The FIRED Leader: Reinventing the Future of Leadership

By Paul McCarthy

To survive disruption, organizations need disruptive leaders.
So they hire them. And then they fire them.

It’s the open secret everyone in the leadership industry knows but nobody is addressing: leadership culture is toxic, and leadership systems have failed. Publicly, organizations say they want leaders to be innovative thinkers who challenge the status quo. Privately, conventional leadership culture wants nothing of the sort. Leaders deemed as ‘a bad culture fit’ quickly find themselves marginalized, ostracized, and even exorcised. The qualities that get them hired are the ones that get them fired. Yet, these rebels and nonconformists often embody the very leadership qualities that organizations so desperately need to navigate disruption and adapt to the “new normal” of constant change.

Radically refreshing and practical, this book identifies five leadership qualities (F.I.R.E.D. Leadership™) that are key to tomorrow’s leadership success and offers a step-by-step blueprint to show organizations how to integrate these five crucial qualities into their current leadership identification, recruitment, onboarding, and development processes.

Leadership renegade Paul McCarthy shows organizations how to reframe how they view their troublemakers, agitators, rebels, oddballs and shit-stirrers – to see the hidden leadership qualities driving those behaviors, and why they need them so desperately.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Practical Inspiration Publishing
• Release date: Nov 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9781788604949

Paul McCarthy

Paul McCarthy’s career in management and leadership consulting spans over 25 years and he has worked with almost 100 organizations across the world in over 15 different industries and directly with thousands of leaders to develop their leadership capacity, capability and competency. He has developed leaders in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai and Sri Lanka. During his tenure with Deloitte and KPMG, Paul was positioned as each firm’s subject matter expert across Canada for both Talent Management and Leadership Development, often being brought in to speak with C-suite leaders on current and future trends, challenges and opportunities in the future of work and leadership. He provides advice, guidance and has real experience of supporting leaders and leadership teams through the process to adapt how they see the future of leadership and organizations, bringing a disruptive, yet evidence-based, experiential, and experimental approach that is beginning to shift the narrative within and beyond organizations.

Book preview

Endorsements

It is challenging to write in just a few sentences how important and impactful this book is. Leadership is broken and we must find a way to fix it. Fortunately, Paul McCarthy has the answer. His F.I.R.E.D. framework is precisely what is required to create the new generation of leaders our world so desperately needs. If you want to be successful as a leader, you must read this book.

John Spence

One of the top business and leadership experts in the world

The F.I.R.E.D. Leader is a refreshing departure from the usual leadership rhetoric. In a landscape cluttered with complex theories, this book offers a straightforward yet profound approach to leadership. Rather than drowning readers in buzzwords and jargon, it presents five fundamental qualities that should underpin leadership. Paul’s emphasis on authenticity, lateral thinking, and accountability aligns perfectly with what effective leadership truly means. The book’s insights on challenging the status quo, fostering collaboration, and promoting open dialogue within teams are invaluable. If you’re looking for a practical guide to leadership that resonates with authenticity, this is a must read.

Marshall Goldsmith

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is the Thinkers50 #1 Executive

Coach and New York Times bestselling author of

The Earned Life, Triggers, and

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

I’ve met few people who are as bold as Paul McCarthy in shining a light on the systemic failures of what currently passes for ‘leadership development’. McCarthy outlines these failures in stark detail and goes further to propose a radically different and yet simple way of finding and growing the sort of leaders that are needed in a world of accelerating change, demanding customers, and skeptical employees. Anyone who cares about the future of leadership should read this book.

Professor Gary Hamel, London Business School

For anyone who has felt the sting of dismissal, Paul McCarthy’s The F.I.R.E.D. Leader poses a thought-provoking question – What if you were let go because you were doing your job well? This book challenges us to reframe firing not as a failure, but a possible sign of disruptive leadership potential. For anyone wanting to lead bravely, F.I.R.E.D. is a necessary read.

Whitney Johnson

CEO of Disruption Advisors, a Thinkers50

Top 10 Management Thinker, and Wall Street Journal

bestselling author

In The F.I.R.E.D Leader Paul McCarthy challenges some of the embedded behaviors that are practiced in leadership. You will identify many ‘learning moments’ in this book that will challenge your leadership thinking – good stuff!

