April 2026

Posted on April 29, 2026April 29, 2026 by Sylvania

Communication is a key activity for leaders – your team will take their cues on what is important by what you spend time discussing. People want to know how they and the organisation are doing; they need clarity and an opportunity to test their understanding. Beyond the content, you also communicate your values when you speak with honesty and courage.
Rachael Cowin, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

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Featured

Question Of The Month

I delegate tasks, but I still end up redoing the work. What am I missing?

Exploring The Difference Between Delegation and Empowerment

The difference between delegation and empowerment lies in the level of control and autonomy given to the direct report.

Leadership by Permission: Reflections From Our Latest London Open Programme

In February, alongside Ian Munro, I facilitated our latest two-day open programme on the Legitimate Leadership Framework in London. It brought together leaders from policing, the NHS, cyber security, chemicals, education and small business – a breadth of sectors and seniority that made the discussion both rich and refreshingly honest.

Are You A Multiplier Or A Diminisher?

In this month’s leadership reflection, Liz Wiseman invites us to reconsider a fundamental question: Is our presence as leaders expanding or limiting the intelligence and capability of those around us?

For more information regarding the above, please email events@legitimateleadership.com

Question Of The Month

By Sean Hagger, Managing Director, Legitimate Leadership International.

Question: I delegate tasks, but I still end up redoing the work. What am I missing?

Answer: Delegation and empowerment are often confused, but they are not the same skill.

When we delegate, our thinking usually sounds like this: “Here’s the task list, and here’s when it needs to be done.” There are moments when this approach is appropriate – but only when we’re assigning work to people who already have real maturity in that task. And let’s be honest: when we do this, we’re not empowering them.

If you find yourself redoing the work afterwards, it’s a clear signal that you misjudged their readiness. You believed they had task maturity when they didn’t. That’s a dangerous gap, because as a leader, you’ve set them up to struggle by not giving them what they need to succeed.

Empowerment requires a completely different mindset.

Instead of viewing tasks as boxes to be ticked to a specific standard by a specific deadline, we see them as opportunities to build capability in our people. The focus shifts from getting it done to growing someone through it. We begin asking better questions:

Who stands to benefit most from owning this challenge?
What do I need to provide – guidance, context, resources – for them to succeed?
How do I create space for safe failure without removing accountability?
Am I giving opportunities evenly, or always to the same few people?

An empowerment mindset means you don’t step in and redo the work. They do the work — and you support them with what they need to grow. Empowerment fuels development; delegation alone does not.
And growth changes everything.

Growth creates stronger players on the pitch. Stronger players deliver better results.

To submit your question, email info@legitimateleadership.com

Article: Exploring The Difference Between Delegation and Empowerment

By Leonie van Tonder, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

The difference between delegation and empowerment lies in the level of control and autonomy given to the direct report.

What Must A Leader Consider When Deciding Which To Use?

Direct report knowledge and skills
The amount of control and autonomy required
The amount of control and autonomy the leader is willing to give.

What Will Prevent A Leader From Empowering A Direct Report

Fear of being outperformed – the person might be better than me
Fear of Failure – if the person fails, it will reflect badly on me
Fear of Redundancy – I might be considered as not needed any more

All these thoughts point directly to an attitude of Taking instead of Giving.

At Legitimate Leadership, our development discussions work towards moving people from taking to giving.

Read the full article by clicking here

Leadership By Permission: Reflections From Our Latest London Open Programme

By Sean Hagger, Managing Director, Legitimate Leadership International.

Despite their different contexts, the leadership challenges they described were similar. That is often the first breakthrough moment for participants: realising that the pressures they carry are not unique to their organisation or industry, but part of a broader human dynamic around authority and responsibility.

The two days were packed full of conversation and value for our participants.

Ian talked about the idea of the “accidental manager” – individuals who find themselves in leadership positions because someone left, someone was promoted, or someone had to step up. Too often, authority arrives without preparation.

“Legitimacy is not given because you have a sign on the door. It is granted by those who follow you.”

That single idea reshapes the way people see their role. Authority may be assigned, but legitimacy is earned. It is measured not by hierarchy, but by the degree to which people willingly support you.

We also challenged a deeply embedded assumption about performance.

Read the full report by clicking here

Podcast: Are You A Multiplier Or A Diminisher?

By Liz Wiseman, Researcher, Executive Advisor & CEO Of The Wiseman Group | New York Times Bestselling Author Of Multipliers

COMMENT ON THIS VIDEO BY IAN MUNRO, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP: At Legitimate Leadership we spend a lot of our time and energy highlighting the primary role of INTENT in establishing legitimacy for our leadership. This is as true today as it was nearly 40 years ago when the Legitimate Leadership Model was crystallising. It is also not the full story. Benevolent INTENT is necessary, but it is not enough. INTENT also needs to be evidenced in our mindsets and behaviours. Liz Wiseman’s “Accidental Diminsher” – sometimes a well-intentioned leader who is simply insecure, or too quick to save – is a case-in-point. At Legitimate Leadership we are frequently asked whether it is possible for people to experience our INTENT differently from how we intend. The answer is easy. Yes. Of course. And that is why podcasts such as these are so critical. They allow us to work on our mindsets and behaviours so that, over time, our INTENT is experienced as intended more often than not.

Incidentally, Wiseman’s five disciplines, when well-intended, are wholly consistent with the Legitimate Leadership Model. We encourage all leaders to continuously work on all five:

Becoming a talent magnet
Creating intensity not stress
Debating decisions
Extending challenges
Instilling ownership and accountability

Our summary of the podcast: In this month’s leadership reflection, Liz Wiseman invites us to reconsider a fundamental question: Is our presence as leaders expanding or limiting the intelligence and capability of those around us?

Based on research with more than 150 executives globally, Wiseman distinguishes between Diminishers, leaders who unintentionally create dependency by stepping in, giving answers, and taking control, and Multipliers, who unlock others’ potential by creating space for thinking, contribution, and ownership. The difference is not intention or talent, but mindset. Multipliers operate from a belief that people are capable and resourceful and lead accordingly.

