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Leader of the Month

Monthly profiles of famous and everyday leaders. Learn their habits, try a Northbeam tool, and download a simple takeaway for work and life.
Leader of the Month
Monthly profiles of famous and everyday leaders

Leader of the Month: Sir Richard Branson

Transformational leadership with people at the centre

Chapter 01

Welcome to Leader of the Month, the first in series of mini-bios on inspirational leders.

Born in 1950, Sir Richard Branson co-founded Virgin Group in 1970. From a teenage magazine startup to a mail-order music business, he built Virgin Records and later expanded into airlines (Virgin Atlantic), railways, hotels, cruises, and even space tourism with Virgin Galactic. Knighted in 2000 for services to entrepreneurship, Branson remains one of the most influential business figures in the world.

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If you examine the lives of successful leaders and entrepreneurs, there is a very clear common theme: they all grasp every single opportunity that comes to them with both hands. (Stoicism: How to Use Stoic Philosophy to Find Inner Peace and Happiness).

Leadership Style

  • Transformational & Participative: Branson motivates through vision and autonomy, fostering collaboration across Virgin’s many ventures.
  • People-First Philosophy: His guiding principle, “put your employees first, your customers second and your investors third,” set Virgin apart.
  • Authenticity & Approachability: He breaks down barriers between leaders and staff, making transparency and approachability part of the culture.
  • Resilience & Learning from Failure: Virgin Cars, Virgin Brides, even when ventures collapsed, Branson reframed failure as opportunity.
  • Joy and Recognition: He prioritises fun, morale, and celebrating achievement to keep teams energised.

Impact and Achievements

  • Industry Disruption: From music and airlines to telecoms and space travel, Branson consistently challenged norms.
  • Philanthropy: Through Virgin Unite and the Carbon War Room, he champions entrepreneurship with social and environmental purpose.
In 2014, Carbon War Room merged into Rocky Mountain Institute because we knew we could do more, both faster and better, together than we could do apart. Today, Carbon War Room’s bold, entrepreneurial approach is part of all RMI does to transform global energy use.
  • Global Reach: Virgin companies now span 35+ countries with tens of thousands of employees.
  • Adventurer Spirit: Branson’s audacious record attempts — from hot air balloons to space flight — reflect his appetite for risk and resilience.

Northbeam Tool in Action: The Decision Note
Branson is a master of decisive risk-taking. But behind the bold moves lies a knack for clarity. Before his biggest ventures, he worked through the key aim, factors at play, and courses open, essentially the backbone of the Decision Note. Try it yourself this week: before your next big choice, write it out on one page. Like Branson, you’ll see risks more clearly, and the courage to act will follow.

Downloadable Takeaway: Decision Note Template

Download your one-page Decision Note 👇

Northbeam Decision Note
Northbeam Decision Note.pdf
4 MB
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Advice for Aspiring Leaders
Branson’s story reminds us that leadership is about empowering others, celebrating courage, and keeping values, people, planet, profit, in balance. His advice is simple: embrace challenge, learn from mistakes, and keep joy in the work.

Why I chose Sir Richard Branson

Sir Richard comes across as a no-nonsense leader. He doesn't always get things right, and he's not afriad to break into new markets. Even if things go wrong.

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