Gary Ridge

The Culture Coach – Chairman Emeritus WD-40 Company

Embark on an intriguing journey with The F.I.R.E.D. Leader by Paul McCarthy. This unique book reshapes our perception of leadership, offering a fresh perspective on the essence of leadership, its ideals, and how it’s perceived by others. McCarthy’s bold assertion asks a very core question: What if being let go from a job doesn’t equate to failure, but rather signals your potential to drive change? This novel perspective encourages us to view job transitions as steppingstones toward becoming more robust leaders and better humans. This principle of resilience following apparent setbacks resonates beyond the realm of work, challenging conventional notions of success and failure. It highlights the power of defying societal norms to attain greatness. As such, it widely applies to other venues of life making this book uniquely useful in our quest for bettering not only our careers but developing a new, better self.

Maja Zelihic, Ph.D.

Dean – Forbes School of Business and Technology,

University of Arizona Global Campus

I believe this book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to reinvent their leadership style. The practical guidance and thought-provoking ideas inspire leaders to develop their teams effectively and foster a positive organizational culture. I wholeheartedly endorse The F.I.R.E.D. Leader for leaders, aspiring leaders, and HR professionals seeking to create a meaningful impact on their teams and organizations. With its fresh perspective and transformative approach, this book is a must-read for anyone passionate about unlocking the true potential of leadership.

Kyle Roed

Host, Rebel HR Podcast and VP HR

The F.I.R.E.D. Leader is a great book to read if you want to examine your core beliefs about what leadership should look like today and what it needs to look like tomorrow. It’s not a book trying to sell you a methodology, it’s trying to persuade you that your philosophy around leadership needs a nudge sideways into a different paradigm.

Andy Prince

Chief Innovation Officer

The F.I.R.E.D Leader is not for the faint-hearted. It’s for leaders who are unafraid to challenge the status quo, to question and evolve their approach, and to lead with courage and conviction. If you’re ready to redefine your leadership for the challenges of the future, this provocative book is your indispensable guide on this transformative journey.

Obi James

Author of Let Go Leadership – How Inclusive Leaders

Share Power to Drive High Performance

Leadership is constantly changing. What worked in the past won’t always work in the future. As leaders we need to be constantly learning about what’s next. This book will help you do exactly that! McCarthy’s compelling narrative, that is research based, helps us all understand what we can learn from the past and how to prepare for the future. Invest in your leadership skills with this book. It is time well spent!

Chester Elton

Best-selling author of The Carrot Principle and

Leading With Gratitude

First published in Great Britain by Practical Inspiration Publishing, 2024

© Paul McCarthy, 2024

The moral rights of the author have been asserted

ISBN 9781788604833 (print)

9781788604949 (epub)

9781788604932 (mobi)

All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof, may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the author.

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologizes for any errors or omissions and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.

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Contents

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Part I| Leadership is broken

1| Introduction

Don’t shoot the messenger

Tallying the failure of leadership

Don’t ignore your saviors

F.I.R.E.D. Leadership

Why I wrote this book

Ego-based leadership landmines

Sparks from this chapter

2| The cost of leadership dysfunction

What ‘normal’ looks like

It’s ‘normal’. That doesn’t make it right

Perpetuating the vicious cycle

The price of toxicity

What we’re missing

Sparks from this chapter

3| Today’s failure to develop tomorrow’s leaders

Drowning out the voices you need to hear

A glimpse of the skills your leaders need… and aren’t getting

Things need to change – especially when they don’t work

New organizational structures = new leadership needs

Sparks from this chapter

4| The 13 unlucky steps to leadership identification, recruitment, onboarding, and development

1. Introductions

2. Informal 1:1s

3. Formal interviews

4. New hire processes

5. Onboarding Orientation

6. The honeymoon period

7. Prescribed learning pathway

8. Formalized 1:1 coaching

9. Learning and development checklist

10. Performance metrics

11. Performance coaching and mentoring

12. Annual performance review

13. To promote or not to promote

Sparks from this chapter

Part II| F.I.R.E.D. leadership

5| F is for fresh thinking

Fresh thinking in action

Fresh thinking in absentia

Refusing to listen to the prophets of doom

Seeing Fresh Thinkers for who they really are

Identifiers of fresh thinking

6| I is for inquisitive nature

Suppressing inquisitive natures

Why curiosity is crucial

The hypocrisy of valuing curiosity

Encouraging your inquisitives

Identifiers of being inquisitive

7| R is for real and accountable

The masks we wear

The art of authenticity

The art of accountability and responsibility

Identifiers of being real and accountable

8| E is for expressive and challenging

Seeing your challengers in a different light

Expressive and challenging in the real world

Listening and inviting challenge: The other side of the coin

Identifiers of being expressive and challenging

9| D is for direct and transparent

The games we’re forced to play

The high stakes at the table

Review of Test Data Indicates Conservatism for Tile Penetration

Identifiers of being direct and transparent

Part III| Continue the conversation

Notes

Index

Acknowledgements

THIS BOOK IS born from an idea that emerged in late 2017, driven by the question: ‘What if we’re firing top talent for having the future leadership qualities needed to navigate ongoing disruption?’. Initially, many in my circle dismissed this idea as nonsensical, labeling me as difficult, bitter for being fired four times from leadership roles, or crazy. However, as the development of this book progressed, it became evident that my story served as a platform for a deeper and more uncomfortable truth that was beginning to unfold.

