Modern-day leadership is often reduced to titles and metrics. However, Larry Robertson (True Leadership Advisor, Founder & Principal, Author & Speaker) of Robertson Burns, believes true leadership is about connection, purpose and inspiring change from within.
For over three decades, Robertson Burns has been shaping leaders who not only excel in business but also in life. Founded by Larry Robertson in 1993, the consultancy focuses on developing authentic, purpose-driven leadership, helping individuals and organizations achieve success through mutual trust, respect and purpose. It has emerged as one of the Top Business Experts Driving Industry Excellence in 2025.
Inspiration, Foundation, and Evolution
Reflecting on the origins of Robertson Burns, Larry shares, “Robertson Burns has been making a difference for over 30 years.” The company was founded in Sydney, Australia after Larry’s two distinguished early careers – first as a British Army officer, trained at the esteemed Sandhurst Leadership Academy, and then in the advertising world, where he worked for what was then universally regarded as the world’s most creative advertising agency, Collett Dickenson Pearce.
Through these experiences, Larry Robertson says he “learned a lot about people, about teamwork, about leadership, the importance of focusing on outcomes and about head and heart, what I refer to as clarity and humanity.” Armed with these insights, he initially established his own advertising business in Australia which he later sold. Facing a major economic recession in the early 1990s, he began contemplating his next move. “I looked at myself and asked what can I offer the world, frankly?” he recalls.
Despite not having a specialized technical qualification, Larry recognized a deeper strength: “I realized that I had become an experienced leader and had already made my mark in several small ways. I was good with people; I enjoyed working with others; I liked getting results but realized that I could not succeed on my own, that success needed people to team with.” This realization, combined with an observation about the business environment he encountered in Australia, sparked the inception of Robertson Burns.
Larry Robertson noted, “ I was not very inspired by most of the people I’d met who were running businesses – so-called business leaders. They were decent, hardworking, well-educated people and good managers. But they did not seem to be very excited or passionate about what they actually did.” He questioned, “If they’re not very excited about their business, why should anyone else be excited about it, whether they’re an employee, a customer, a supplier or an investor?”
Determined to make a difference, Larry set out to help those in leadership positions lift their game and become what he calls “true leaders.” He quickly identified communication as a crucial element of leadership, emphasizing, “If no one’s listening, no one’s following. And if they’re not following, you’re not leading, I’m afraid. Whatever your job title may be.”
In the early days, executive coaching as it is known today didn’t exist. “It was much more about advising senior executives,” he explains. He named his business Robertson Burns, the name inspired by his Scottish heritage and the poet Robert Burns. Targeting CEOs of large corporations, Larry’s fledgling advisory built trust and delivered tangible value. And Robertson Burns’s reputation for making an impact grew quickly. “These CEOs were intrigued and kindly gave us an opportunity. We made a difference for them and many of their senior executives,” he shares. This led to establishing a strong network of clients, both across Australia and internationally.
Defining True Leadership in Today’s Changing Business Landscape
With decades of leadership experience across industries and continents, Larry has a clear and unwavering perspective on the timeless core of leadership. “From the very start, the constant theme across the world is obviously people,” he reflects. “And most businesses correctly opine that people are their greatest asset. And yet, it seems few of those businesses’ leaders treat their people as such!”
While technology, from social media to artificial intelligence to sophisticated digital systems, continues to evolve and take center stage in modern enterprises, Larry Robertson emphasizes that people remain irreplaceable. Citing a recent project with a professional services organization in Australia, he notes that, even as technology plays a greater role, “ultimately, it comes down to the people using the technology, people interpreting the technology and people making judgments from the technology’s findings.”
For Larry, true leadership starts with trust, founded on character, competence and consistency. The second pillar is respect. This means engaging with and serving people. Third, it’s about purpose – identifying and setting the way forward and, with their people, pursuing it. “Leadership will always have a role although it’s never about the role itself,” he asserts. “People need leaders to guide them. And leaders need people to follow them. And yet, like each of us, people have choices. Why should they choose to listen, buy in and follow?”
Larry Robertson makes an important distinction between leadership and management. “There is leadership and there’s true leadership,” he says. True leadership isn’t about position. As he observed from his early days in Australia, many individuals placed in leadership roles are, in reality, operating as managers. “Of course, we need management. In my view, managers deal with things, processes, measurement and the like. They get things done right,” he explains. “In contrast, true leaders do the right thing: purpose and values driven, they engage and serve others. They bring people with them and they strive to deliver outcomes together.”
