International keynote speaker and leadership expert Gordon Tredgold believes that leadership principles remain constant, but how leaders are held accountable has changed.
London, England, March 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — There is a misconception held by many that leadership is broken. Leadership is not broken. The way leaders are held accountable is. For decades, the principles of effective leadership have remained the same—setting a vision, empowering teams, and driving results. What has changed is how leadership is perceived, measured, and scrutinized in a digital-first world where employees have more power than ever before. Gordon Tredgold, a globally recognized FAST-methodology leadership expert, author, and keynote speaker, believes that leadership principles remain constant—what’s different is the environment in which they operate.
Gordon Tredgold
Today, employees are no longer confined to organizational silos, blind loyalty, or limited feedback channels. “Leaders used to operate in the dark,” says Tredgold. “Now, employees have access to reviews, feedback, and a global perspective on what great leadership looks like. If you’re not evolving, you’re falling behind.”
The turning point? Social media. Much like the #MeToo movement gave people a voice, employees now have platforms to call out toxic leadership. “Gallup has reported that 50% of employees leave their jobs because of their boss, not the company,” Tredgold explains. “But now, instead of suffering in silence, employees are speaking out. They’re sharing their experiences, rating their leaders, and making decisions based on leadership culture rather than just salary or benefits.”
Tredgold sees this as a pivotal shift in workplace dynamics. Leadership has always been about setting direction and inspiring people. What’s changed is that poor leadership is now more visible—and less tolerated.
One of the most significant issues, according to Tredgold, is the widespread confusion between leadership and management. “There are four key areas in the day-to-day tasks of a leader: managing, coaching, clienting (working with peers and superiors), and leading. The problem is most ‘leaders’ spend their time managing—essentially firefighting—rather than leading, which is fire prevention,” he explains.
The traditional corporate mindset prioritizes task execution over vision. Leaders who get caught up in day-to-day operations rarely have time to develop their teams, build engagement, or create a forward-thinking strategy. “The more you lead, the fewer fires you have to put out,” says Tredgold. “The more you coach, the more people you have who can solve problems without you. But most people in leadership positions spend their days micromanaging instead of empowering their teams, often leading to a never-ending cycle of stress, burnout, and operational failure. ”
One of the biggest reasons leadership fails is poor promotion practices. Tredgold highlights Gallup’s finding that 82% of the time, companies promote the wrong person into leadership roles. “We assume that great individual contributors will make great leaders, but that’s rarely true. Leadership requires a completely different skill set,” he says.
He outlines the five levels of leadership: unofficial leadership—leading by example even without a title; team leadership—managing a small group within one’s expertise; department leadership—overseeing an entire function; cross-functional leadership—managing teams outside one’s expertise; and executive leadership—leading through influence rather than direct control. “Most people struggle at level three,” he notes. “They’re no longer the expert and must rely on leadership skills rather than technical knowledge. That’s where many fall short.
This is why the sports world repeatedly sees legendary athletes struggle as coaches. “Messi and Ronaldo are football geniuses, but that doesn’t mean they’d be great managers. Leading is about strategy, influence, and people—skills that don’t always translate from expertise in a specific field,” Tredgold states.
One of the biggest shifts in leadership expectations has been around mental health. Employees are prioritizing well-being, and organizations that fail to foster a positive culture will struggle to attract and retain talent. But Tredgold warns against extremes. “There’s a balance,” he says. “Leaders still need to set standards, push teams to excel, and make tough decisions. But they also need to ensure their people are engaged, empowered, and not burned out.”
A disengaged team is a direct reflection of its leader. “When people tell me, ‘My team isn’t engaged,’ what I hear is, ‘I’m not leading effectively,’” Tredgold says. Even according to the PM World Journal, 80% of all projects fail, and, as per Tredgold, employee disengagement has remained one of the main root causes. Employee engagement isn’t about running surveys—it’s about leadership presence. “You don’t need a survey to tell you whether your team is engaged,” he says. “Look at the signs. Are they leaving right at 5:00 PM or staying late because they’re invested? Are they volunteering for projects? Are they energized or just going through the motions?” True leadership means inspiring and engaging employees so they not only want to contribute but have the tools to do so. “If you can’t do that, you’re not leading—you’re just managing,” he asserts.
At its core, Tredgold believes leadership is about influence, not control. Leaders who micromanage often do so because they were once micromanaged themselves. “Abused people become abusers,” he says. “It’s a cycle. People hate micromanagement, but when they get promoted to a position outside of their expertise, they do the exact same thing. Micromanagement comes from a response of a ‘leader’ to a lack of control. It’s their way of clinging onto the little power they have.” This is why good leadership training is essential, not only for executives but for anyone looking to lead effectively.
“I once did leadership training in Ethiopia,” Tredgold recalls. “A participant told me that commanding leadership was the most popular style there. I challenged that assumption by asking the entire group, ‘Who here actually likes having a commanding boss?’ No one raised their hand. They weren’t describing a preferred leadership style—they were describing common practice.”
Many organizations also fail to distinguish between management training and leadership development. In his leadership training sessions, Tredgold regularly asks participants to define the difference. “People always say, ‘Oh, we know what leadership is.’ But when I ask them to define it, they struggle.” The distinction is clear; as Peter Drucker used to say, “Management is doing things right, and leadership is doing the right things.”
Leadership isn’t changing. But the expectations, visibility, and accountability of leaders are. “If you’re still leading the way people did 20 years ago, you’re already outdated,” Tredgold warns. “Leaders today must be adaptable, transparent, and focused on engagement. If you don’t evolve, you’re going to get left behind.”
Organizations that fail to prioritize leadership development will continue to see high turnover, low engagement, and failed initiatives. The key to success lies in improving leadership—not by changing the concept, but by changing the leaders. “In the end, leadership is simple,” says Tredgold. “Highly engaged teams perform better. And engagement starts with leadership. If you want better results, start with better leaders.”
Media Contact
Name: Gordon Tredgold
Email: gordon@gordontredgold.com
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