Too Many Leaders, Not Enough Leadership

I sometimes wonder if this is a particularly British thing—all that politeness and waiting our turn.

It’s like sitting at a three-way roundabout. Everyone arrives at the same time, all giving way to the right, all waiting for someone else to move first. Inch forward. Stop. Inch again. Stop.

Eventually, someone has to just pull out.

That’s exactly what happens in too many leadership teams. Everyone’s waiting for the person to their right to make the first move. Respectful, well-intentioned—but paralysed.

And I just want to shout: will someone please step forward!

When this happens, teams lose confidence. They see the hesitation and the endless deferrals: “Let’s take it offline.” “We’ll revisit this next sprint.” And quietly, they start wondering whether anyone actually knows what to do.

The truth is, the team usually does know. They’re the experts. They understand the problems, the blockers, and the opportunities better than anyone. But they’re waiting for permission that never comes.

That’s why I love a phrase I saw once on Tom Meade’s desk: Proceed until apprehended.
It’s brilliant. It means get on with it until someone tells you otherwise.

Because the problem isn’t lack of skill—it’s fear. Fear of being wrong. Fear of being called out. Fear of looking daft in front of other “leaders”.
But the moment someone has the courage to step forward, you can feel the collective sigh of relief. Finally, a decision. A direction. A reason to move.

Good leadership isn’t about waiting for permission. It’s about listening to your experts, weighing up the options, and then making a call—even if it’s not perfect.

If you’ve got a lot of leaders, give each of them clear ownership of their area. And if you’re in a big organisation, try this rule: no leader makes a decision alone. If they can convince one other leader to agree, that’s the decision you go with.

Clarity aids decisions. And decisions drive delivery.

Leadership isn’t about being right; it’s about having the confidence to move, the humility to listen, and the courage to course-correct when needed.

If your leadership team feels stuck at a roundabout, maybe it’s time for someone to just pull out first.

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