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Values, Beliefs & Behaviours

What we value and hold dear, shapes what we believe to be true, those beliefs become the lens through which we view the world and drive our behaviours.... what our team believes to be true about us comes from the behaviours they observe.

As a leader in business, the values and beliefs that you hold can have a significant impact on your behaviour, decision-making, and the overall culture of your organization. In this blog post, we will explore how values and beliefs drive our behaviours as leaders.


Values are the principles and beliefs that guide an individual's behaviour and decision-making. They are the foundation of our character and reflect what we consider to be important in life. As a leader in business, your values can have a significant impact on how you lead and interact with others. For example, if one of your core values is honesty, then you are more likely to be transparent with your employees, clients, and partners. You will be more likely to take responsibility for your actions and admit when you have made a mistake.


Beliefs are the assumptions that we hold about ourselves, others, and the world around us. They shape our perception of reality and can have a significant impact on our behaviour. For example, if you believe that innovation is the key to success, then you will be more likely to invest in research and development, encourage your team to take risks, and foster a culture of experimentation.


As a leader, your values and beliefs can drive your behaviour in the following ways:


  • Decision-making: Your values and beliefs can influence the decisions that you make. For example, if one of your core values is sustainability, then you may choose to invest in environmentally friendly technology or products, even if it means sacrificing short-term profits.


  • Communication: Your values and beliefs can impact how you communicate with others. For example, if one of your core values is respect, then you are more likely to listen actively to your employees and encourage them to share their thoughts and ideas.


  • Culture: Your values and beliefs can shape the culture of your organization. For example, if you value diversity and inclusion, then you are more likely to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and included, regardless of their background or identity.

 

As leaders, it's essential to recognise that our behaviours are continuously being observed and evaluated by our colleagues. Every action we take, every decision we make, and every interaction we have sends a message to our colleagues about our values and beliefs. For example, if you prioritise work-life balance and frequently leave the office on time, your colleagues will likely view you as someone who values work-life balance and respects the importance of a healthy work-life balance. On the other hand, if you frequently work long hours and expect your employees to do the same, your colleagues may view you as someone who prioritises work over everything else and does not value work-life balance.


By modelling behaviours we expect from our colleagues, we can create a culture that reflects our core values and beliefs. For example, if you value collaboration, you can demonstrate this by actively seeking out input from your colleagues and involving them in decision-making processes. This behaviour sends a message that you value collaboration and encourages your colleagues to do the same.



In summary, our behaviours as leaders play a significant role in shaping the beliefs and perceptions that our colleagues hold about us. By aligning our behaviours with our values and beliefs, we can create a culture that reflects our core values and encourages our colleagues to do the same. M4C Business Leadership and Sales Consulting can help you develop your leadership style and align your behaviours with your values and beliefs to achieve your business goals. Contact us today to learn more.