She identifies five key disciplines of Multiplier leadership: acting as a Talent Magnet by recognising and deploying people’s strengths; creating a high-support, high-challenge environment as a Liberator; stretching people beyond their comfort zones as a Challenger; fostering robust thinking through inclusive debate as a Debate Maker; and transferring real ownership as an Investor.

A particularly powerful insight is the concept of the Accidental Diminisher, leaders who, through enthusiasm, expertise, or care, unintentionally limit others. Stepping in too quickly, always having the answer, or rescuing too soon can send a subtle message: “I’ve got this, you don’t need to.” Over time, this shapes cultures of dependence rather than growth.

This perspective strongly echoes the principles of Legitimate Leadership, in which the leader’s role is to develop others’ capability, confidence, and accountability. Both approaches challenge leaders to move away from control and towards development, from being the answer to building people who can find answers.

The invitation this April is one of honest reflection:

Where might you be unintentionally diminishing those around you? And where is there an opportunity to multiply?

The encouraging message is that Multipliers are not born; they are developed. With awareness and intentional practice, every leader can learn to amplify the intelligence and potential of their team.

Listen to the podcast by clicking here

March 2026

Posted on March 17, 2026March 23, 2026 by Sylvania

Of course, the results matter. It is a function of leadership to help everyone understand the bigger picture; moreover, leaders at every level need to work with their teams to connect local targets and standards to the organisation’s overall objectives.

However, what sets the best organisations apart are individuals who know what they each need to do to add their own unique value. This will only happen when leaders are focused on going beyond the results and on enabling their people to always make their maximum contribution. Rachael Cowin, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

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Featured

Question Of The Month

My team does what I ask, but they don’t take initiative. How do I get them to step up without micromanaging?

How Leaders Can Use AI To Expand Capability And Strengthen Culture

On the morning of 11 March 2026, 90 clients and associates gathered at the Houghton Golf Club for Legitimate Leadership’s latest breakfast event, a conversation that was equal parts grounding and thought-provoking. With AI dominating boardroom agendas everywhere, the morning’s theme was timely: How Leaders Can Use AI To Expand Capability And Strengthen Culture.

One Organisation, Two Teams, Two Different Cultures…

Why is it that within the same organisation with the same policies, same systems, same strategy, people can still have completely different experiences at work? How is it that two teams can sit on the same floor, use the same systems and follow the same procedures, yet show up in entirely different ways?

One team is energised, engaged, and committed, while another is guarded, disengaged, or simply going through the motions. Take Team A and Team B, for example.

Enabling Contribution: What Truly Motivates People?

While “carrot and stick” methods may work for simple, routine tasks, Pink’s research shows they are far less effective for work that requires thinking, creativity, initiative, and ownership, the very qualities modern organisations need most.

Instead, he highlights three powerful drivers of human motivation:

For more information regarding the above, please email events@legitimateleadership.com

Question Of The Month

By Tony Flannigan, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

Question: My team does what I ask, but they don’t take initiative. How do I get them to step up without micromanaging?

Answer: Good intent is manifested by giving Care and Growth.

Care is your licence to grow, so everything starts with Care.

Care is principally about how well you know your people.

Really knowing them is more than just knowing their wife/husband’s name, dog’s name, etc. When you really know someone, you know what makes them tick. i.e. what bores them rigid, what excites them, what would it take to get them interested and curious?

You would know their thoughts on the 3 Ps (Purpose / Passion / Person), i.e. do they understand your company’s noble purpose? Are they passionate about their own trade or function? Do they trust you as a person and a leader?

If they are not showing initiative, that could be largely your fault, not theirs. You haven’t explained the why enough; you haven’t encouraged their development in their trade; you haven’t earned their trust through a million other aspects of Care & Growth.

None of this is an instant fix. It is a long, relentless input from you to them.

However, once you have done all of the above (probably including a ‘Gripe-To-Goal’ assessment) and they still don’t show any interest, it is time for a tougher conversation about whether they are in the right job/industry and help them to a place that does ignite their passion and interest.

There are very few deliberately bad or lazy people (say 5~10%). Most of them reflect the environment in which they operate.

To submit your question, email info@legitimateleadership.com

Report: How Leaders Can Use AI To Expand Capability And Strengthen Culture

Legitimate Leadership

On the morning of 11 March 2026, 90 clients and associates gathered at the Houghton Golf Club for Legitimate Leadership’s latest breakfast event, a conversation that was equal parts grounding and thought-provoking. With AI dominating boardroom agendas everywhere, the morning’s theme was timely ‘How Leaders Can Use AI To Expand Capability And Strengthen Culture’.

Setting the Scene
From the outset, Legitimate Leadership’s CEO, Ian Munro, made it clear this wasn’t another AI hype session. “During times of uncertainty,” he told the room, “It’s very easy to focus on what we’re getting, not what we are giving.” That framing the shift from taking to giving is the philosophical backbone of the Legitimate Leadership framework, and it quietly underpinned every conversation that followed.

Josh Hayman, Managing Director of Legitimate Leadership’s South Africa practice, sharpened the point further. The real question, he argued, isn’t how organisations use AI; it’s why. Are leaders reaching for AI to extract more output from their people? Or are they genuinely trying to free their people up to do more meaningful work? The distinction, he suggested, is everything.

“The how conversation is a surface conversation. One level down from how is why, and that is a motive issue.” – Josh Hayman, Legitimate Leadership South Africa

Spatialedge Takes the Stage
The morning’s keynote conversation was led by three representatives from Spatialedge, a specialist AI consulting company and Legitimate Leadership client of three years: Chief of Staff, Dr Carl du Plessis; COO, Dr Frank Altman; and Chief Culture & People Officer, Hermine Gericke

Dr Carl du Plessis opened with a striking statistic: across the industry, 94% of AI use cases fail to deliver business value. Spatialedge, by contrast, operates at a 93% success rate in production delivery. The secret, he argued, isn’t superior AI knowledge; it’s people. His central thesis drew a direct parallel between good AI implementation and good leadership: both require the discipline of Observe, Measure, Experiment, and Iterate.

