ownership and accountability. • Engage in discussions and debates to enhance learning. • Intent matters: leaders must prioritise team welfare. 𝘒𝘦𝘺 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 • Trust as a Foundation: High trust levels within a team enhance collaboration and ownership, essential for navigating change effectively. Organisations with trust can pivot quickly without extensive change management. • Inverted Leadership Role: Leadership should shift from merely achieving results to fostering team growth, ensuring the well-being of team members is prioritised over results. • Empowerment vs. Control: Empowerment should be viewed as an end goal. Leaders enabling team members with the right tools and knowledge fosters a sense of ownership that drives accountability. • Focus on Standards, Not Results: Improving performance is about raising the standards of personal accountability rather than just increasing targets. This shift leads to sustainable results. • Intent and Fairness: Leaders must demonstrate genuine care and fairness to build a culture where accountability is welcomed, not feared. This promotes a supportive environment. • Communication is Key: Clear communication about expectations and the rationale behind tasks is vital for team alignment and trust, making it easier for team members to take ownership. • Global Applicability: The principles addressed are relevant across various organisational sizes and types, highlighting the universal need for effective leadership and trust. https://lnkd.in/dM7UApc8

Managers need to stop seeking to change their people's performance, ownership and willingness, believing that doing so will deliver better results. Instead, they need to focus on changing themselves. Only when they do so will they gain the trust, willingness and loyalty of their people. What accounts for this highly sought-after, but often not realised, trust in those in authority in organisations? Read Wendy Lambourne's article by clicking below.

Wendy Lambourne engaged in a stimulating discussion with over 30 female leaders (Women Achievers Africa), on 'What is Required for Women to Excel in Leadership Roles'. It was agreed that success bears little, if not no relationship to nationality, organisational type, qualifications or years of experience in leadership roles. Instead, leaders stand or fall on the basis of their intent or motive. Leaders who excel are in the relationship with their people to give to them, not to get anything out of them. The give is not money but CARE and GROWTH. The session ended with a vociferous debate and divided opinion on whether female leaders are better at caring for and growing their people than their male counterparts. 

Join Rachael Cowin in Manchester as she reveals key insights from her #Hazards34 paper on the critical issues in safety leadership. Against the backdrop of Legitimate Leadership, she will explore practical applications of our framework.