True leaders, as Larry describes them, are aware of themselves, of those around them and of the prevailing situation. Whatever the pressure, they are at ease with themselves. This enables them to empower others to believe in themselves, to team together and strive for results. Whether leading a small team of five or an organization of hundreds of thousands, Larry believes the same principles apply: “It’s the same techniques. It’s the same concept and the same need, and that’s the need that we help our client leaders fulfill”.
Larry’s book, “WHY listen to, work with and follow YOU? The 3 Qualities of True Leaders”, was published in London in November 2023 by Profile Books, London. Available on Amazon and other platforms, it has been rated one of the UK’s top business books.
The Core Principles that shape Robertson Burns’s work with clients
At the heart of Larry’s philosophy are his three core principles of true leaders: mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual purpose.
“True leadership is a relationship,” Larry Robertson explains, a lesson he learned early in his career. As a young 21-year-old Second Lieutenant posted to Hong Kong with the Irish Guards, Larry quickly realized that leadership wasn’t about authority or titles, but understanding and respecting those around him and earning their trust.“Despite my training and the officer’s insignia on my shoulders, I understood that these men were far more experienced and probably far better soldiers than me. And yet, they looked to me for confidence, guidance, decisions and leadership.”
Just as mutual trust is fundamental to every relationship, so it is for leadership, Larry Robertson believes. It requires openness, humility and courage – the willingness to admit what you know and what you do not. It also demands a leader who is both humble and confident enough to seek advice and strong enough to empower. Today, Larry notes that the erosion of trust has contributed greatly to widespread disillusionment. “We see too many examples of poor leaders around the world. People in leadership roles at all levels who let us down. We just can’t trust them and they appear to have very little regard for us.”
Alongside trust is mutual respect – not just a polite formality, but a genuine recognition of the worth and aspirations of every individual. “As a leader, you’ve got to make people feel appreciated and valued,” Larry Robertson shares. True leadership involves listening, understanding what excites, motivates or concerns people and showing sincere interest in their development journeys. “Without them, you’re never going to succeed,” he says.
Finally, Larry emphasizes mutual purpose. Leadership is not a solo endeavor. It is about forging a shared vision and focusing on the intended impact. Then identify a clear pathway to success that inspires commitment from all involved. “What is success going to look like? What will it mean for them? Can they see the way forward?” These questions, Larry Robertson explains, are essential in aligning your team’s effort with a shared goal.
Robertson Burns: Mission, Vision, Unique Value, and Distinction
When asked about Robertson Burns’s mission and the unique value it provides, Larry Robertson is deeply reflective yet precise: “Our business exists to help others succeed,” he says. “We help people become not just better leaders, but better people.”
Over its 30-plus year journey, Robertson Burns has built a leadership legacy based on service, mutuality and obligation. Larry emphasizes that true leadership is not confined to the workplace – it extends into families, communities and every sphere where influence and impact matter. Clients often share that, through working with Robertson Burns, they have become better spouses, parents and community contributors, not just better executives.
What truly sets Robertson Burns apart is its commitment to the whole person – helping clients align personal authenticity with professional effectiveness. Rather than offering cookie-cutter leadership models, in addition to critical and strategic thinking, Robertson Burns fosters self-awareness, humility, courage and emotional intelligence in current and future leaders, enabling them to inspire others naturally and meaningfully, and get results.
The Four Core Values of Robertson Burns:
- Aim true: Give my most and be my best, and help others do the same. Strength of character with the highest intent is paramount. Being true to myself and balancing the needs of the head with the wants of the heart is how I try to bring this to life.
- Show up: Make a real, lasting and worthwhile difference, and show others how. I must be generous of spirit if I am to influence and inspire others. Be there for them before myself, maintaining a positive mindset and doing what I say I will do.
- Live with conviction: Give 100 per cent to others and everything I do, every time. I am committed to my beliefs and must have the courage to say and do what’s right. Through my sincerity, clarity and confidence, I strive to empower those whom I am privileged to serve.
- Engage, excite, enthuse: Remind myself and others no one succeeds on their own. Humility and humour are attractive. The passion to deliver, with curiosity, compassion and creativity, is infectious. Getting on with it and achieving together is teamwork.
Larry Robertson likens leadership to team sports:
“Once the whistle blows, you’re on the field. It’s not about the captain scoring the goals; it’s about him or her enabling, encouraging and facilitating the team to play and win together.”
In short, Robertson Burns’s distinction lies not just in what they promote, but in how deeply they help leaders live it – creating authentic, resilient, purpose-driven leaders who make their mark wherever they go.
About Robertson Burns
Mission:
Robertson Burns exists to help people truly lead and succeed by making a worthwhile difference for themselves and for others. The firm strongly believes that leadership is about influencing, inspiring and making meaningful contributions wherever you are.