Read the full report by clicking here
Watch the video clicking here

Article: One Organisation, Two Teams, Two Different Cultures…

By Ntsako Maswanganyi, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

One team is energised, engaged, and committed, while another is guarded, disengaged, or simply going through the motions. Take Team A and Team B, for example.

We will call Team A “The House of Compliance.” Meetings in this team go something like this:

The manager speaks from the moment the meeting starts until it ends, prescribing instructions, explaining processes, repeating themselves, reinforcing control, and talking over employees whenever they attempt to offer ideas. They pause only at the end of the monologue to ask if anyone has any questions. No one responds. Not because they do not have questions, but because they have become accustomed to being passive passengers.

What ultimately happens? Morale in Team A quietly but steadily drops. The team stops challenging anything. They wait to be told what to do, do just enough to stay out of trouble, and adopt a “who cares”, “what’s the point”, “they won’t approve it anyway”, “see no evil, hear no evil” mentality. In the process, they lose their spark. Compliance becomes the culture. Tasks get completed, but hearts and minds are checked out. While this may please the manager in the short term, it inevitably backfires when they are forced to confront the disengagement they helped create. As the African proverb says, “A leader who does not listen will soon be surrounded by people with nothing to say.”

Read the full article by clicking here

Video: Enabling Contribution: What Truly Motivates People?

By Daniel Pink, Renowned American Author, Speaker, and Consultant.

COMMENT ON THIS VIDEO BY JOSH HAYMAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR (SOUTH AFRICA), LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP: At Legitimate Leadership, we implicitly understand what Daniel Pink talks about – when you provide people with autonomy, a clear purpose, and the opportunity to stretch themselves, a willingness to contribute is unleashed. And yet, we find so many organisations find themselves exercising too much control over people in pursuit of a “predictable outcome”.

Empowering contribution requires us to accept that there is always short-term risk in giving people autonomy – we can’t always fully predict what will happen. In the long run, the benefits are greater ownership, accountability, and contribution. The positive impact these have on the results is immeasurable and far outweighs the risk we need to take to enable it.

Our summary of the video: In his widely viewed TED Talk, The Puzzle of Motivation, Daniel Pink challenges a common leadership assumption: that people perform best when rewarded or incentivised.

Instead, he highlights three powerful drivers of human motivation:

1. Autonomy
People perform better when they have ownership over how they approach their work. Autonomy does not remove accountability, it strengthens it. When leaders provide clarity and boundaries, and then trust people to act, initiative increases.

2. Mastery
People are wired to improve. Growth builds confidence. Leaders who intentionally develop capability unlock greater engagement and performance.

3. Purpose

When individuals understand why their work matters, and how it contributes to something larger, motivation shifts from compliance to commitment.

Read the full summary clicking here
Watch the video by clicking here

February 2026

Posted on February 26, 2026February 26, 2026 by Sylvania

Will people think that we don’t care about them if we start holding them accountable?

Working with clients at Legitimate Leadership we help them to collectively embed leadership habits that build trust, through genuine care, we also challenge them to let go of control, enable and empower their people then hold them accountable.

It is a common fear that perception of care will go down as people are more accountable. However, as I have recently experienced, when trust is high and care is genuine, we realise that it takes more care to provide challenging feedback, to accept nothing less than our best. Rachael Cowin, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

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Featured

Question Of The Month

How do I hold someone accountable without damaging the relationship?

Accountability – It’s A Giving Thing

Accountability works best when all parties come together with a giving mindset. But consider the typical situation: a direct report arrives at a performance review hoping to get maximum scores while ready to downplay less favourable aspects of their KPIs, all the while wondering what the manager’s evaluation says. The manager comes to the meeting, potentially to check a box, or maybe to get answers that could inform how they will rate the direct report. Or maybe just to add colour to the rating they already have in mind. Both parties arrive at the interaction with something to gain.

Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe

In this well-known TED Talk, Simon Sinek explores the responsibility leaders have to create environments where people feel safe enough to perform at their best.

His central argument is simple but powerful: leadership is not about being in charge; it is about taking care of those in your charge.

For more information regarding the above, please e-mail events@legitimateleadership.com

Question Of The Month

By Peter Jordan, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

Question: How do I hold someone accountable without damaging the relationship?

Answer: When reading the above question, somebody may be forgiven for assuming that negative accountability (censure and discipline) is being referred to. Of course, the risk of a damaged relationship arising is greater when negative accountability is applied, but it is possible that damage to a leader/report relationship may occur when positive accountability (praise, recognition, and reward) is applied. This may well be the case if the report regards this positive accountability as insincere.

Unfortunately, there is no absolute guarantee that holding a person accountable (whether positively or negatively) will not damage the mutual relationship. The fundamental reason is that no one has control over others’ actions or reactions.

Another caution is to acknowledge that accountability decisions are seldom free of a subjective element. For good reason, leaders are encouraged to listen to their consciences before taking accountability action. In the process, two rational leaders may not always reach the same conclusions.

The above caveats aside, if leaders follow sound leadership principles, it is possible to apply both negative and positive accountability whilst retaining sound inter-personal relationships. A well-conducted accountability action is likely to enhance relationships.

The application of accountability does not take place in a vacuum. We need to consider the nature of the pre-existing relationship and how the leader executes the specific accountability action. Read the full answer by clicking here.

To submit your question, email info@legitimateleadership.com

Article: Accountability – It’s A Giving Thing

By Joe Spring, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

Giving An Account

Now, consider an alternative. Few would argue that it’s good to be prepared to give an account for the work we do. To give this, you might keep records, reflections, reports, and resources that help you build a picture of your contribution. While it is altogether possible that no one will call upon you for an account, it remains a good thing for you to be ready and able – literally “account-able”. To be unable to give an account is a weakness. To be prepared to give an account is a strength. Then, when you are asked to give an account, you will be ready.

Read the full article by clicking here

Video: Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe

By Simon Sinek, American author on leadership and motivational speaker.

COMMENT ON THIS VIDEO BY JOSH HAYMAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR (SOUTH AFRICA), LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP: This rather famous Ted Talk is often referenced by us to emphasise the importance of CARE in the relationship between a leader and their team. When people are convinced that their leader has their best interests at heart, they trust their leader. When people trust their leader, they feel safe, and when they feel safe, they are free to confidently take ownership and accountability for the contribution they make in their teams, to their own people and ultimately to the customer.

