The Company Celebrity Effect: Are You Using Your Influence for Good?

Some of you will have heard me mention Company Celebrities when I talk about workplace culture and engagement. And while we all play a part in shaping a company’s culture — through our attitude, mindset, and behaviour — let’s be honest: the biggest influence always comes from the top. The senior people set the tone.

Over the years (and there have been plenty of them!), working under different managers, directors, and so-called leaders, I’ve seen it time and again: the higher up you go, the bigger your shadow. Senior leaders have an enormous role in setting the mood, the energy, and the culture that trickles through an organisation.

My idea of Company Celebrities goes right back to my childhood, growing up just a stone’s throw from Old Trafford — both the cricket and football grounds. Summer days were spent at the cricket ground, turning up 90 minutes before play started. Why? Because that’s when the players would be in the nets, and as a kid, I could meet them, get autographs (yes, that’s what we did before phones and selfies!), and even better — after a while, they started to recognise me. They’d shout a greeting, and as a keen young cricketer myself, they’d even let me bowl at them in warm-ups. The buzz was unbelievable. That simple feeling of being acknowledged, included, and seen — even for a kid hanging around the nets — was immense.

Fast forward to my years in business, and I started spotting the same thing. The way managers — especially senior ones — interacted with people had a massive impact. Back then, before every company had a C-Suite full of titles, it was mostly an MD and a few directors. But their attitude, mood, and behaviour could lift or flatten the whole place.

I’ve watched people almost gravitate towards senior leaders, hoping to be noticed, acknowledged, maybe even catch a bit of favour. And I’ve seen the flip side too. I remember one senior leader who took a dislike to one of his managers. The ripple effect was staggering. Other managers quickly followed suit — avoiding this person, not wanting to be seen talking to them, almost shunning them completely. It was like playground politics, but in suits. And it went on for months. But credit where it’s due: like Harry Maguire at United, this manager kept their head down, worked hard, and quietly won back respect — even getting an apology from the leader who had treated them so poorly. What was really laughable was how quickly their peers switched back, acting as if none of it had ever happened.

And that’s my point: the people at the top — the company celebrities — shape how people feel at work. We never grow out of wanting to be seen, acknowledged, and recognised. A simple “Good morning,” a “How’s things?” — even without a big conversation — goes a long way. Your facial expression, your tone, your body language… it all sends a message. Yes, you might have had a rough morning, a nightmare commute, or an argument at home, but when you walk through those doors, you carry the weight of how you make others feel.

It’s not difficult. Including people, acknowledging them, even in the smallest ways, can make a huge difference. And it’s those daily moments that quietly build a more positive, inclusive culture.