It’s Not Magic with John Amaechi
Cover Photo: Courtesy of APS Intelligence
In the Season 6 finale of Why Care?, Nadia Nagamootoo is joined by John Amaechi OBE, organisational psychologist and Founder of APS Intelligence, for a wide-ranging and deeply grounded conversation on leadership, power, and personal accountability.
Drawing on behavioural science, coaching practice, and lived experience, John challenges the myth that great leadership is rooted in charisma or innate talent. Instead, he argues that leadership excellence is built from ordinary, learnable skills that require sustained effort, self-regulation, and ethical clarity.
Together, they explore why some leaders seek titles without accepting responsibility, how personalised power corrupts leadership intent, and why culture often gives permission to harmful behaviour. John reflects on vulnerability, feedback, presence, and the energy required to lead well, as well as the danger of outsourcing accountability to systems, algorithms, or circumstance.
This episode is a candid examination of leadership without shortcuts, grounded in evidence, human dignity, and the daily choices that shape organisational culture.
Key Takeaways
Leadership skill is learnable, not magical
Wanting power is necessary, but how power is used defines leadership quality
Avoiding discomfort undermines organisational performance
Accountability cannot be outsourced to systems or context
Ethical leadership requires sustained personal effort
Individual choices shape collective outcomes
Highlights
Why leadership is built from ordinary skills, not charisma
The difference between personalised power and collective leadership
Why people mistake confidence for competence
How leaders misuse vulnerability at work
The role of culture in enabling harmful behaviour
The cost of prioritising personal comfort over performance