Our summary of the video: In this well-known TED Talk, Simon Sinek explores the responsibility leaders have to create environments where people feel safe enough to perform at their best.

His central argument is simple but powerful: leadership is not about being in charge; it is about taking care of those in your charge.

Drawing on examples from the military and business, Sinek explains that when leaders prioritise the safety and well-being of their people, trust increases. When trust increases, cooperation strengthens. And when cooperation strengthens, performance follows.

Importantly, safety in this context does not mean comfort. It does not remove accountability or standards. Rather, it creates a culture where individuals are protected from internal politics, blame, and fear, allowing them to focus their energy outward toward collective success.

When leaders fail to create this environment, self-preservation takes over. People protect themselves instead of the organisation.

The talk reinforces a principle central to Legitimate Leadership:

Leadership is a responsibility, not a status.

Safety is created when leaders consistently act in ways that are fair, predictable and anchored in shared values.

Our Reflection

What does your leadership behaviour consistently signal to those around you?

Watch the video by clicking here

January 2026

Posted on January 29, 2026March 17, 2026 by Sylvania

Featured

Question Of The Month

How can leaders reflect on their year in a way that deepens humility, gratitude, and commitment to serving their people?

Legitimacy and Governance

At the end of October 2025, an important advancement in corporate reporting in South Africa was released. The Institute of Directors in South Africa (IoDSA) and the King Committee of South Africa released this iteration, known as King V, which is a significant move forward, as the landscape has shifted in the past nine years since the previous disclosure framework. In this article, we take a closer look at the issue of intent in corporate governance reporting, and we turn our attention to the key issue of legitimacy and why you should care about it.

Lead With Humility

In this thought-provoking message, Simon Sinek challenges a common misconception: that humility is a sign of weakness or softness in leadership. He argues that humility is, in fact, one of the greatest strengths a leader can cultivate because it shifts the focus away from ego and towards service — the true essence of leadership.

According to Sinek, humility equips leaders to create environments where people feel safe, supported, and empowered to give their best. It turns leadership from a position of privilege into a responsibility of stewardship.

For more information regarding the above, please e-mail events@legitimateleadership.com

Question Of The Month

By Paulette Daniels, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

Question: At the beginning of a new year, what is the most important intention a leader should set to create the conditions for better relationships and performance?

Answer: At the beginning of a new year, leaders often return refreshed, optimistic, and focused on the promise of improved results and renewed momentum. Employees likewise re-enter the organisation with anticipation and hope for what lies ahead. Yet beneath this sense of renewal lies a more complex reality: the previous year often ends with incomplete initiatives, unfulfilled targets, partially delivered projects, and unresolved relationship dynamics. These residual pressures do not reset automatically on the calendar; they carry over into the new year unless addressed.

From a Legitimate Leadership (LL) perspective, the most essential intention a leader can set at the outset of a new year is to intentionally invest in the quality of relationships through emotionally mature, values-aligned leadership behaviour. This intention recognises that sustainable performance is not driven primarily by strategy or targets, but by the relational conditions leaders create. Intentional Relationship Building as a Leadership Discipline – Know Your People. Read the full answer by clicking here.

To submit your question, email info@legitimateleadership.com

Article: Leading Through Challenge & Change: Reflections From HCSA 2025

By Sean Hagger, Managing Director (International), Legitimate Leadership.

Back in November, I spent two days at the Telford International Centre with 900 healthcare procurement and supply chain professionals for the HCSA Annual Conference & Exhibition. Since then, I’ve been travelling and working in the USA and South Africa, which has given me time to reflect on what was a truly great conference and some genuinely inspiring conversations about leadership.

The theme, ‘Collaborate to Innovate’, couldn’t have been more relevant to the challenges facing NHS procurement teams today.

Legitimate Leadership have been partnering with the HCSA for the last couple of years as part of their learning and development programme. This year, as part of our contribution to this wonderful annual conference, I offered to run complimentary coaching sessions for attendees.

The reason is simple: leadership is difficult. If someone can spend 45 minutes or an hour with me and take away a few useful pieces of information, get some stuff off their chest, or share a problem, then that feels like a valuable use of time, both mine and theirs. If they can come out of one of these sessions feeling a little bit more motivated, a little bit more clued in as to how to solve their problem or just experiencing that ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ feeling, then I reckon that’s been worthwhile.

Read the full article by clicking here

Article: Good Leadership? It All Starts With Trust

By Abbey Lewis, Harvard Business Review.

COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE BY SEAN HAGGER, MANAGING DIRECTOR (INTERNATIONAL), LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP: Trust is an essential component of any high-performing group. The leadership of that group builds trust in two fundamental ways – firstly, by being overly concerned about their people; they know them as human beings and understand what drives them – it’s not just about learning about their personal lives. It’s about learning about who they are, what they stand for and why. Secondly, leaders gain trust by trusting others. They have to relinquish control. This is a leadership paradox: to gain control of the things, they must let go of control over the people.

Our summary of the article: The article makes a strong, timely argument that, in today’s organisational environment, marked by rapid change, rising employee expectations, and widespread institutional scepticism, trust is no longer just a leadership virtue; it is the core operating system of effective leadership. Without trust, even the most sophisticated strategies fail to gain traction. With trust, people engage, collaborate, innovate, and stay.
At its heart, the article reinforces a simple but profound truth: leadership success depends less on technical competence and more on the quality of relationships leaders build. And those relationships depend on trust.

1. Trust is the defining asset of high-performing organisations
Drawing from research and real-world examples, the article explains that trust-rich cultures outperform others in almost every measurable way:

higher engagement
stronger innovation
lower stress and burnout
more initiative and better problem-solving
lower turnover
Employees in high-trust environments are more willing to take risks, offer ideas, and lean into challenges because they feel protected rather than exposed.

Read the full article by clicking here

December 2025

Posted on December 18, 2025December 17, 2025 by Sylvania

Featured

Question Of The Month

How can leaders reflect on their year in a way that deepens humility, gratitude, and commitment to serving their people?

