I’ve always enjoyed using LinkedIn—not just to connect and share ideas, but to run quick, effective leadership research. By engaging with thousands of professionals across sectors, I’ve gathered valuable insights into what’s really happening in leadership today.
Through regular LinkedIn polls, I’ve discovered clear trends that reflect the biggest challenges leaders and businesses face. These insights have shaped how I design and deliver leadership development that actually works.
Key findings from my Leadership Research
Many leaders are overwhelmed by daily tasks, with no space left for long-term planning. When you’re constantly reacting, it’s hard to lead with purpose or vision.
Solution: Freeing leaders from daily firefighting starts by pushing decision-making closer to the client—and building trust in your team to act
If senior leadership doesn’t trust managers, those managers won’t trust their teams. Without that trust, autonomy and performance stall.
Fix: Create clear frameworks that empower all levels of leadership to take action confidently and independently.
Many businesses claim to prioritise wellbeing, yet HR teams are often limited to box-ticking and admin.
Insight: HR leaders need time and tools to do meaningful work – not spend half their week chasing paperwork
Effective leadership isn’t just about people – it’s also about process. Many still believe paperless systems are expensive or complex.
Reality: There are affordable, simple platforms for onboarding, training, performance reviews and more. These tools free up time and boost consistency.
It’s easy to say your company puts people first. But without a clear structure, people don’t have the support to lead well.
Leadership lesson: Being People-driven means creating systems that guide, support and empower decision-making at every level.
Words like “inspiration” or “engagement” are meaningless without real support. Managers can only succeed when they’re trained, trusted and equipped to lead.
Every insight above has informed how I develop and deliver leadership programmes. The goal is simple: to help managers become confident, effective leaders who don’t need handholding.
My leadership development programme teaches the fundamentals of good leadership—from building trust and communicating clearly to leading without micromanaging.
