Pros
The only positive was leaving for good.
Three exceptional individuals, the COO, the former Chairman, and the current non-chair NED demonstrated professionalism, integrity, and strong leadership. Beyond this, “leadership” capability did not match the level of challenge faced by the business.
Cons
Culture & First Impressions:
The business presents itself as “fast-paced,” but in reality it is disorganised, reactive, and fundamentally flawed.
My first meeting highlighted a lack of professional standards, setting the tone for what followed. This was when I should have followed my instincts and walked away - it would have saved a long period of boredom and frustration.
Leadership:
A lack of clear strategy meant priorities frequently shifted, leaving teams confused and demotivated. Decisions were often overturned without communication, resulting in wasted effort.
Leadership style was highly directive while attempting to appear collaborative, which undermined trust.
Persistent micromanagement limited autonomy, slowed execution, and reduced overall effectiveness.
Governance & Structure:
Significant board turnover (c.7 directors in ~2–3 years) created instability.
I was never provided with a job description for my role.
No formal appraisal process and no consistent approach to cost-of-living increases.
Operations:
Communication could be aggressive and often occurred outside normal working hours, contributing to stress and low morale.
Examples of spend prioritisation appeared misaligned, including high-cost events and underutilised office space.
Public disclosures were not always aligned with operational reality; for example, employee numbers and the number of offices presented externally did not consistently reflect what was observed in practice.
Post-acquisition integration was ineffective, resulting in the loss of clients and staff.
People & Performance:
Delivery of critical transformation work went largely unrecognised, contributing to high turnover.
A consistent pattern was that stronger performers tended to leave, while remaining roles were sometimes elevated way beyond underlying experience, impacting leadership effectiveness.
Financial Performance:
The business did not adequately respond to sustained UK inflation, resulting in material margin erosion visible in publicly filed accounts.
Culture & Shareholder Influence:
Decision-making appeared concentrated, with limited room for constructive challenge.
A lack of emotional intelligence at senior levels impacted collaboration, trust, and morale.
Other Leadership:
Commercial performance challenges were not effectively addressed, with accountability often falling to team members.
People leadership at senior level was inconsistent, with behaviours at times undermining engagement and respect.