Legitimacy and Governance

Lead With Humility

For more information regarding the above, please e-mail events@legitimateleadership.com

Question Of The Month

By Rachael Cowin, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

Question: How can leaders reflect on their year in a way that deepens humility, gratitude, and commitment to serving their people?

Answer: Gratitude is an emotion very much worth cultivating. Studies have shown that when we feel grateful, it unlocks the best in us and makes us more generous. Leaders who regularly show gratitude spend more time thinking of others and build trust and confidence within their team.

However, as human beings, we tend to take our blessings for granted, comparing ourselves with others and ignoring the tailwinds at our back. It is therefore essential to set aside time to acknowledge and appreciate the things for which we should be thankful.

Here are some practices that have been proven to boost gratitude:

Take regular time out for reflection, perhaps with some prompts to guide you – what opportunities have come your way? How have colleagues and your team supported you? What are you thankful for right now? Read the full answer by clicking here.

To submit your question, email info@legitimateleadership.com

Article: Legitimacy and Governance

By Joe Spring, Legitimate Leadership Ambassador.

Governance Frameworks and the Issue of Intent

At a broad level, governance frameworks aim to instil, protect and advance certain intentions within corporations and their social environments. By reporting against such frameworks, a business has the opportunity to lay claim to good intent and evidence it by certain behaviours and investments. This is a strong echo of Legitimate Leadership’s concept of intent: we teach that your intent as a leader is proven and perceived through your actions. The people you serve will believe you have their best interests at heart if they see how you actually care about them and invest in their growth. Something very similar holds true at an organisational level.

Read the full article by clicking here

Video: Lead With Humility

By Simon Sinek, American author on leadership and motivational speaker.

COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE BY IAN MUNRO, MANAGING DIRECTOR, LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP: Over many years at Legitimate Leadership, we have asked thousands of people the question: “How would you describe the person you would work for willingly?” We are attempting to bring out the essence of high-trust, high-collaboration, high-willingness leadership. It might be surprising to hear that the answer to this question is incredibly consistent – across levels, industries, countries and time. The answer invariably describes someone who is there for others, who gives more than they take, and who has the humility to respect the opinions and ideas of others. Without humility, you may choose to give, but if you don’t have the courage to admit you don’t have all the answers, how often might you give the wrong thing?

OUR SUMMARY OF THE VIDEO: In this thought-provoking message, Simon Sinek challenges a common misconception: that humility is a sign of weakness or softness in leadership. He argues that humility is, in fact, one of the greatest strengths a leader can cultivate because it shifts the focus away from ego and towards service — the true essence of leadership.

Read the full summary by clicking here
Watch the video by clicking here

November 2025

Posted on November 27, 2025November 27, 2025 by Sylvania

Featured

Question Of The Month

What does the Legitimate Leadership Model say about dealing with “victims” in organisations?

If You Want To Make Dotted Line Reporting Work, You Need To Do 3 Things (From The Archives (2018)

Effective leadership is easier said than done at the best of times. Leading with legitimacy is not necessarily difficult (it’s a simple matter of choosing giving over taking, really), but it is undoubtedly hard. When it comes to leading, knowing and doing are not the same thing.

However, when you introduce dotted lines, what started as simple to understand but hard to do becomes complicated to understand and, therefore, even harder to do. It’s why matrix structures and project environments are so often fraught with leadership challenges. And it’s why, if you have dotted reporting lines in your business, it’s so vital that you do the following three things …

Middle Managers Feel the Least Psychological Safety at Work

New research reveals a significant and consequential blind spot in organisational culture: middle managers feel less psychologically safe than both their senior executives and their direct reports. While “team psychological safety”— the belief that one won’t be punished or humiliated for admitting a mistake or raising a concern — has become a leadership staple, the crucial middle layer is often overlooked.

An ongoing global study of 1,160 managers found a notable gap: middle managers scored 68.0 out of 100 on psychological safety, significantly lower than the 72.7 scored by C-suite executives and 4.2 points higher than their own teams. The most vulnerable group is newly promoted middle managers (in their roles for less than 3 years), who scored nearly 5 points lower than their more seasoned peers, indicating a difficult adjustment period.

For more information regarding the above, please e-mail events@legitimateleadership.com

Question Of The Month

By Stefaan van den Heever, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

Question: What does the Legitimate Leadership Model say about dealing with “victims” in organisations?

Answer: The issue of ‘victimhood’ is surfacing more and more as the world of work has become more complex, and where people are confronted with the lack of time and with mounting pressures to perform. On the surface, this victimhood mentality is evident in people blaming others (finger-pointing) when held accountable (vs. taking ownership). There is also another way in which it appears, and it’s that of entitlement. We frequently hear this from managers who say employees are often ‘disgruntled’ and want frequent promotions, regular bonuses, and so on. This victim mentality is evident in a ‘taking’ intent. In contrast, the opposite is people coming to work to make an exceptional contribution, to support both their managers and their colleagues, and, in essence, to give unconditionally to the organisation. When people give unconditionally, they become stronger, and paradoxically, promotions and bonuses tend to happen more consistently…

Let’s look at some other distinctions the Legitimate Leadership Model makes when it comes to victims: Being a victim bears no relationship to age, gender, nationality, culture or life circumstances. Any person can be a victim.

Being a victim bears no relationship to age, gender, nationality, culture or life circumstances. Any person can be a victim.
Being a victim is not a function of life’s circumstances but about one’s response to life’s circumstances.
Victims behave in a way in which they focus on being here “to get”, which puts them in a position of weakness. It is a position of weakness because when they want something (such as significance or recognition) from others, it is beyond their control. The control (and strength) then is with the other person. Read the full answer by clicking here.

To submit your question, email info@legitimateleadership.com

Article: If You Want To Make Dotted Line Reporting Work, You Need To Do 3 Things

First published in 2018, this article by Ian Munro, Director at Legitimate Leadership, explores the leadership complexities of dotted line reporting and why making it work requires clarity, consistency, and conscious intent. Its insights remain as relevant today as when it was first written.

