Last Tuesday, I aired an episode of Design Voices Elevated Season 2 featuring Dr Vivienne Heyhoe, a former healthcare professional, design leader, entrepreneur, and investor. One of the topics we discussed was leadership—something that fascinates us both in all its forms. This conversation got me reflecting on the true essence of leadership, a concept that transcends titles and hierarchies.
Leadership Beyond the Boardroom
I firmly believe that leadership is an attitude, not a job title. In today's business landscape, we often associate leadership with "senior leadership" or those in formal roles that supposedly hold the reins of an organisation. While these individuals bear the formal responsibility of steering the ship, true leadership often emerges from the most unexpected places within an organisation.
In a whitepaper I wrote half a year ago titled Leadership by Design, I argued that "I have often seen more leadership with the folks at the fringe influencing their organisation from the side, than in the actual boardroom." Today, I’m more convinced than ever that this is the case.
Every day, I witness individuals and teams challenging the status quo, introducing new ideas, and inspiring those around them to see beyond the obvious. These are the people who embody leadership in its purest form. In a world that too often accepts mediocrity as the bar for success, we need these courageous individuals more than ever.
Examples from the Fringes
Recent business history is full of examples where leadership emerged from the fringes, often with transformative results. Take Valve Corporation, the gaming company known for Half-Life and Portal. Valve is famous for its flat organisational structure, where there are no formal managers, and employees are free to choose which projects to work on. This unconventional model allows leadership to emerge from the edges of the organisation, with individuals leading initiatives based on passion and expertise rather than a formal title.
One of Valve's most innovative products, the gaming platform Steam, wasn’t a top-down initiative. Instead, it evolved from a group of developers who saw an opportunity to change how games were distributed. Steam revolutionised the gaming industry and became one of the most profitable parts of Valve's business. Leadership, in this case, didn’t come from the boardroom; it emerged from a culture that encourages everyone to lead from wherever they stand.
Even in smaller-scale examples, leadership from the fringes can have an outsized impact. Take the story of Slack, which began as a side project within a struggling video game company. The team at the periphery of the organisation recognised the potential of their internal communication tool, eventually pivoting the entire company towards what would become a multi-billion-dollar business. Once again, the innovation didn’t come from a boardroom strategy session but from employees at the ground level.
Leadership from the fringes, however, isn't limited to innovation; it can also manifest in areas like performance management. Take Next Jump, a lesser-known technology company with a unique approach to employee development. Instead of relying solely on traditional top-down performance reviews, Next Jump implemented a peer-driven system called the "Better Me + Better You" programme. In this model, employees regularly give each other feedback and are accountable to their peers for their development and performance, rather than just to their managers.
This approach decentralised leadership and empowered employees at all levels to take ownership of their performance and that of their colleagues. The result was improved accountability, higher engagement, and a culture where leadership is about helping others grow, not just achieving individual success. Here, leadership wasn't about top executives setting performance targets—it was about fostering a culture where every employee became a leader in driving their own and others' performance.
Fostering Leadership in Unexpected Places
The question then becomes: How do you foster this kind of leadership in the people around you? How, from your current position of privilege, do you elevate others to embrace alternative ways of leading and demonstrate the courage to stand up for what they believe in?
The first step is recognising that leadership is not confined to formal authority. It’s about cultivating a culture that values initiative, encourages dissent, and rewards creative thinking. Leaders must make space for those on the fringes of their organisations to be heard. They must empower their teams to take risks and challenge the status quo without fear of repercussions.
Dr Vivienne Heyhoe spoke about “bravery and the courage to stand up for what you believe in” during our interview, and that resonates deeply with me. Leadership requires bravery, not just for oneself, but to lift others up as well. It’s about creating an environment where everyone, regardless of their position, feels empowered to lead in their own way.
Bringing People Along in the Journey
True leadership is about more than just standing up for what you believe in—it’s also about bringing people along in the journey. It’s about inspiring others to see the vision and walk the path with you. Leadership is not a solitary endeavour; it’s about building a collective movement towards something better.
Consider the rise of movements like the employee-led initiatives at companies like Basecamp and Google, where employees spoke out on issues ranging from workplace culture to the ethical use of technology. These were not top-down mandates; they were bottom-up leadership moments where individuals galvanised others to join them in pushing for change.
In literature, authors like Brené Brown emphasise the importance of vulnerability in leadership. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about being open, authentic, and willing to listen. In Dare to Lead, she explains that leadership isn’t about having all the answers or projecting an image of perfection. Instead, it’s about being open, authentic, and willing to engage with others from a place of humility and courage.
Brown emphasises that vulnerability is not weakness; it’s the strength to be honest about uncertainty and the courage to navigate it with others. This kind of leadership builds trust and connection, creating an environment where people feel safe to take risks, voice their ideas, and challenge the status quo. By showing up as their true selves, leaders invite others to do the same, fostering a culture of shared responsibility and collective progress.
This approach to leadership isn’t just theoretical; it’s deeply practical. When leaders are willing to admit they don’t have all the answers, they create space for others to step up, contribute, and lead from where they are. It encourages a shift from hierarchical control to a more collaborative and inclusive form of leadership—one that values diverse perspectives and empowers people at all levels of an organisation.
Bringing people along in the journey requires a commitment to ongoing dialogue and genuine engagement. It’s about fostering a culture where everyone feels valued and heard and where leadership is a shared endeavour, not a top-down directive.
So, as you move forward in your journey, ask yourself: How can you, from your current position, lift others up? How can you create space for alternative leadership styles? And how can you inspire the courage in those around you to stand up and lead in their own unique way?
Leadership is an attitude—a courageous one—and it’s our job to nurture it wherever it may arise.