Vision:
The vision of Robertson Burns is to create a world with more engaged, enthusiastic and energized true leaders at every level. Leaders who inspire positive change and contribute to a better world in every corner.
Unique Services and Approach:
- True Leadership Development:
Robertson Burns doesn’t just create better business leaders – they help develop better people. They aim to enhance leadership in every part of life: work, family and community. - Holistic Impact:
Leadership is not just about authority; it’s about building trust, showing respect, having a clear purpose, and influencing and inspiring others to succeed. - Personal Transformation:
Clients often share that Robertson Burns helped them not just perform better at work but also at home. - Focus on Inform-Influence-Inspire:
Robertson Burns trains leaders to first inform (structure and share knowledge), then influence (create emotional connection and buy-in) and ultimately inspire (motivate action) others – an active process that truly drives leadership success.
What sets Robertson Burns apart:
- Purpose-driven from Day One:
Unlike many leadership firms that focus narrowly on business metrics, Robertson Burns integrates personal growth, authenticity and genuine human values into holistic leadership development. - Active, Valued Culture:
Their values are not just words on a wall – they are expressed as actions and are lived daily by both the firm and its clients. - 30+ Years of Impact:
Over three decades of feedback from around the world shows that Robertson Burns helps leaders not just grow businesses, but make a worthwhile difference for those around them. - Emphasis on Clarity and Humanity:
Clients are encouraged to bring their real selves to leadership – appropriately authentic depending on the situation – while maintaining focus, perspective and commitment.
The Open Letter
Dear Leader,
Look at life through the twin lenses of true leadership: clarity and humanity.
Clarity
Ask: Who am I? What do I believe in? What matters to me? What excites me? Equally important: What am I good at and not so good at? What does my success look like? Where and how can I make a meaningful difference?
Success is not just about meeting the requirements of a role or working the hours – it’s about asking yourself “What else?”, and finding alignment between your inner self and your external journey. Don’t be afraid to ask those around you for their honest feedback and encouragement. Understanding yourself deeply will provide the foundation for a purposeful and fulfilling life and career.
Humanity is about living your values and revealing your true self: your courage, humility, humor and empathy, as well as your smarts. Leadership isn’t just about leading tasks or achieving outcomes – it’s about connecting with people, valuing them, understanding their emotions and making them feel genuinely heard and respected. Humility is critical: know that you are not perfect, nor will you ever be. You won’t always have the answers and that’s okay. Learning never stops – and you learn most when you truly listen, not when you speak. Only then are you in a position to inform, influence and inspire yourself and those around you.
Larry’s advice:
Be clear about who you are and have the confidence in yourself to lead with both clarity and humanity.
When you bring out the best in yourself and others, you will also make a significant difference for yourself and others.
Looking Ahead – 2025 and Beyond
Robertson Burns, a boutique leadership consultancy, has made an impressive impact in over 30 countries across multiple continents.
Looking ahead, Larry Robertson’s vision is to stay nimble, agile and deeply committed to making a difference, rather than becoming a large multinational. The firm’s success, he emphasizes, is entirely measured by the success of its clients.
Larry’s focus remains on helping individuals and organizations foster engagement, enthusiasm and a sense of genuine purpose. He says true leadership starts with attitude and manifests in behaviour, every day – from senior executives to front-line supervisors – where every team member feels appreciated that their contribution matters.
For Robertson Burns, 2025 and beyond is about continuing to empower others, one meaningful connection at a time and upholding the clarity of purpose, human connection and commitment to excellence that have defined the company’s journey so far.
6 Key Takeaways from Larry Robertson’s leadership philosophy
- True Leadership is about Disposition, not Position: Leadership isn’t defined by a job title or authority. It’s about earning trust, building relationships with those around them and succeeding together.
- The Importance of Communication: Communication is fundamental to leadership success. Leaders must make the effort to connect, ensuring that people are listening, engaged and motivated to follow.
- Mutual Trust, Respect and Purpose are essential: The foundation of every successful leadership strategy lies in these three core principles. They create unified followers who are aligned around a shared vision.
- Leadership extends beyond the Business Environment: True leaders don’t just impact the workplace. Their influence impacts their personal lives, families and communities.
- Authenticity is Key to Long-Term Success: Successful leaders must be authentic, humble and courageous, and foster an environment where people can believe in themselves, collaborate with each other and grow together.
- Observe the Law of Reciprocity: What leaders give, they tend to receive. If you are committed to give others your all, you are more likely to gain their commitment too.