1. Face The Right Way

Try asking an employed person who they work for, and they’ll almost always give you one of two answers. They’ll either name their company or they’ll name their boss (manager). It is an accurate reflection of the way things currently are. Most people are serving up the line, not down it. Yet leadership does not have to be about service to company targets and our managers’ whims. In fact, legitimate leaders invert this line of service – legitimate leaders are first and foremost there for their people, not their bosses. They face down the line, not up it.

This principle is best explained through an example. I was contacted one day by a Safety Manager from a remote site in a manufacturing organisation. She had a problem. A new Safety Executive had recently been employed, and she now had two reporting lines: one to her Factory Manager, and one to the new Safety Executive.

Since the appointment, she had started to struggle to get around to doing everything that was expected of her. By her own admission, she was failing, and both senior managers agreed.

Read the full article by clicking here

Article: Middle Managers Feel the Least Psychological Safety At Work

An article in the Harvard Business Review by Jan U. Hagen, a professor of management at ESMT Berlin, Germany, and Bin Zhao, a professor of management and organisation studies at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business in Vancouver, Canada.

COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE BY STEFAAN VAN DEN HEEVER, ASSOCIATE, LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP: Psychological safety is a relevant and timely topic of discussion in organisations, a topic that has gained momentum since the onset of COVID-19, as employees around the world have faced lockdowns, isolation, and uncertainty.

There was a notable pattern at a South African bank: employees during COVID sent emails at 2 or 3 am! When this was investigated, it was found that people deliberately set their emails to be sent via Outlook at these early hours, and it wasn’t because they were awake… One can imagine what people went through to go to such lengths to show their value-add, and the lack of psychological safety that existed (and still exists) in a lot of organisations worldwide.

As Legitimate Leadership, we believe that psychological safety should be evident where leadership is applied intentionally and consistently. Lots of organisations talk about leadership, but it’s often put off when there’s pressure, or when pressure is applied from the top to deliver results.

We believe a fundamental shift managers in an organisation should make is from ‘I am here to get more out of my people’ to a new intent: ‘I am here for my people, to enable excellence in my team so that they can achieve excellent results’. The practical implication of this shift is that managers realise the level of reporting to them reflects their leadership and how they care for and grow their people. Practically, this will mean they prioritise leadership: one-on-one meetings where connection happens, managers intentionally holding enabling, supportive team meetings, and managers watching the game and coaching their direct reports to embody excellence and accountability, and to be the best they can be. If applied consistently, this then has a chain reaction downwards, where people at every level in the organisation feel cared for and where there’s an intentional focus on everyone’s growth and development. All this downward focus on improvement and development throughout the line of command comes to full effect with the all-important customer being on the receiving end of this focus on care and growth.

In line with the above, Legitimate Leadership believes that trust is central to creating psychological safety. For us, there are four key ways for managers to earn trust and build psychological safety:

Build personal relationships with your direct reports:

Get to know your people as human beings, not as human resources.
Have due concern for their personal circumstances and prioritise the ‘moments that matter for your people’.
Do you know what makes your people ‘tick’?

Give time and attention to your direct reports:

Spend time with your people, as mentioned above, through one-on-one meetings, enabling team meetings and watching their game and coaching them towards improvement and excellence.
Being ‘busy’ should not be an excuse for not spending time with your people. Nothing breaks trust like managers who keep moving one-on-one meetings, who do most or all the talking, or who make these meetings all about progressing the work and not about progressing the person.

Read the full article by clicking here

Interested in building greater psychological safety in your organisation? We offer practical Psychological Safety Workshops for leaders and teams. Contact info@legitimateleadership.com to learn more.

October 2025

Posted on October 29, 2025October 21, 2025 by Sylvania

Featured

Question Of The Month

How do we encourage growth discussions in one-on-ones when all the coachee wants to speak about is work?

News: Inside Legitimate Leadership’s Recent London Workshop

“I’d do this in a field with a flip chart if I could,” said Sean Hagger of Legitimate Leadership, reflecting on his passion for Legitimate Leadership workshops – and why he’s happy to set a 5am alarm to facilitate them.

In other words, it’s not just about the venue – he would do them anywhere. It’s about the content, the conversation, and the transformation that happens when leaders pause to truly examine how they lead.

Legitimate Leadership’s two-day workshop in London in September, which Sean led, brought together leaders ready to move beyond command-and-control approaches and discover what genuine, legitimate leadership looks like in practice.

Video: If I Devalue You, I’ll Take Something From You; If I Value You, I’ll Add Something To You

John C Maxwell lists the five things he does every day: Value people; Think of ways to add value to people; Look for ways to add value to people; Do it (add value to people); Encourage others to add value to people. I’ve followed Maxwell, one of the world’s leading authorities on leadership, for 25 years now and have met and interacted with him a number of times as a coach with the Maxwell Leadership

For more information regarding the above, please e-mail events@legitimateleadership.com

Question Of The Month

By Josh Hayman, Director, Legitimate Leadership.

Question: How do we encourage growth discussions in one-on-ones when all the coachee wants to speak about is work?

Answer: Your role as a leader together with your organisational values around growth, are your friend. They give you a starting license for the conversation, so don’t beat around the bush. Say that you’d like to support their growth and to do that you’d first like to understand their aspirations. Ask if you can talk about that. Use this to create a frame of reference for priorities.

To submit your question, email info@legitimateleadership.com

News: Inside Legitimate Leadership’s Recent London Workshop

By Chris Le’cand-Harwood, Founder, Content Marketing Pod

A Day Behind The Scenes

We followed Sean at the London workshop to capture what it takes to create the conditions for leadership breakthroughs. And we spoke to others who took part in the workshop.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY CLICKING HERE
WATCH THE VIDEO BY CLICKING HERE

Video: If I Devalue You, I’ll Take Something From You; If I Value You, I’ll Add Something To You

By John C Maxwell, American author, speaker and pastor.

