Rethinking What Leadership Looks Like

When I first joined Flux, I wasn’t sure I belonged. The word “leader” conjured up images of people at the top of an org chart, managing teams and making decisions from corner offices. I wasn’t doing any of that. I was an individual contributor, and proud of it, but it took me a while to realise that this too was leadership.

Over the past 25 years, I’ve worked across startups and large organisations, from JustGiving to Vodafone and now the Financial Times. I’ve held roles in product, UX, research and development. In one job, I suddenly found myself managing a team after a company merger. And I realised, very quickly, that people management just didn’t bring me joy. It drained my energy and pulled me away from the work I loved: solving real problems through research and insight.

That experience shaped everything that came after. I stopped aspiring to climb the ladder just because I was “supposed to,” and instead embraced the kind of leadership that fits me best, one rooted in experience, influence and deep craft, not job titles.

Leadership Without the Ladder

The idea that you must become a manager to grow your career is outdated. Many organisations are waking up to the fact that experienced ICs bring enormous value. We’re the ones who’ve seen it all, who understand the business deeply, who spot patterns and ask the difficult questions.

What we need is a mindset shift. Leadership is not synonymous with management. People management and thought leadership are two distinct disciplines. Some people are great at both. Others thrive by going deep in their field and influencing without direct authority. That’s where I’ve found my strength.

For me, it’s not about power, I’m not looking to approve budgets or delegate work. What I care about is status: being respected, being brought into conversations, being valued for my ideas and experience. That’s what motivates me, and I’ve learned to lead from that place.

What Influence Looks Like as an IC

Influence comes in many forms. At JustGiving, I was there for nearly 15 years and became part of the fabric of the company. I knew the history, the pain points, the trade-offs. That kind of institutional memory made me an important voice in strategic conversations.

At the FT, I see other ICs leading too. Stepping up on projects, owning insight-gathering, consulting on decisions and coaching peers. Great ICs often act as multipliers. We may not manage people directly, but we mentor, support, challenge and amplify others.

A key shift is to stop seeing management and IC roles as being in competition. The best work happens when we complement each other, managers and ICs working together to unlock value from both sides.

Becoming an Influence Leader

So how do you build that kind of influence? There are a few things I’ve learned over the years that continue to shape how I show up as a leader:

• Warmth and Assertiveness
  The most influential leaders I know balance kindness with clarity. There’s a brilliant book I recommend called Likeable Badass by Alison Fragale, which explores how women in particular can build influence through warmth, trust and quiet confidence, while still asserting what they need.

• A Growth Mindset
  Tech never stands still. I started out coding HTML in the 90s. If I hadn’t kept learning, I’d have been left behind. Over the years I’ve picked up skills in analytics, SQL, and product thinking. All of which help me bring a broader perspective to my work.

• Cross-functional Curiosity
  If you want to offer unique insight, you need to gather it from across the business. That means talking to people in marketing, data, finance, not just staying in your own lane.

• Voice and Visibility
  How you tell your story matters. People remember how you make them feel and what you’ve contributed. I’ve done many things over the years, but what I want you to remember is this: I helped raise nearly £6 billion for charity. That’s the legacy I’m proud of.

If You’re Managing ICs, Here’s What We Need

Not everyone in your team will want to become a manager, and that’s okay. The best thing you can do is support ICs to lead in their own way. Here’s what helps:

• Challenge Us: Give us meaty problems to solve. Let us lead projects and shape thinking.

• Empower Us: Trust us to do our best work. We don’t need micromanaging, but we do need room to explore and contribute.

• Reward Thoughtfully: Progression doesn’t always mean promotions. Sometimes it’s about training, speaking opportunities or visible recognition. Help us feel seen.

Leadership comes in many forms. Mine just happens to be grounded in deep craft, strategic thinking and being a good partner to others. If you’re someone who loves your work and doesn’t want to give it up just to move “up,” you’re not alone, and you’re not any less of a leader. There’s another path, and it’s worth walking.

Thank you to Liz Kessick for generously sharing her insights, experiences and reflections on leading without managing. If you’re a Flux member with knowledge to share, the Flux team would love to hear from you.