In today’s fast-paced, unpredictable business world, reinvention is no longer a luxury — it’s a leadership imperative. At the recent Reinvention Summit in Dublin, I was struck by the urgency and magnitude of change leaders are facing. The statistics were mind-blowing: 85% of business models will be obsolete within five years. This isn’t a distant future scenario. It’s happening now.
In this blog, I’ll explore why reinvention must become the core of modern leadership, and how you can evolve your leadership approach to stay relevant, responsive, and resilient in today’s volatile environment.
Why Reinvention Can’t Wait
We’re not just living in an era of change — we’re living in an era of continuous transformation. Here’s why:
Innovation timelines are shrinking: 63% of leaders say their organizations can’t innovate fast enough to keep up with customer demands and technological advancements.
AI is redefining value: Over 50% of professional services tasks will be automated by 2027 (McKinsey).
Old strategy models don’t work: 70% of leaders are stuck in outdated planning cycles that can’t anticipate or respond to change.
In short, disruption is no longer a threat — it’s your daily operating system.
Reinvention Isn’t Starting Over — It’s Evolving Forward
Many leaders resist reinvention because they assume it means throwing everything out and starting again. That’s not true. Effective reinvention honors the best of the past while letting go of what no longer serves. It’s about building adaptive systems that evolve without burning out your people or losing your edge.
So how do we reinvent leadership for this new world? Let’s explore five key strategies.
This rhythm keeps your leadership agile and aligned with the natural cycles of growth.
2. Lead Continuous Change — Don’t Just Manage Stability
The traditional leadership model was designed for a stable world. Today’s reality demands a shift from control and predictability to experimentation and flexibility.
Old Leadership
Reinvented Leadership
One-time change projects
Ongoing change systems
Top-down decisions
Empowered teams
Fixed long-term plans
Adaptive strategies
Risk avoidance
Calculated experimentation
Control and efficiency
Innovation and agility
💡 Action: Reframe your role from managing stability to leading reinvention. Develop a culture where change is expected, welcomed, and integrated into everyday work.
3. Become Your Organization’s Chief Reinvention Officer
Reinvention isn’t just a business strategy — it’s a leadership identity. The Academy of Reinventors (of which I’m a member) outlines six pillars of reinvention every leader should embrace:
Anticipation – Scan the horizon for trends before they become disruptions.
Experimentation – Test ideas quickly. Fail fast, learn faster.
Collaboration – Break down silos and learn across teams and industries.
Sustainability – Design with long-term adaptability in mind, not short-term wins.
Resilience – Build a culture that embraces uncertainty as opportunity.
People Empowerment – Equip teams with skills, autonomy, and a growth mindset.
💡 Action: Use these six pillars as a checklist. Where are you strong? Where do you need to focus?
4. Reinvent Team Structures: From Hierarchies to Networks
Traditional teams operated in silos with rigid roles. Reinvented teams are fluid, networked, and purpose-driven.
Traditional Teams
Reinvented Teams
Rigid hierarchy
Flat, cross-functional collaboration
Fixed roles
Roles based on strengths and projects
Top-down decisions
Empowered, self-directed teams
Departmental silos
Cross-functional, agile networks
💡 Action: Set up a “Reinvention Lab” — a small team that pilots new ways of working and leadership styles. Treat business as an experiment, and test before scaling.
5. Bake Reinvention Into Your Daily Operations
If you want reinvention to stick, it must become part of your organization’s DNA — not just a one-off initiative. Here’s how to do that:
Allocate a reinvention budget for testing and innovation.
Measure what matters: Go beyond financial KPIs. Track adaptability, agility, and engagement.
Celebrate learning from failure — not just results.
Make learning non-negotiable: Invest in ongoing development and create space for curiosity.
💡 Action: Implement a Reinvention Scorecard. Track how often your team is experimenting, learning, and adapting. Use it in team check-ins or leadership reviews.
Avoiding Titanic Syndrome: Don’t Cling to Past Success
One of the biggest risks facing leaders today is Titanic Syndrome — the refusal to let go of past success in the face of a changing future. Kodak invented digital photography but didn’t embrace it. Nokia ignored smartphones. Blockbuster laughed at Netflix.
💡 Action: Use a Titanic Syndrome Diagnostic:
What past successes are we clinging to?
What emerging trends are we ignoring?
Where are we assuming “what worked before will work again”?
Final Thoughts: The Future Belongs to Reinventors
Reinvention is not a trend — it’s the defining leadership skill of the 21st century. The leaders who thrive will be those who:
✅ Anticipate rather than react ✅ Empower teams rather than control them ✅ Design for adaptability rather than stability ✅ Embrace curiosity rather than certainty
So the question isn’t “Do I need to reinvent?” — it’s “How fast can I start?”
Let this be your invitation to lead boldly into the future, to try, test, evolve, and adapt — just like nature does. Reinvention isn’t risky. Clinging to the past is.