COMMENTARY ON THIS VIDEO BY DIETER JANSEN, LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP: John C Maxwell lists the five things he does every day: Value people; Think of ways to add value to people; Look for ways to add value to people; Do it (add value to people); Encourage others to add value to people. I’ve followed Maxwell, one of the world’s leading authorities on leadership, for 25 years now and have met and interacted with him a number of times as a coach with the Maxwell Leadership Organisation. I can attest to the points Maxwell makes as being absolutely true to the person he is, as well as the values espoused in his organisation. That is why it was easy – no seamless – for me to join Legitimate Leadership. Legitimate Leadership goes a step further though by codifying the points made into the corporate application modules we present: “The True Meaning Of Care” explains what it means to value people ; “Spending Time Appropriately” explains the intentionality behind thinking of ways to add value to people in the form of care and growth; and “Watching The Game” explains how to look for ways to add value to people. The application requirement of each module requires participants to “do” the act of adding value to people. After all, if you devalue people, you will not want to give them anything, but rather take from them. Legitimate Leadership shifts participants’ intent to rather value people so that they will give to them more readily. And this shift in turn inspires others to do the same.

OUR SUMMARY OF THIS VIDEO: What are practical ways to add value to people? Five things – and I do this every day and everybody that follows you can do this every day. It only takes about 10 minutes. So this isn’t hard, but every day I value people – that’s where it starts, that’s foundational. If I don’t value you as a person I won’t add value to you.

Nobody has ever added value to people they devalue. If I devalue you, I’ll take something from you; if I value you, I’ll add something to you.
That’s a world of difference. So you can’t go around devaluing people the way that our culture is today – this divisiveness that is just making me sad. I just look at the leaders and say, “Really, can’t we do better?”

READ THE FULL SUMMARY OF THIS VIDEO BY CLICKING HERE
WATCH THE VIDEO BY CLICKING HERE

September 2025

Posted on September 30, 2025September 30, 2025 by Sylvania

Featured

Question Of The Month

How do we make time for, and prioritise, people’s growth when the work/status/priority of the project makes it practically very difficult?

Leadership Is Not A Duty, It’s A Responsibility

Isn’t it remarkable how often people find themselves in leadership roles, where their main responsibility is to lead and nurture others, yet they are woefully unprepared or, at times, simply uninterested, in carrying such a critical responsibility?

The Real Reasons We Work

At Legitimate Leadership we talk about three unconditional motives: Purpose, Passion and Person. In his talk Dan Ariely makes three observations that have significant implications for Legitimate Leadership practitioners…

For more information regarding the above, please e-mail events@legitimateleadership.com

Question Of The Month

By Josh Hayman, Director, Legitimate Leadership.

Question: How do we make time for, and prioritise, people’s growth when the work/status/priority of the project makes it practically very difficult?

Answer

Make your one-on-ones about wellbeing, and what growth exists for each person in the work they are doing.
Take as many opportunities as are available to stimulate reflection and learning through the work being done.
Give lots of in-the-moment feedback.
Have just one growth goal for each person that is pursued through the work, not in addition to the work.
In short, use the small amount of time available to focus on growth wisely. Make it count!

To submit your question, email info@legitimateleadership.com

Article: Leadership Is Not A Duty, It’s A Responsibility

By Paulette Daniels, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

In my experience, it’s not uncommon for highly skilled technical experts to be promoted through the ranks, not due to their ability to work with or lead people, but because of their exceptional performance, technical expertise, commercial and business acumen and prowess. Unfortunately, the development of these individuals as leaders is often overlooked from the onset. Too often, there’s little focus on coaching or grooming them to become not just competent, but exceptional, leaders. As a result, these newly-promoted leaders are thrust into the daunting task of leading, inspiring, motivating, and developing the very people now under their charge. They then climb the ranks but lack the leadership muscle to positively impact people along the way.

The issue is that many of these new leaders are utterly clueless when it comes to the “people” aspect of leadership. In fact, some might even argue they don’t like people much. This leads them to “shoot from the hip”, rely on trial and error approaches, and often mimic the behaviour of managers they once reported to.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY CLICKING HERE

Video: The Real Reasons We Work

By Dan Ariely, professor of psychology and behavioural economics at Duke University, USA.

COMMENT ON THIS VIDEO BY IAN MUNRO, LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP: At Legitimate Leadership we talk about three unconditional motives: Purpose, Passion and Person. In his talk Dan Ariely makes three observations that have significant implications for Legitimate Leadership practitioners:

“Small” meaning matters. It is tempting to believe that purpose has to be grand to be motivating – travelling to the moon, saving the environment, fighting disease. What Ariely’s research shows, however, is that “small” meaning – completing a whole task, or even just being noticed – can make a significant difference. The implication for leaders: having grand plans and big visions is important, but don’t forget to pay attention to what people are doing day-to-day: are they challenged, are they completing whole tasks, are they being noticed?
Which leads to the second observation: paying attention matters. In the Legitimate Leadership Model, attention debuts as a CARE issue. “True care requires that we give people two things: time and attention.” But attention is also a GROWTH issue. We call it Watching The Game. We know Watching The Game is a pre-requisite for giving appropriately. Ariely’s insight is that Watching The Game is not only a pre-requisite for giving appropriately; it is also a key motivator in its own right. Perhaps that explains why some of the most legitimate leaders I know prioritise Watching The Game as their most important leadership contribution.
Lastly, Ariely talks briefly, but meaningfully, about passion – specifically, that when we remove purpose, we also crush joy. This is important for leaders because it tells us that when we eliminate (or fail to engage) purpose, we might not be removing only one of the three unconditional motivators, we might in fact be destroying two of them.

OUR SUMMARY OF THIS VIDEO: Dan Ariely explores why people work and what truly motivates them beyond money. Contrary to the common belief that people are like rats in a maze, working only for rewards, Ariely argues that meaning, purpose, recognition, and effort play a crucial role in how people value their labor.

Beyond Money: The Power of Meaning
We often assume people work only for monetary incentives. Bonuses, salaries, and commissions are treated as the main levers of motivation. But real-life examples — like mountain climbers willingly enduring hardship — suggest otherwise. People endure challenges not for comfort or happiness but for purpose, progress, and the satisfaction of achieving goals.

READ THE FULL SUMMARY OF THIS VIDEO BY CLICKING HERE
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

August 2025

Posted on August 28, 2025September 16, 2025 by Sylvania

Featured

Question Of The Month

How should a coach contradict their coachee’s appraisal of their progress if the coach does not think that that appraisal is accurate, without driving the conversation but merely guiding it?