The purpose of this book is to ignite a conversation about whether our organizations are adequately prepared for the future of work and leadership. Since embarking on this journey, significant changes have taken place, including the largest global human capital experiment, COVID-19, an increasing recognition from industry experts that current approaches to leadership are insufficient, and an evolving transformation in how and where we work. The timing for this book is now.

I want to express my deep gratitude to those who have supported me throughout this journey. To those who have stood by my side, thank you. And to those who have challenged, discredited, or misunderstood me, thank you for helping me stay true to the ideas within this book.

More than 40 global industry experts, leaders, and difference-makers have endorsed this book. Their reflections and comments go beyond a mere endorsement, and I am humbled and grateful for their invaluable contributions. I would also like to extend my appreciation to those who provided insights and suggestions during the manuscript’s development, including Gordon Tredgold, Heather Lastiwka, Mark Edgar, Vidusha Nathavitharana, and Gillian Brunton, for shaping the book’s direction.

I am particularly indebted to Kerry Dobson for asking me that pivotal question over coffee, as it set the course for this book.

To Derek, my dear friend, we did it. Despite the challenges we faced, I never lost faith in you and our ability to create something meaningful.

Leticia, thank you for believing in me and not dismissing me as crazy. Let’s see what book two brings.

Bill, Hilton, and Gillian, your unwavering friendship, support, and belief in this book and its ideas have sustained me during difficult times. I am truly grateful to have you in my life. Alison and the team at Practical Inspiration Publishing, you deserve recognition for embracing my chaotic schedule, different time zones, endless questions, and nonlinear approach. Thank you for seeing what I see.

To the teams at Geeks, Geezers, and Googilization and People Forward Network, thank you for embracing this message and providing a platform for the evolution of the narrative on the future of leadership. A huge thanks to my illustrator, Tanmay Vora. Thank you for helping to bring my ideas to life in a way that visually appeals.

I want to extend a special appreciation to everyone who has contributed to shaping this book, whether they fully grasped the concept or not. I have learned so much from each person along the way, and I hope they have gained insights as well.

Lastly, to whoever reads this book, regardless of how you discovered it, thank you for being open to how it may transform your philosophy, mindset, and approach to leadership. Initially, I believed success would be measured by one person’s willingness to evolve their thinking and behavior after reading this book.

Now, my vision is to support one million people worldwide in evolving their thinking and behavior regarding the future of leadership.

Foreword

WITHIN THE LANDSCAPE of talent and leadership, there lies a pressing need for honest conversations and unwavering curiosity. The world we find ourselves in today is a testament to the ever-changing nature of our professional journeys, and it is through the exploration of unconventional ideas that we can truly harness the power of transformation.

This book embarks on a remarkable journey, exploring the willingness or lack of willingness to embrace fresh thinking and unwavering curiosity. It delves into the complexities of recruitment, onboarding, development, and the often-unforeseen consequences of speaking up in the face of adversity. It is a compelling narrative that sheds light on the unexplored corners of the professional world and challenges the status quo.

In a world that demands constant adaptation, it becomes imperative to challenge our preconceived notions and embrace innovative strategies. We uncover the hidden potential within individuals, focusing not solely on past accomplishments but on their capacity for growth and transformation. By embracing fresh thinking, we can unlock a wealth of untapped talent, ushering in the era of diversity, inclusivity, and unparalleled innovation.

Within the pages of this book, Paul confronts the uncomfortable reality of being fired for being precisely what he was hired for. By bravely addressing this challenging issue, he sheds light on the profound impact choices can have on individuals, teams, and organizational culture.

Challenging recruitment, onboarding and development practices is another crucial theme explored. Paul questions the conventional wisdom that often dominates these processes. By embracing new paradigms, new environments can be created that nurture talent, foster collaboration and inspire innovation.

Finally, he confronts the journey of speaking up about a train wreck, only to face the possibility of being fired. He delves into the culture norms that discourage dissent and the transformative power of embracing constructive criticism. By championing transparency, accountability and supporting the talent hired, we can create a culture that values truth and growth above all else.

