Time for a Leadership Stocktake
When Patty McCord released Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility in 2018, she didn’t just publish another leadership book – she offered a powerful recalibration point on how to lead teams and build thriving workplace cultures.
At Proteus, we’ve been helping workplaces Create Great Leaders since 1993. That’s our mission – and it’s our heartbeat!
But when we first encountered the Netflix Culture Deck in the early 2010’s – crafted by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and Patty McCord – we were blown away by its unconventional, yet highly influential approach to company culture.
It wasn’t about providing perks or ping-pong tables to improve culture. It was about radical candour, context, and a drive for high performance. The deck emphasised fullfreedom with full accountability. It reshaped how a generation of tech companies thought about culture and talent.
Sheryl Sandberg famously said at the time,
“It may well be the
most important document ever to come out of the Valley.”
Her endorsement wasn’t just flattery – it gave the Netflix model global reach.
Later, whilst reading McCord’s book Powerful, it felt like discovering a guidebook for cultural transformation.
The place where high trust meets high expectations. It gave language and legitimacy to what we’d been championing for over 30 years at Proteus: Treat people like fully formed adults.
It’s where we say:
“We have high expectations of you – and we know that you can meet them.”
McCord’s message is clear and uncompromising: great cultures aren’t built on policy – they’re built on maturity, trust and personal ownership.
But here’s the kicker:
You can only have 100% freedom… when you take 100% responsibility.
That’s the essence of the Powerful mindset. It’s not about managing less – it’s about leading smarter!
So, if you feel like you’re drifting and in some need of recalibrating – maybe now is the time to do a leadership stocktake?
Starting along this approach… maybe a great question is to ask yourself: “Are you still building a culture that expects – and supports – fully formed adults?”
People who will flourish having 100% freedom, because they are adult enough to take 100% responsibility.
At Proteus, we often throw down this line in workshops – part jest, all truth:
“Only employ and keep fully formed adults!”
If you’re employed, then you’ve signed up to be a fully paid professional.
No drama, no dysfunction, no fuss!
That means showing up with a positive attitude, doing the work, being respectful – and yes, being an adult.
You don’t have to like everyone, but you do have to work with them… as a professional.
So, how do we lead and develop that kind of culture?
Here are five recalibration points, inspired by Powerful, to help you reflect and reset:
1 – Ditch the rulebook. Set the standard
Netflix’s vacation and expense policies weren’t gimmicks – they were grounded in trust. There was no formal vacation policy (take what you need) and no detailed expense policy beyond: “Act in Netflix’s best interest.” The assumption? People know what’s reasonable, and they’ll act accordingly.
Do we trust our people with freedom – or are we punishing our best with more policies?
2 – Replace performance rituals with real conversations
McCord scrapped annual reviews in favour of continuous, honest feedback. It wasn’t about ticking a box annually – it was about truth-telling and professional growth. It takes courage to give feedback that matters – and maturity to receive it without defensiveness.
Are we having the hard conversations – or avoiding them with process?
3 – Ask the ‘Keeper’ Test
Netflix leaders were told: if someone on your team was leaving tomorrow, would you fight to keep them? If not – why are they still there? A high-performing culture isn’t sustained by tenure; it’s sustained by people who are adding value right now.
Are we keeping our teams strong – or settling for ‘good enough’?
4 -Share the whole story
Radical transparency means treating people as grown-ups who can handle the truth – even when it’s complex or uncomfortable. People don’t need sugar-coating – they need context, clarity, and the chance to contribute meaningfully.
Are we filtering truth – or equipping people with the full picture to succeed?
5 – Context is the new control
McCord’s model replaced micromanagement with clarity. People don’t need a manager breathing down their neck – they need direction and the freedom to move. Control stifles initiative; context unlocks it.
Are we micromanaging – or setting people up to lead themselves?
Now that we’ve revisited the Powerful principles, here’s the invitation:
Use this moment to realign, recommit, and reimagine the culture that you’re building.
One where freedom is earned through ownership, and leadership is built on trust, not control.
Because as McCord reminds us:
“People have power, and they will use it – either inside your company or out. If you want innovation and accountability, give them the context and the freedom to act.”
Richard Dore
CEO – Proteus Leadership