What Legitimate Leaders Do

Simon Sinek’s quote, “A boss has the title; a leader has the people,” is one of my favourite leadership quotes of all time. It reminds me of a time when I was abruptly silenced in a meeting by a highly upset executive for saying, “People don’t leave companies; they leave managers.” But that’s a story for another day…

Care Is At The Heart Of Good Service

Showing care is a demonstration of our intent to unconditionally serve the interests of the other person. When we show care to our customers irrespective of whether we can get anything out of it in return, we demonstrate sincere and genuine interest in helping the person with their problem or issue. There will be times when we cannot deliver on what our customer wants, but if they feel genuinely cared for in the relationships they are much more likely to remain our customers in the long run.

For more information regarding the above, please e-mail events@legitimateleadership.com

Question Of The Month

By Josh Hayman, Director, Legitimate Leadership.

Question: How should a coach contradict their coachee’s appraisal of their progress if the coach does not think that that appraisal is accurate, without driving the conversation but merely guiding it?

Answer: Set the conversation up as an exchange of views based on observation rather than who is right or wrong. Example:

Ask how they see their progress. Spend some time clarifying your understanding.
Share your view. If it’s different, say so. Be direct and specific and share examples.
Ask for their response. Probe as to where they see the differences and alignment between the two points of view.
In light of the above, ask them what they think they should be changing or doing.

To submit your question, email info@legitimateleadership.com

Article: What Legitimate Leaders Do

By Ntsako Maswanganyi, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

As highlighted in Simon’s quote, leadership is not about titles, authority, control, or perks (like a designated parking space with your name on it). Leadership is a responsibility that revolves around consistently caring for and nurturing those under your guidance.

When people feel cared for and feel that their growth matters to their leader, trust is built, open dialogue becomes the norm, psychological safety is established, creativity flourishes, collaboration thrives – the list is endless.

Legitimate leadership is grounded in the principle that true leaders are here to serve their teams, not to be served.

Here is my perspective on what sets legitimate leaders apart:

READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY CLICKING HERE

Video Excerpt: Care Is At The Heart Of Good Service

By Simon Sinek, American author on leadership and motivational speaker.

Comment on this video excerpt by Joshua Hayman, Legitimate Leadership: Showing care is a demonstration of our intent to unconditionally serve the interests of the other person. When we show care to our customers irrespective of whether we can get anything out of it in return, we demonstrate sincere and genuine interest in helping the person with their problem or issue. There will be times when we cannot deliver on what our customer wants, but if they feel genuinely cared for in the relationships they are much more likely to remain our customers in the long run.

OUR SUMMARY OF THIS VIDEO EXCERPT: Customers conclude that they have received good service or bad service if they have got what they wanted or have not got what they wanted … correct?

Not correct!

READ THE FULL SUMMARY OF THIS VIDEO EXCERPT BY CLICKING HERE
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

July 2025

Posted on July 30, 2025July 28, 2025 by Sylvania

Featured

Question Of The Month

Why does Legitimate Leadership return to our company periodically (at approximately 7-year intervals)?

Being Right Doesn’t Solve The Problem

Why AI Cannot Replace Human-Created Work

Simon Sinek explains very succinctly the positives and limitations of AI. The sentences which stood out for me though were “across all creative endeavors – the transformation happens through the struggle, not just in the finished product,” and later, “it’s the struggle that makes us a better version of ourselves, not the product.” This aligns both to the Legitimate Leadership focus on process, not outcome; and using the task to grow the person as opposed to using the person to get the job done.

For more information regarding the above, please e-mail events@legitimateleadership.com

Question Of The Month

By Peter Jordan, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

Question: Why does Legitimate Leadership return to our company periodically (at approximately 7-year intervals)?

Answer: It depends on the reasons for Legitimate Leadership returning. If it is to bring newly appointed employees on board regarding the leadership ethos, this is perfectly understandable. If it is to conduct a refresher or expose the company to new Legitimate Leadership products, this is also perfectly in order. Firstly, care and growth is not a one-time vaccination, but instead requires constant reinforcement; secondly, care and growth/Legitimate Leadership content is also constantly evolving.

If the reason for Legitimate Leadership returning is that the application of leadership concepts and tools has become rusty, misused, or unused, then this is of some concern. But unfortunately, this does sometimes happen because:

Read the full response by clicking here.

To submit your question, email info@legitimateleadership.com

Vignette Case Study: Being Right Doesn’t Solve The Problem

By Dieter Jansen, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.

One of the key concepts underpinning the Legitimate Leadership framework is: ‘We manage things, but lead people.’ You can’t lead a budget, a target, time, or any other inanimate resource. And managing a ‘human resource’ leads to disengagement and often, eventual discontent and hostility. Unfortunately, many performance management schemes (or the way they have been implemented) are rooted in the idea of managing people and/or their output. That is not to say we don’t need to manage aspects of our responsibilities, but people need something different.

To illustrate how ‘managing’ misses the mark let me tell you this story from a 24-hour aluminium alloy wheel manufacturing facility I worked at many years ago.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY CLICKING HERE

Article: Article: Why AI Cannot Replace Human-Created Work

By US journalist and author Cal Fussman, arising from a conversation with Simon Sinek, American author on leadership and motivational speaker.

Comment on this article by Wendy Lambourne, Legitimate Leadership: Simon Sinek explains very succinctly the positives and limitations of AI. The sentences which stood out for me though were “across all creative endeavors – the transformation happens through the struggle, not just in the finished product,” and later, “it’s the struggle that makes us a better version of ourselves, not the product.” This aligns both to the Legitimate Leadership focus on process, not outcome; and using the task to grow the person as opposed to using the person to get the job done.

Our summary of the article: AI is ‘The Shortcut Temptation’. Let’s face it—AI tools are getting impressively good at producing work that used to take us hours or even days. They can draft reports, generate code, create presentations, and even mimic specific writing styles with remarkable accuracy. For busy professionals, these tools are tempting time-savers.

But during the conversation, Simon offered a perspective that challenges our efficiency-first mindset.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY CLICKING HERE
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE