What Keir Starmer’s downfall teaches us about leadership and communication

For a lot of observers of British politics over the past year, that wire never quite connected with Keir Starmer. This isn’t because he lacked credentials; he has a formidable CV and is a man who spent decades in serious public service.

But his premiership has unravelled, and the criticism that he received most consistently wasn’t about his policies but a little bit more personal. The public said they didn’t know what Keir stood for and found him difficult to warm to.

Personality expert Paul McGee, writing in the Big Issue, said that Starmer had to adapt significantly to the demands of the role. And that for someone whose strengths lay in process, analysis and professional rigour, the human-centred demands of leading a nation were perhaps too much of a stretch.

Just to reassure you, this is not a political piece. Whatever your views on Starmer the politician, we think the lesson he leaves us with is an important one that applies far beyond Westminster.

Being given a leadership role does not make you a great leader.

Telling a story that bridges the gap between authority and influence
A distinction that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough in organisations is the difference between authority and influence.

Authority is structural and something that comes with a job title. If you become Prime Minister, CEO, Director, or Head of Department, that authority automatically follows, and people will follow your instructions because of your position. They have to.

Influence is something very different. It’s earned when the people in your team or organisation believe in you and feel seen by you. But most importantly, you need to be able to communicate and connect both practically and emotionally.

Starmer was, by most accounts, a highly competent administrator and a strong legal mind. But great leadership in the public eye demands the ability to tell a story that people can see themselves reflected in. To be able to explain why you’re doing what you are in a way that resonates and reaches people.

The importance of having a story
Sometimes in professional environments, personal storytelling is treated as a soft skill rather than a core competency. Something that is maybe useful for a TED Talk, but an option the boardroom.

But that view is wrong, and the evidence against it keeps growing.

Lived experience teaches us what a degree never can
The best inspiring speakers are honest and authentic, sharing their personal experiences in an emotional way that AI can never replicate.

Gib Bulloch, former Accenture executive and founder of Accenture Development Partnerships, talks about the moment a mental health crisis forced him to step back from a corporate career that looked, from the outside, like pure success. Gib can bring leadership audiences hard-won insight that comes from having been on the wrong side of burnout and having had to rebuild their sense of purpose from the ground up. That’s inspiration that changes how leaders think about the people they’re responsible for.

John Barclay spent years captaining Scotland at rugby. He wasn’t a natural-born leader, but he had to learn, sometimes painfully, what it meant to bring a team on board with you. He knows that the difference between a team that performs when it matters and one that breaks under pressure is culture, trust, and a leader who can be honest, not just authoritative.

Rupal Patel brings a different kind of authority. As a former CIA analyst and agent who has briefed in military command rooms and war zones, she understands that leadership is something you command and not a title you’re given. Now a speaker, entrepreneur and author, Rupal’s talks challenge leaders to think bigger and act bolder. She teaches how to communicate with a conviction that earns respect. She tells us that ambition without presence is just intention. Real leadership demands both.

These speakers have found their way to clarity about what they stand for and they can communicate it in ways that move audiences, challenge assumptions, and leave people with something tangible they feel they can use to become better leaders.

The lesson hiding in plain sight
There’s an irony in the Starmer story that any leadership keynote speaker worth their fee would appreciate. His professional life was defined by preparation, process and evidence-based reasoning, but these very qualities were what held him back from connecting with the public in a role that needed something more.

He’s not alone; lots of leaders have this flaw – they are technically brilliant people who get promoted to leadership positions but then find themselves struggling with building trust, creating connections and articulating their vision so that people get behind it.

The most effective way to develop those skills is through listening to people who’ve done it: led under extreme pressure, made public mistakes, rebuilt credibility after failure, and found a way to speak about it that inspires others to act.

Honesty and experience are what great speakers can bring to a leadership team.

We don’t have Keir Starmer on our roster. But we do have an exceptional group of purposeful speakers who understand what real leadership demands and how to inspire other leaders to become better at it.

If you’re looking to invest in your people and provide something they will be able to take away and use to become better leaders, explore our leadership speakers on our website and get in touch for a chat.