Use Your Voice: How Informal Leaders Shape Better Decisions - David Scott

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/use-your-voice-how-informal-leaders-shape-better-decisions-david-scott/

Who gets recognized as a leader inside an organization — only the people with executive titles, or also the employees who influence decisions, shape culture, and move a purpose forward? David Scott explores how organizations can identify and value informal leadership, drawing from his research on how leadership emerges beyond formal roles.

David Scott is a PhD Researcher at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, exploring Followership Salience as a factor of Leadership in Organisations. He is also a Visiting Lecturer in Business at Leeds Trinity University. David is a highly experienced Company Director and Charity Trustee with a particular interest in creating positive environmental and social change through people. He is Co-Chair of the 2024 Global Followership Conference hosted by the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How organizations can identify leadership potential beyond job titles
• Why employee voice matters when making strategic decisions
• How informal leaders can influence executive teams and boards
• What inclusive leadership structures can learn from UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Why stepping into a supporting role can strengthen your ability to lead

Episode References

Jimmy Collins, Creative Followership
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Followership-Greatness-Jimmy-Collins/dp/1929619480

Philip Meilinger, “The 10 Rules of Good Followership”
https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10_Followship_Rules_Meilinger.pdf

Ira Chaleff, The Courageous Follower: Standing up To and For our Leaders
https://www.amazon.com/Courageous-Follower-Standing-Our-Leaders/dp/1605092738

Edmonstone, J. (2003), "Learning and development in action learning: the energy investment model", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 35 No. 1, pp. 26-28.

Mango, E. (2018) 'Rethinking Leadership Theories'. Open Journal of Leadership, 7 (01), pp. 57-88.

Barbara Kellerman
https://barbarakellerman.com/

Julian B. Rotter, Locus of Control
https://www.simplypsychology.org/locus-of-control.html

Connect with David Scott
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhunterscott/