Rethinking Leadership

Deb Leary of Forensic Pathways on innovation and trust

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Episode notes

Deb Leary is the CEO of Forensic Pathways, a business she set up in 2001 after overhearing a chance conversation at a police conference. Deb has built her business on innovation, designing products and services that meet specific market needs in the security sector, despite having no prior experience in that market. She talks honestly about the need to know when to let go of products when they are not hitting the mark and to continually look forward, hone those products or develop something new. At a time when every business is having to adapt, it is crucial to consider what needs to be re-designed, dropped or created.

I loved Deb’s approach to building a team who are better than her, as well as the stories of the family rows they have had round the table. Wouldn’t you love to be a fly on the wall for those? Seriously, I’m inspired by her ability to stay focused on pulling the team together despite their differences of opinion, and the ability to achieve a common goal whilst also providing space for the team to make mistakes. I particularly enjoyed her line: “You have to let your team breathe or you’ll stifle creativity.” With the current uncertainty, leaders and teams definitely need to find a more emergent and fluid way of working together, without the need to control.

Where do you need to let go of control?

What might creativity open up for you and your business?