Scaling by becoming a less directive leader - with Lisa Morgan

How do you stop being the person who drives everything – and build a team that can drive the business without you? Lisa Morgan is Group Managing Director of Generation Media, an employee-owned media and creative agency. She’s led the business for the past 11 years and has helped build a culture recognised by the Sunday Times, Campaign and Investors in People. In this episode, Lisa shares how she: • Moved from a fast-paced, directive leadership style to a coaching approach - recognising that empowering others is the only way to scale • Replaced reliance on annual appraisals with 90-day sprints that connect company, team and individual objectives • Turns weekly one-to-ones from transactional updates into transformational conversations using a simple 15:5 reflection process • Asks leaders to write the biography they want in five years, then identify the steps they can take now to build careers rather than just jobs • Learnt to slow down, listen and resist jumping straight to solutions - particularly as a naturally decisive ‘red’ personality type • Uses Investors in People as an ongoing improvement process, with employee feedback directly shaping initiatives across values, recognition and community impact Lisa offers a thoughtful perspective on what changes as an agency grows - and why scaling successfully means shifting your attention from driving the business yourself to building the leaders, culture and systems that can drive it for you.