Your Reinvention Starter Checklist:
☐ Schedule quarterly leadership “season” reviews
☐ Establish a Reinvention Lab
☐ Track progress with a Reinvention Scorecard
☐ Empower teams with autonomy and upskilling
☐ Celebrate experimentation and learning
Let’s not wait for disruption to force our hand. Reinvent now — and lead the change
of leadership that the world so desperately needs.
In this week’s edition of Impactful Teamwork, my guest Simon Bowen, founder of the Models Method shared a brilliant insight: Words alone often fail. Relying purely on language is risky because:
It depends on each person’s vocabulary and interpretation.
People “hear” but don’t always “understand.”
Action Point: Whenever you communicate complex ideas with your team, pair your words with a simple visual or structure. This could be a basic two-by-two matrix, a diagram, or even a simple flowchart.
Remember:
Visuals = “I see.”
Structure = “I get it.”
When people both “see” and “get it,” they feel engaged and aligned.
The “Green Zone” of Communication
Simon introduced the concept of a two-by-two matrix where effective communication sits in the “green zone” — the top right quadrant where information is both visually engaging and structurally clear.
Visual access makes communication interesting.
Structural access makes communication believable.
When you combine both, your ideas become desirable and even viable.
Action Point: Next time you’re preparing for a meeting or presentation, think about:
What can I show visually?
How can I organize it structurally?
Even a rough sketch can make a huge difference!
Leadership Is a Performance Art: The Power of Choreography
Simon emphasized that every leadership communication is a performance. It’s not about being extroverted — it’s about choreographing your communication for maximum impact.
Drawing on lessons from stage magic and comedy, he explained:
Great leaders set up clear “pathways”.
They deliver “punchlines” that reveal new perspectives.
They trigger curiosity — keeping their teams engaged and wanting more.
Action Point: Think about the “story arc” of your next team conversation.
What “setup” are you creating?
What “aha moment” or “reveal” can you deliver?
Curiosity is one of the most powerful levers you can pull as a leader.
The Four “C’s” of Leadership
Simon beautifully framed leadership around four key elements:
Character — Your character enters the room before you do.
Communication — Clear communication builds believability.
Commitment — Your commitment inspires accountability.
Courage — Your courage fuels your team’s confidence.
Action Point: Reflect on these four areas.
Where are you strongest?
Where could you improve?
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about how you show up every day.
Purpose and Values: The Foundation for Shared Leadership
In today’s complex and chaotic world, leadership can (and should) be shared within teams. But for shared leadership to work, the organization must:
Have a clear, compelling, self-evident purpose.
Define values that truly matter — not just baseline values like “trust” or “respect,” but the ones that make your team uniquely you.
Action Point:
Ask yourself (and your team): If our company disappeared for six months, who would suffer and why?
Clarify not just “what” you do, but why it matters to the world.
And when defining values, go beyond generic statements. Identify values that demand real behavior and actions every day.
The Superpower of Pause and Deep Thinking
One of the most profound reminders from Simon was that we’ve engineered pause out of the modern world.
To be great leaders, we must create intentional space for deep thinking, reflection, and model-building.
Action Point:
Block regular “thinking time” into your calendar.
If you catch yourself staring into space, grab a notepad and start sketching your thoughts — create a model!
Bonus Tip: When someone asks what you’re doing, say “I’m building a model to unpack a concept.” It instantly shifts perceptions: you’re seen as a deep, strategic thinker.
Final Reflections
Leadership isn’t a right — it’s a responsibility. It demands character, communication, commitment, and courage. It’s about guiding your team through chaos safely, anchoring them to purpose, values, and a shared vision.
As Simon so beautifully put it: “Business should be a noble enterprise.”
Let’s step up to create the kind of leadership that the world so desperately needs.
S
Show Notes
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
02:01 The Importance of Models in Communication
04:13 Visual and Structural Access in Communication
12:16 The Role of Leadership in Effective Communication
14:34 Character and Communication in Leadership
20:19 Shared Leadership and Organizational Purpose
24:03 Balancing Commercial and Cause in Organizations
In today’s fast-changing, unpredictable world, the leaders who thrive are not those who rely on past successes, rigid structures, or outdated management playbooks. Instead, the 21st century demands adaptive, forward-thinking, and continuously evolving leadership—a model built on reinvention.
Why Leadership Must Be Reinvented Now
The traditional models of leadership were built for a more stable and predictable world. Hierarchical structures, top-down decision-making, and long-term strategic plans worked in an era of slow-moving change. However, today’s world operates at an accelerated pace, driven by technology, globalization, economic uncertainty, environmental shifts, and societal expectations.
The Data Speaks: Change Is No Longer an Event—It’s Continuous
60% of businesses report that they need to reinvent themselves every three years or less just to survive
One out of three public companies will cease to exist in their current form over the next five years—a failure rate six times higher than forty years ago
The average lifespan of an S&P 500 company has dropped from 33 years in 1964 to just 12 years projected by 2027
A Harvard Business Review study found that 75% of business transformations fail, largely because they approach change as a one-time initiative instead of an ongoing process.
Titanic Syndrome: The Danger of Holding on to the Past
One of the biggest threats to leadership today is what’s called Titanic Syndrome—when leaders and organisations, faced with disruption, create their own downfall by clinging to past successes, refusing to adapt, or ignoring emerging realities
Nokia ignored the shift to smartphones.
Kodak invented digital photography but failed to capitalize on it.
Blockbuster laughed at Netflix’s online streaming model.
Each of these companies had the opportunity to reinvent, yet they chose stability over evolution—and paid the price.
The same applies to leadership. If leaders today fail to adapt, evolve, and reinvent their leadership approach, they risk becoming obsolete—just like the organizations they lead.
How To Reinvent Leadership for the 21st Century
Reinvention isn’t just a business strategy—it’s a leadership mindset and a system. And with 45% of CEO’s believing their business will not be viable in 10 years if it stays on the same path, it is now a leadership imperative.
Here’s a practical, action-oriented framework for leaders who want to future-proof their leadership and create organisations that thrive in disruption.
1. Build a Reinvention Mindset: Adopt Nature’s Approach To Leadership
Nature is the greatest teacher of reinvention. The seasons change, ecosystems adapt, and animals evolve to new environments. Leaders should take inspiration from nature’s cycles of reinvention:
Winter (Reflection & Renewal) → Step back, assess, and let go of outdated methods.
Spring (Growth & Experimentation) → Test new strategies, encourage creativity, and allow fresh ideas to emerge.
Summer (Execution & Scaling) → Double down on what’s working and build momentum.
Autumn (Harvest & Preparation) → Celebrate wins, document lessons, and prepare for the next reinvention cycle.
👉 ACTION: Schedule quarterly “Seasons of Leadership” reviews where you assess what needs to be let go, nurtured, tested, scaled, and celebrated.
2. Shift From Managing Stability To Leading Continuous Improvement
Leaders can no longer afford to react to change; they must anticipate, design, and implement it continuously.
Key Shifts in Leadership Thinking
Old Leadership Model
New Reinvention Model
Change is a one-time project
Change is a continuous system
Top-down decision-making
Decentralised, empowered teams
Rigid long-term plans
Agile, adaptable strategies
Risk avoidance
Experimentation & calculated risks
Control and efficiency
Innovation and flexibility
👉 ACTION: Use the Titanic Syndrome Diagnostic to evaluate where your leadership style may be clinging to outdated success patterns.
3. Reimagine Your Leadership Role: Become a Chief Reinvention Officer
To succeed in the 21st century, leaders must go beyond traditional leadership models. You need to become a Chief Reinvention Officer—someone who anticipates change, designs new strategies, and implements transformation continuously.
The Reinvention Leadership Model
A reinvention-ready leader must master these six pillars:
Anticipation → Actively scan for emerging trends before they become disruptions.
Experimentation → Test new ideas rapidly with a “fail fast, learn fast” mindset.
Collaboration → Break silos and encourage cross-functional, cross-industry learning.
Sustainability → Lead with long-term adaptability, not just short-term gains.
Resilience → Create a culture that embraces uncertainty and sees change as an opportunity.
People Empowerment → Equip teams with the skills, autonomy, and mindset to adapt.
👉 ACTION: Shift your leadership approach from command and control to inspire and empower—let your team lead reinvention at all levels.
4. Reinvent Team Collaboration: From Hierarchies To Networks
Traditional hierarchical leadership no longer works. Teams today thrive in decentralized, agile, and purpose-driven environments.
How to Reinvent Your Team Structure
Traditional Teams
Reinvented, Agile Teams
Rigid hierarchy
Flat, cross-functional collaboration
Fixed job roles
Fluid roles based on strengths & projects
Top-down decision-making
Empowered, self-directed teams
Siloed departments
Cross-functional networks
👉 ACTION: Introduce “Reinvention Labs”—teams dedicated to testing new ideas, processes, and leadership styles in small, controlled experiments.
5. Build a Reinvention System: Make Change Part of Daily Operations
The best leaders don’t just talk about reinvention—they bake it into their organisation’s DNA.
How to Build a Reinvention System
Create a “Reinvention Budget”—allocate resources specifically for innovation and experimentation.
Measure What Matters—track metrics beyond financials, such as agility, adaptability, and team engagement.
Celebrate Failure—reward learning and risk-taking, not just results.
Make Learning a Non-Negotiable—continuous learning should be embedded in daily work, not just in annual training sessions.
👉 ACTION: Implement a “Reinvention Scorecard” to track how often your team is experimenting, adapting, and learning from failure.
The Future of Leadership Belongs To Reinventors
The leaders of the future will not be the ones who hold on to outdated structures, methods, or mindsets. They will be the ones who embrace change, continuously reinvent, and lead with adaptability.
Use the Titanic Syndrome Diagnostic to identify outdated leadership habits.
Empower Teams Through Reinvention Labs—let teams lead innovation.
Shift From Stability to Agility—lead reinvention, not just change.
Build a Reinvention System—make continuous learning and innovation part of daily operations.
💡 Final Thought: Reinvention is not a one-time project—it’s a way of life for 21st-century leaders. The question is not whether you need to reinvent, but how fast you can start.
Are you ready to become a Chief Reinvention Officer?
For years, the business world has relied on VUCA—a framework that describes an environment characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Originally coined by the military, VUCA helped leaders navigate an unpredictable world. However, as the pace of change accelerates and disruption becomes the norm, VUCA no longer fully explains the challenges we face.
In response, a new model has emerged: BANI. Coined by futurist Jamais Cascio in 2018, BANI captures the realities of today’s world, where systems and organizations are increasingly:
Brittle – Fragile structures that appear strong but break under pressure.
Anxious – Persistent uncertainty that fuels fear and indecision.
Nonlinear – Disruptions that unfold unpredictably, making outcomes hard to anticipate.
Incomprehensible – Complexity that defies understanding, even with vast amounts of data.
This shift in perspective forces leaders to rethink their approach. The strategies that worked in a VUCA world are now inadequate. To thrive in a BANI environment, leaders must cultivate new skills, foster resilience, and embrace adaptability. Let’s explore what each component of BANI means and how to lead effectively in this new reality.
Brittle: The Hidden Fragility in Our Systems
Brittle things often appear strong—until they suddenly shatter. Many business structures, supply chains, and economies operate under this illusion of strength. However, minor disruptions can have disproportionate consequences, revealing their fragility.
Consider these examples:
A small earthquake in Japan disrupted the production of a single microchip, bringing automobile manufacturing in Detroit to a standstill.
A CrowdStrike software update caused millions of Windows computers to crash, grounding flights and disrupting businesses worldwide.
The Ever Given cargo ship blocked the Suez Canal, halting global trade and escalating costs for businesses worldwide.
How Leaders Can Respond
To counter brittleness, leaders must focus on resilience and redundancy rather than pure efficiency. Instead of optimizing for short-term gains, organizations should:
Develop backup systems to ensure continuity when disruptions occur.
Diversify supply chains to avoid over-reliance on a single provider.
Foster adaptability in teams to encourage quick responses to unexpected challenges.
In a BANI world, resilience is a necessity, not a luxury. Organizations must prepare for disruptions before they happen.
Anxious: Leading Through Fear and Uncertainty
Anxiety in today’s world is not just occasional stress—it is constant. Unlike the uncertainty of VUCA, which allowed time for strategic planning, BANI’s anxiety is relentless. It affects individuals, teams, and entire organisations.
People worry about:
Job security—Will AI replace my role?
Economic stability—Can the business survive market shifts?
Political changes—How will global conflicts impact our industry?
The Problem with Anxiety
When people feel overwhelmed, they often freeze. This leads to:
Reduced innovation and risk-taking.
Slower decision-making.
Increased resistance to change.
How Leaders Can Respond
Leaders cannot eliminate uncertainty, but they can reduce its impact by:
Empowering teams—Giving people control over decisions, even small ones, restores confidence.
Creating psychological safety—Encouraging dialogue and experimentation without fear fosters resilience.
Above all, leaders must provide a steady presence. Empathy and optimism are essential tools in countering the paralysing effects of anxiety.
Nonlinear: The End of Predictability
In a traditional business environment, effort and outcomes followed a logical path—work harder, achieve better results. That assumption no longer holds.
Small events can now trigger massive, unpredictable consequences.
For example:
The launch of DeepSeek AI in China erased trillions of dollars in market value almost overnight.
A single tweet from a CEO can alter stock prices more than a company’s official earnings report.
How Leaders Can Respond
Since predictability is no longer an option, leaders must:
Embrace agility—Rigid plans will fail in a nonlinear world. Flexibility is key.
Experiment rapidly—Small, iterative changes reveal what works before major investments.
Look for emerging patterns—Instead of predicting exact outcomes, focus on identifying trends and responding accordingly.
Success now depends on how quickly leaders can adapt to unexpected shifts. The ability to pivot is more valuable than a detailed long-term plan.
Incomprehensible: Making Decisions Without All the Answers
We are drowning in data, yet understanding it all is impossible. With AI advancements happening at an overwhelming pace, even experts struggle to keep up.
Every week brings a new breakthrough, making last month’s knowledge obsolete.
This presents a challenge: if leaders wait for complete clarity before making a decision, they will already be behind.
How Leaders Can Respond
To lead effectively in an incomprehensible world:
Trust intuition and experience—Analysis paralysis is a real threat. Sometimes, gut instincts matter more than excessive data.
Simplify where possible—Focus on the essentials rather than getting lost in complexity.
Accept uncertainty—The goal is not perfect knowledge but the ability to act decisively despite ambiguity.
What Leadership Looks Like in a BANI World
To navigate this environment, leaders must develop five key competencies:
1. Visionary Thinking
In a rapidly changing world, leaders must craft compelling narratives about the future. A clear vision transforms uncertainty into direction and anxiety into hope.
2. Agility and Adaptability
Since the future is nonlinear, leaders must expect change and pivot when needed. Encouraging teams to experiment fosters resilience.
3. Innovation and Reinvention
Rather than waiting for disruption, leaders should challenge assumptions and drive reinvention before it becomes a necessity. Creativity is no longer optional—it is a survival skill.
