Series Introduction

From the Touchline – Leading Without Playing

Series Introduction

Not every leader belongs on the pitch.

Some of the most decisive impact happens from the touchline, watching closely, listening carefully, choosing the right moment to intervene. It’s not about visibility. It’s about clarity, timing, and judgement.

This series is for non-exec directors, Chairs, and portfolio leaders who don’t run the business day to day, but who shape performance, influence thinking, and protect long-term value.

Too often, touchline roles are misunderstood. Seen as passive, or worse, decorative. But done well, they’re anything but. They’re sharp. Strategic. Discreet. And transformative.

From the Touchline explores the subtleties of these roles, the tension, the discipline, and the power of influence without instruction.

It’s about:

• How to add real value without taking the ball
• When to step in, and when to let the team play
• What long-game leadership really looks like
• How to build confidence in quieter roles

If you’ve ever led from the edge of the action, this series is for you.

Read the series:

1. The Touchline Advantage – Leading Without Instruction (Published)
2. When to Step In, and When to Stay Out (Published)
3. Playing the Long Game (Published)
4. The Confidence Gap – When Founders Can’t See What the Board Sees (Published)
5. From the Touchline – Series Wrap-up (Published)