The Irrelevant Leader: The Art of Leading By Letting Go, 8 Principles for Stronger Teams, Less Overwhelm, and Greater Results

Somewhere along the way, we embraced the idea that good leaders should always know everything that's going on-and have all the answers. That staying in the loop means staying in charge. Yet what if the real measure of leadership isn't how involved we are, but how well the teams we lead can keep moving forward when we're not there? After years in the military and then moving into civilian leadership roles, Author Phil Jewell saw leaders struggling with the belief that they had to be involved in every process, every decision, to be successful. Yet Phil had already learned a truth they hadn't yet discovered: the team is the centre, not the leader.

The Irrelevant Leader: The Art of Leading by Letting Go challenges the traditional leadership model and provides today's leaders with a new way to lead, one that is sustainable, impactful, and fulfilling. Based on the author's years in military and civilian leadership roles, this guide offers eight principles for leaders to rethink their leadership styles and move from relevance to irrelevance, creating stronger teams with less overwhelm and greater results.

Direct and honest, The Irrelevant Leader is a must-have for leaders who want to build strong, independent teams that are able to operate while they're not there. After all, leadership isn't about being the hero, but about developing people so they don't need one.

Author: Phil Jewell
Publisher: FriesenPress
Published: 06/26/2025
Pages: 198
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.45d
ISBN: 9781038341211

About the Author
Jewell, Phil: - Phil Jewell is the founder of Impact Leadership Development and Coaching, a certified executive coach, and a graduate of the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst. He held leadership roles in the British and Canadian Armies, as well as senior leadership positions within the federal and provincial governments. Phil has spent over two decades leading across different countries, continents and cultures, as well as facilitating leadership training for over a thousand adult learners.

The success of his twelve-week leadership development program, The Irrelevant Leader, inspired Phil to write The Irrelevant Leader: The Art of Leading by Letting Go. This is his first book.

Phil lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with his wife, Sara, and their two children, Isla and Oliver.