4. Relationship Building
Strong networks, trust, and collaboration are more important than ever. Seeking diverse perspectives enhances problem-solving and fosters innovation.
5. Resilience and Perseverance
Setbacks are inevitable. Effective leaders view failures as learning opportunities and keep their teams focused on long-term goals.
Final Thoughts: The Unbridled Leader’s Role in a BANI World
The old leadership models no longer work. When systems are brittle, leaders must build resilience. When anxiety pervades, they must offer clarity. When change is nonlinear, adaptability becomes essential. And when reality feels incomprehensible, leaders must act with confidence despite uncertainty.
This is why I advocate for learning from nature, particularly from horses. Horses have thrived for 65 million years by mastering adaptability, sensing danger before it arrives, and leading through trust rather than control.
If you want your team to develop the leadership skills needed for a BANI world, let’s have a conversation.
📩 Reach out for a complimentary discussion on how to future-proof your leadership team.
As a leader, what will you do differently this week to prepare for the challenges ahead?
Show Notes:
Here are the highlights from this episode:
00:00Introduction to Impactful Teamwork
01:28Understanding VUCA and Introducing BANI
03:52Breaking Down BANI: Brittle
07:06Breaking Down BANI: Anxious
08:45Breaking Down BANI: Nonlinear
10:47Breaking Down BANI: Incomprehensible
12:23Addressing Anxiety in Teams
18:28Core Competencies for Leaders in a BANI World
Welcome back to this week’s edition of IMPACTFUL Teamwork. I’m excited to have you here again, and I hope you’ve been enjoying the recent episodes and the amazing guests we’ve had on the podcast. Today, it’s just me, and I want to dive into a concept that’s really resonated with me lately, as it perfectly captures the challenges I see in leadership today.
At Business HorsePower, we are passionate about transforming leadership and business practices. We believe the traditional leadership models—especially those based on command-and-control hierarchies—simply aren’t fit for purpose in today’s rapidly changing world. It’s time to embrace a new approach to leadership, one that’s inspired by nature and designed for a world of constant change.
Recently, I came across a concept that perfectly explains many of the leadership challenges businesses face: Zombie Leadership. I absolutely love this term because it vividly describes a type of leadership that seems alive but is actually stuck in outdated, ineffective practices.
In this blog, I’ll unpack the concept of Zombie Leadership, discuss its impact on businesses, and offer insights into how we can shift to more effective leadership practices that are better suited for the modern business landscape.
What is Zombie Leadership?
Zombie Leadership describes leadership that’s disconnected from the needs of modern teams and organisations. It’s when businesses continue investing in leadership development without addressing the fundamental flaws in their leadership models. On the surface, everything seems polished, but when you look closer, the foundation is weak and crumbling.
At Business HorsePower, I see this happening time and time again. Organisations pour money into leadership training, yet they often fail to see the results they expect. Leaders might be trained, but the underlying principles guiding their leadership approach don’t change. As a result, they continue operating in an ineffective, outdated way.
The Crumbling Foundation
I recently came across an analogy from my friend Jude Germain, which perfectly illustrates Zombie Leadership. She compares it to inheriting a grand historic mansion. From the outside, it looks impressive. But once you step inside, you notice the walls are cracked, the floors creak, and the foundation is crumbling. No matter how many renovations you make, you can’t fix a weak foundation.
This analogy perfectly mirrors what we see in leadership today. Many organisations are trying to build their businesses on leadership models that were designed for the industrial era. These models focus on command and control, which worked in the past but no longer meet the demands of today’s dynamic business world.
Zombie leadership continues because it benefits those in power. It doesn’t survive because it works; it survives because it maintains old power structures and supports the outdated “leadership industrial complex.”
The 8 Axioms of Zombie Leadership
Research by Haslam, Arif, and Abo in 2024 identified eight key axioms that define Zombie Leadership. These axioms are deeply ingrained in many businesses and, unfortunately, continue to hinder progress. Let’s take a closer look at these axioms and reflect on how they might show up in your organisation.
1. Leadership is All About the Leaders
Zombie Leadership often places leadership solely in the hands of those at the top. It defines leadership as a top-down, hierarchical process. But the reality is that leadership is about influence, not position. Effective leaders engage with their teams and understand their needs, rather than relying on their formal authority.
Action Point: Challenge the traditional top-down model. Encourage leadership at all levels of your organisation.
2. Great Leaders Have Specific Qualities
Many organisations believe that great leaders must possess certain qualities—such as intelligence, charisma, or vision. However, the most important factor is whether the team perceives these qualities. A leader may have exceptional skills, but if the team doesn’t recognise those qualities, the leadership is ineffective.
Action Point: Focus on building trust and rapport with your team. Leadership is about being relatable and understanding their perspectives.
3. Great Leaders Do Specific Things
Zombie Leadership suggests that effective leaders exhibit particular behaviours, such as fairness or initiating change. In reality, great leadership requires flexibility. The best leaders adapt their approach to the unique needs of their team and the challenges they face.
Action Point: Develop your emotional intelligence. Learn how to adjust your leadership style based on the team’s needs and circumstances.
4. You Know a Great Leader When You See One
Many organisations believe that great leaders are immediately recognisable. While it’s true that some leaders stand out, this belief overlooks the potential of others who may lead quietly and effectively in the background.
Action Point: Rethink what makes a great leader. Look for leadership qualities within your team and empower them to step up.
5. All Leadership is the Same
Zombie Leadership assumes that leadership is one-size-fits-all. However, leadership varies depending on the individual, the team, and the situation. What works in one context may not work in another, and the key to effective leadership is adaptation.
Action Point: Embrace the uniqueness of each leadership scenario. Cultivate leadership that adapts to the circumstances.
6. Leadership is a Special Skill for Special People
In the past, many viewed leadership as an elite skill reserved for a select few. Today, we know that leadership is a skill that anyone can develop with the right guidance and environment. Leadership isn’t about being “special”; it’s about being effective.
Action Point: Encourage leadership development across your organisation. Everyone can learn to be a leader with the right support.
7. Leadership is Always Good for Everyone
Zombie Leadership assumes that leadership is always beneficial for everyone. However, bad leadership can create inequality and division. Leadership should promote inclusivity, equality, and diversity.
Action Point: Ensure your leadership practices foster equality and inclusivity. Be mindful of the impact leadership has on your team and culture.
8. People Can’t Cope Without Leaders
Zombie Leadership promotes the idea that people cannot thrive without a leader. However, many teams today are self-managing and thriving without a designated leader. In some cases, leaders can even hinder progress.
Action Point: Foster a culture of self-management and autonomy. Encourage teams to lead themselves and collaborate effectively.
Moving Beyond Zombie Leadership
Zombie Leadership is pervasive because it’s deeply ingrained in many businesses. It feels comfortable and familiar, but it no longer serves the needs of modern teams and organisations. To overcome this, we need to embrace leadership that’s adaptive, inclusive, and capable of driving meaningful change.
I believe we need leaders who are willing to challenge the status quo and foster innovation. These leaders—whom I call trailblazing leaders—are the ones who can break free from the constraints of Zombie Leadership and create new, more effective ways of leading.
At Business Horsepower, we advocate for a leadership model based on agility, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. This model draws inspiration from nature, where every member of the team has the opportunity to lead in their own unique way.
Final Thoughts
Zombie Leadership has given me much to reflect on, and I encourage you to think about these eight axioms. Where are they showing up in your organisation? What can you do to reinvent leadership and create a more dynamic, effective leadership culture?
If you’d like to discuss how you can evolve your leadership approach, I’d love to hear from you. Together, we can build a leadership framework that fosters innovation, agility, and growth.
Thank you for reading, and I hope this exploration of Zombie Leadership has offered some fresh perspective. Let’s create the future of leadership—one step at a time.
If you’re ready to rethink your approach to leadership, get in touch today.
Show Notes:
Here are the highlights from this episode:
00:00Introduction to Impactful Teamwork
01:43The Concept of Zombie Leadership
05:57The Eight Axioms of Zombie Leadership
16:57The Role of GC Index in Combating Zombie Leadership
The summer months can signal the death knell for a business unless managed properly. As leaders and business owners, we all know that it is important for us and our team members to have balanced life; but have you ever stopped to consider how the summer months can literally kill the momentum in your business?
Think about an aircraft. It uses a large proportion of its fuel to simply get off the ground. Once airborne, only a tiny amount of energy is then required to keep it flying. And it’s the same in your business, too.
Projects take time, energy and resources to get going, and then when you think everything is going swimmingly, summer kicks in — and unless managed carefully, the momentum can be lost.
It’s a bit like the plane crashing en-route to its destination. The results can be devastating because, not only is productivity lost during these summer months, but the impact lasts into the third quarter of the year — meaning that close to six months of the year can be impacted by the loss of momentum during the summer.
If you don’t believe me, then let’s look at the research by American Express that reveals during the summer months there is:
20% decline in workplace productivity
19% drop in employee attendance
13% increase in the time it takes to complete projects
2.6 times increase in the time taken for lunch
And if that wasn’t bad enough, the research also revealed that there is a:
200% increase in shopping during work hours
120% increase in employees searching for another job
Which is why the summer months can have such a negative impact on overall business performance, unless managed appropriately.
Here are five things leaders can do to help maintain momentum during the summer months
1. Schedule Employee Vacation In Advance
Make sure you get everyone’s vacation days planned in advance. This way you can best minimize the impact on the business, and you will have clarity on what is happening. Plus, team members can support each other in managing workloads prior to going on their vacation.
2. Insist Employees Unplug When They Are on Vacation
It is essential that team members take vacation so they can recharge, and in today’s world it is important to ensure that your team members really do dis-connect and unplug from the business. Way too many people go on vacation but stay connected to the office by technology, meaning they never really switch off. To operate at high performance, employees need to rest and relax so they can replenish their energy sources. Ensure team members put out-of-office notifications on their emails so they don’t feel compelled to respond to email whilst they are away.