As you embark on this thought-provoking journey, I encourage you to embrace disruption and growth. The insights within these pages will challenge your perspectives, inspire your actions, and empower you to navigate the dynamic landscape of talent and leadership with renewed courage.

May this book serve as your guide, shining light on your path ahead and reminding you of the extraordinary potential that resides within each and every one of us.

Safe travels on your journey.

Bettina Brayshaw

Chief People Officer

Part I

Leadership is broken

IHAVE SOME strong views on why our approach to leadership identification, recruitment, onboarding, and development is broken. And you may well agree with me that:

•modern leadership culture is rife with hypocrisy;

•your organization fires top talent for the wrong reasons;

•leadership development as an activity, organizational strategy, and industry is largely ineffective;

•today’s approach to leadership recruitment and hiring has failed.

If so, you are ready to skip to Part II.

If you’re unsure, allow me to use the next four chapters to lay out the business case (with hard data, real dollars, expert insights, and real-life examples) of how those issues impact your organization directly and indirectly in financial costs, substandard performance, and lost opportunity costs.

Chapter 1

Introduction

I am both a fired leader and a F.I.R.E.D. leader:

•F resh thinking

•I nquisitive nature

•R eal and accountable

•E xpressive and challenging

•D irect and transparent

We will discuss each of these in the pages that follow.

TO ADDRESS THE former: I’ve been fired from four executive leadership roles – two Big Four consultancies, a boutique consulting firm, and a tech startup. I wasn’t fired because I missed the metrics or because of my performance. I wasn’t let go because I was ineffective. Quite the opposite: I got fired because I fulfilled and exceeded my responsibilities. Going strictly by the numbers, I surpassed all expectations.

No, I was fired because the people above me didn’t like the way I led.

I had the audacity to speak out against the norm… despite ‘challenging’ being one of the values echoed in those corporate hallways. They were aghast when I pointed out that the organization’s current practices were no longer aligned with the corporate mission statement – if they ever were in the first place. When I suggested ways to implement the initiative that headquarters handed down, they looked at me with disbelief. They didn’t expect nor want me to change anything. I lost my job because I questioned whether we were doing what was in the client’s – and our own people’s – best interests. According to some, I ‘didn’t get it’ and ‘wasn’t a good culture fit’. I’ve been forced out of positions because I won’t go with ‘the way we’ve always done it around here’. I’ve been fired for being the very leader they explicitly hired me to be – for displaying the qualities they said they wanted.

To address being a F.I.R.E.D. leader, I am a well-intentioned shit disturber. Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and multiple consulting firms have hired me because they wanted to shake things up. The first time someone referred to me as such, I didn’t take offense. People generally see it as a negative thing, but in the right context, it’s a positive label. I am proud of not only being a F.I.R.E.D. leader but for having been fired in the first place. My employers and clients needed, and actively searched for, someone who could lead them through the disruption they faced, their transformations, their challenges, and uncharted waters. Those terminations were not the impetus for writing this book – they were the catalyst for me seeing modern leadership culture, our approaches to leadership, and how we identify, recruit, onboard, and develop leaders with more clarity. Being fired for demonstrating the F.I.R.E.D. leader qualities has been the best thing to happen to my career. I’m proud of being the kind of leader I was asked to be. It gratifies me to be known as someone who engages in real, open, honest, and authentic dialogue; as someone who highlights underlying organizational and leadership issues.

This is not another leadership book. That’s probably the last thing the world needs right now. Rather, this is more of an anti-leadership book. Not that I’m against leadership per se, though this book challenges the assumption that our approach today prepares leaders for tomorrow.

Part I draws on my personal experience, as well as research and interviews with others for you to consider and reflect on the uncomfortable truth that today’s leadership identification, recruitment, onboarding, and development systems and processes are ineffective.

Part II introduces the F.I.R.E.D. leader qualities in more detail, providing insights from leadership experts as well as research and case studies to illustrate why these five leader qualities will be increasingly needed as part of how future leaders are identified, recruited, onboarded, and developed. Practical tips for each quality are provided, including opportunities for how you can begin to determine if your organization is prepared and ready to introduce F.I.R.E.D. leadership.

Part III provides access to additional resources and areas to consider that can guide your initial thinking and conversations about introducing F.I.R.E.D. leadership into your organization.

Don’t shoot the messenger

The director of business development sat across from me in his office. One of the Big Four consultancies had just recruited me from a consultancy in the UK to support the growth and development of its human capital practice in Western Canada. The practice contributed a significant portion of this office’s total revenue goal of Can$50 million. The year was 2011.

That year wasn’t the most auspicious of times to grow a human capital practice for a global consulting firm. In fact, the