Bridging the Leadership Gap: What 70+ Conversations with UK Leaders Revealed

by PH795074 • 2 February 2026
Across the last 18 months, we’ve spoken with more than 70 founders, directors, senior managers and emerging leaders across UK SMEs and mid‑market organisations. Different industries. Different stages of growth. Different cultures. Yet the same leadership challenges surfaced again and again. These insights aren’t theoretical. They’re real, repeated, and shaping the future capabilities of organisations trying to scale. Below, we share the four most prominent leadership trends that emerged — and what businesses can do to address them. 1. The Leadership Development Gap Is Wider Than Ever One of the clearest trends is this: Leaders are promoted early but developed late. Many take on their first leadership role before 30. Yet they often don’t receive meaningful training, mentoring or coaching until after 40. That means a decade of: Learning through trial and error Relying on inherited habits (often from poor managers) Inconsistent decision‑making Teams absorbing the cost of avoidable mistakes This “sink or swim” approach creates predictable problems: ⚠️ High turnover ⚠️ Misaligned behaviours ⚠️ Poor communication ⚠️ Burnout for talented individuals “figuring it out” alone. The good news? This gap is entirely solvable with structured development pathways — ones that begin the moment someone shows leadership potential, not after they’ve already struggled in the role. 2. Change Isn’t the Problem — Uncertainty Is While every organisation is grappling with change, the real challenge leaders face is leading people through it. Across hundreds of comments, a consistent message emerged: People don’t resist change. They resist feeling unprepared for it. Teams fear: Losing competence Being left behind Increased pressure without clarity Change that feels imposed rather than explained The most successful leaders do three things exceptionally well: Create a clear, compelling narrative for change Explain the opportunity — what improves for customers, teams, or the business Address the risk of doing nothing When leaders shift from “telling people what’s changing” to “helping people see why change matters,” adoption accelerates and resistance drops. 3. The hardest step in a career isn’t senior → director... It’s expert → leader. This is the transition that repeatedly causes the most friction. Top performers get promoted because they’re technically strong. But the moment they lead others, the job changes completely. They must shift from: Doing → Enabling Solving → Coaching Control → Empowerment Certainty → Curiosity And that identity shift doesn’t happen automatically. In many cases, new managers feel stuck between “being the expert” and “being a leader,” resulting in: Poor delegation Over-involvement in the work Bottlenecks Frustrated teams Emotional exhaustion Formal support during this transition — through coaching, manager frameworks, and practical skill‑building — is one of the highest‑ROI investments any business can make. 4. Growing organisations need structure — not just great intentions Many early‑stage or founder-led businesses reach a tipping point where informal ways of leading no longer scale. We repeatedly heard challenges such as: “We’ve grown too quickly for our processes.” “People don’t have clarity on expectations.” “We need to formalise how leadership works here.” “We don’t have a consistent set of values or behaviours.” The fix isn’t bureaucracy. It’s structure with purpose. Growing organisations benefit massively from: ✔ Clear, lived company values Not posters. Behaviours. ✔ Defined leadership pathways So people know what leadership looks like here. ✔ Competency models That create consistency in how leaders coach, communicate, and make decisions. ✔ Succession planning So progress is planned, not reactive. ✔ A leadership development system Integrated into performance, recruitment, and culture. When these foundations are in place, businesses scale faster without losing who they are . What This Means for UK Businesses in 2026 Across all four trends, one message stands out: Leadership isn’t something you leave to chance. It’s something you build deliberately. The organisations that will win in the next decade won’t simply have great products or services. They’ll have strong leaders at every level — equipped, confident, aligned, and ready. That takes intentional design, evidence‑based development, and the kind of structured support that turns potential into capability. How M4C Helps At M4C, we work with leaders and organisations to: Diagnose their leadership capability Build competency-led development pathways Equip new managers with practical, usable leadership skills Support founder transitions and succession planning Embed change-ready cultures Create scalable leadership systems that organisations can own long-term If your organisation is growing — or needs leadership to grow — we’d love to help you build the structures and capability to get there with confidence..

Unlocking Strategic Growth: Why UK Businesses Are Turning to Fractional Directors

by PH795074 • 2 September 2025
In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, agility and expertise are more critical than ever. For UK businesses—especially SMEs and startups—accessing top-tier leadership without the financial burden of full-time executive hires is no longer a pipe dream. Enter the fractional director : a flexible, cost-effective solution that’s reshaping how companies scale, strategise, and succeed. What Is a Fractional Director? A fractional director is a seasoned executive—such as a CFO, CMO, or Commercial Director—who works with a business on a part-time, interim, or project basis. Unlike traditional full-time hires, fractional directors bring high-level strategic insight and leadership while offering the flexibility to engage only when needed. The Business Case for Fractional Leadership UK companies are increasingly embracing fractional leadership, and the reasons are compelling: Access to Elite Talent : Fractional directors often come with decades of experience across industries. For smaller firms that may struggle to attract full-time C-suite talent, fractional roles open the door to expertise that would otherwise be out of reach. Cost Efficiency : Businesses report savings of 40–60% in labour costs by hiring fractional executives compared to full-time counterparts This model allows companies to pay only for the time and expertise they need—no overheads, no long-term commitments. Strategic Agility : Fractional directors are adept at hitting the ground running. Whether it’s navigating a growth phase, entering new markets, or managing change, they deliver rapid impact with minimal disruption. Scalability and Flexibility : Companies can scale leadership resources up or down based on evolving needs. This is especially valuable in uncertain economic climates, where adaptability is key. Objective Decision-Making : Operating outside internal politics, fractional directors offer unbiased perspectives and challenge the status quo—often leading to innovative solutions and improved performance . A Growing Trend in the UK The rise of fractional working in the UK is more than a passing trend—it’s a strategic shift. In early 2025, around 5% of UK employees were in interim roles, with many more operating as independent contractors. Why Now? Post-pandemic shifts, economic uncertainty, and the rise of AI-driven automation have all contributed to a rethinking of traditional employment models. Businesses are under pressure to stay lean while still accessing the strategic leadership needed to thrive. Fractional directors offer a way to do just that. As Roei Samuel, CEO of Connectd, puts it: “Fractional leadership isn’t a stopgap. It’s a scalable, sustainable model for the future of work that enables smaller companies to grow smarter.” Conclusion: A Smarter Way to Scale For UK businesses looking to stay competitive, fractional directors offer a powerful blend of expertise, flexibility, and financial efficiency. Whether you're a startup navigating early growth or an established firm seeking fresh strategic insight, fractional leadership could be the key to unlocking your next phase of success.  At M4C Ltd , we help businesses connect with the right fractional talent to drive transformation and growth. Get in touch to explore how a fractional director could elevate your business.

Which channel is broadcasting the news in your business?

by PH795074 • 25 March 2025
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