3. Create Focus By Having Clearly Defined Projects/Activities
Focus gives team members clarity and certainty, so make sure that the team has some fun goals to achieve over the summer. Maybe even consider setting some challenges for the team to keep them engaged, and give out prizes or incentives for those team members who complete the challenges.
4. Be Flexible With The Hours Worked
As a leader, we all know that it is not the hours worked that is important but rather the outputs delivered. Allowing team members to leave early, once certain milestones are met, will help keep the team focused and working at a high level. It will also encourage cooperation as the team pulls together to achieve the objectives, and everyone wins.
5. Model The Way
As a leader, your team looks to you to create a positive example for them. So model the way and set yourself higher goals for the summer. It’s often easier to get meetings during the summer because others are in the mentality of slowing down, so leverage this to your best advantage. Arrange meetings, attend events, and stay positive. Your team will see your drive and excitement and feed off this, thereby maintaining their own personal momentum.
Implement these five strategies if you want your business to grow over the summer; and remember, your momentum becomes your team’s momentum. So lead your team towards a productive summer.
Recently as I prepared for delivering a Leading Through Change programme I thought I would research the different leadership models that exist. Boy was that a bad idea, as there are a plethora of models all extolling some different perspective. Nothing right or wrong with any of them, but the challenge is that they all focus on something outside the leader. In essence, they forget that the leader is an integral part of the situation and that a leadership style is not something you can simply adopt. It must be something that comes from within. That’s why I love this quote:
“If you want to be a leader, the first person you must lead is yourself” Mike Scioscia.
In my first book Unbridled Success, I looked at the concept of Leadership Begins With You, and now executive coaches and faculty members Ray Luther and Eric Johnson of Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business have coined the phrase Self-Observant Leadership to describe the principle that you can’t effectively lead others until you know how to lead yourself.
Self-Observant Leadership occurs when you deeply understand your identity, compare it to your reputation (how others experience you) and then make meaning of the observations and choose to adapt. It is a refinement on authentic leadership as it acknowledges that as a leader you need to understand yourself and how you’re perceived, then making behavioural changes to become the leader you want to be, even if it means operating outside the identity you’re comfortable with.
So how do you deliberately practice Self-Observant Leadership? Luther and Johnson share the following 6 steps:
Live your values.
Your values are the GPS which you live your life by. They shape what activities and behaviours you engage in and yet many people really know what their values are. Your identity is grounded in your values, and in your purpose
Move towards purpose.
Purpose is the other component of your identity. Understanding your profound Why, is what gets you out of bed in the morning. It is what drives your mojo and helps you sustain continual activity in the face of adversity. What’s the reason why are doing what you are doing? What legacy are you creating? What impact do you want to make in the world? With a clear understanding of your values and purpose in tow, you can then compare your identity to how you’re perceived.
Learn from feedback.
Feedback is the breakfast of champions, so pay attention to it, both internal and external. This will help you gain insights into how you’re perceived. Be open and ready to accept some things you don’t want to hear, because it is only by knowing more about ourselves and how we are perceived that we can hope to develop.
Be Present.
Self -Observant leaders live in the moment. They are present and grounded and so consciously aware of the effect they are having on others.
Reflect.
Reflection separates good leaders from great leaders. By understanding the gap between how you see your identity and how you’re perceived by others, you can then make adjustments. Journaling is a powerful tool here. Take 5 minutes at the start of every day to reflect on the values and purpose you want to embody and then review this for 5 minutes at the end of the day to see how you did.
Adjust.
Leaders take action and Self-Observant Leader are no different. They adjust their behaviours so they can be the best, both for themselves and their team. As leaders we need to have courageous conversations and yet for some people this might be outside their comfort zone, and yet to not have these conversations would not be serving your team members, who need to understand both the positive and negative about their performance. Whilst having courageous conversations might not be a leaders natural thing to do, to deprive team members of the opportunity to develop is also a travesty.
I’m curious to hear what you think about the principles of self-observant leadership and whether you subscribe to the tenant that “leadership begins with you”.
“What can horses teach me about authentic communication” and the answer is lots. When partnering with the horses:
you get the opportunity to drop into the space of “horse time”. Away from the stresses and strains of daily life you are able to slow down, reflect and experience the power of real connection
you have to communicate with your heart and not your head. All authentic communication starts with a heart felt connection and the horses are masters at letting us know how true we are being to ourselves
you have to be present, grounded and paying attention. If you don’t the horse will simply ignore you
you get to experience the power of non-verbal communication and how it can influence others
you experience how emotions can disrupt the communication channel
The great thing about learning from horses, who are master communicators, is that you will learn how to synchronise your intention – mentally, emotionally and physically. You will get unbiased, immediate feedback on your communication style. And importantly if what you are doing isn’t working you get the opportunity to recalibrate and try a different approach. Interacting without verbal communication allows participants to discover a whole new world in the process!
Working with horses demands that you be very clear in your communication both verbal and non-verbal. Horses do not understand words and therefore rely on reading body language and energy. You will experience how to align your energy in such a way that your communication becomes clear and concise.
What type of world or work environment do you create for yourself through your communication? Is it supportive, inspiring and powerful or could it be improved? When you start using this new knowledge with others they will feel motivated, excited and willing to work with you, which will lead to new levels of performance.
To discover more how horses and help you develop your authentic communication skills (and leadership and team working skills too) lets have a chat. You can book into my diary here or better still join us on the next Art of Authentic Communication workshop.
Communication skills are vital to our success in business and life, and yet how many of us appreciate the unless we communicate authentically we may well be sabotaging our own success. When we fail to communicate effectively team members, colleagues, clients, suppliers and family members can get frustrated leading to stress and anxiety. And just like poor communication can have a negative ripple effect within the business, authentic communication can actually help businesses become more collaborative, innovative and creative leading to greater productivity and profitability. And its the same with your family and friends too.
So Why Is Authentic Communication Important?
Authentic Communication is a heart-centred way of communicating in which you allow your Authentic Self to do the talking and listening instead of your fear-based Ego. When we engage in authentic communication we move from just being in a transactional relationships to forming real human connection. One where the other person feels acknowledged and heard. Authentic communication is a pre-requisite for success in organisations, businesses and in any project as it allows for transparency and speed in communications.
When you communicate authentically you are able to express yourself productively and become curious in the other person’s perspective and how they are feeling about the situation. You are clear about your values and your core truth and from this place you are able to achieve different results. When leaders communicate authentically this has a profound effect on the business because the culture of the organisation is created by what people do and who they are. When leaders and team members operate from a place of authenticity then:
trust increases
team members feel more valued and engaged in their work
connection and rapport improves
it breaks down the silo mentatlity in business
there is more collaberation and sharing of resources
the workplace is happier as the air is “clearer”
the business culture starts to focus on ‘we’ rather than ‘me’ as barriers are broken down
the inside of the business matches the outside
Business relationships prosper when people trust each other, information is freely and generously exchanged and relationships are vibrant. However communication whilst simple is not easy. It is multi faceted and complex especially when one considers that so much is communicated by our body language. So unless our body language and our words are aligned and congruent the message simply will not be heard.
Surprisingly, happiness is an added benefit of authentic communication. Psychologist Sidney Jourard, found that 85 percent of a person’s happiness in life comes from happy interactions with other people. The reverse holds true as well: 85 percent of a person’s unhappiness or problems in life comes from difficulties in getting along with others
So if you are interested in honing your authentic communication skills I encourage you to join me and Tessa Gray later this month for our unique Art of Communication workshop. This is no ordinary workshop as your teachers will be Julia’s herd of horses, who are master communicators. They will test and challenge the clarity, congruence and connection of your communication, and rest assured you will leave the day more fully aware of the non-verbal impact you have on you communication success. After all, like everything else in life, communication begins with you.
If you want to be a great leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. Leadership is the great challenge of life.
What’s important in leadership is refining your skills. All great leaders keep working on themselves until they become effective. Here’s how:
1. Learn to be strong but not impolite.
It is an extra step you must take to become a powerful, capable leader with a wide range of reach. Some people mistake rudeness for strength. It’s not even a good substitute.
2. Learn to be kind but not weak.
We must not mistake weakness for kindness. Kindness isn’t weak. Kindness is a certain type of strength. We must be kind enough to tell someone the truth. We must be kind enough and considerate enough to lay it on the line. We must be kind enough to tell it like it is and not deal in delusion.
3. Learn to be bold but not a bully.
It takes boldness to win the day. To build your influence, you’ve got to walk in front of your group. You’ve got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble. Like the farmer, if you want any rewards at harvest time, you have got to be bold and face the weeds and the rain and the bugs straight on. You’ve got to seize the moment.
4. Learn to be humble but not timid.
You can’t get to the high life by being timid. Some people mistake timidity for humility. But humility is a virtue; timidity is a disease. It’s an affliction. It can be cured, but it is a problem. Humility is almost a God-like word—a sense of awe, a sense of wonder, an awareness of the human soul and spirit, an understanding that there is something unique about the human drama versus the rest of life. Humility is a grasp of the distance between us and the stars, yet having the feeling that we’re part of the stars.
5. Learn to be proud but not arrogant.
It takes pride to build your ambitions. It takes pride in your community. It takes pride in a cause, in accomplishment. But the key to becoming a good leader is to be proud without being arrogant. Do you know the worst kind of arrogance? Arrogance from ignorance. It’s intolerable. If someone is smart and arrogant, we can tolerate that. But if someone is ignorant and arrogant, that’s just too much to take.
6. Learn to develop humor without folly.
In leadership, we learn that it’s OK to be witty but not silly; fun but not foolish.
7. Learn to deal in realities.
Deal in truth. Save yourself the agony of delusion. Just accept life as it is—the whole drama of life. It’s fascinating.
Life is unique. Leadership is unique. The skills that work well for one leader may not work at all for another. However, the fundamental skills of leadership can be adopted to work well for just about everyone: at work, in the community and at home.
