Skills Transfer Bias: When Leaders Bring the Wrong Job to the Right Role

Some leaders change jobs but forget to change mindsets.

• Donald Trump attempted to run the U.S. like a property empire—proposing to “acquire” territories like Canada and Greenland. Less presidential, more property tycoon.
• Keir Starmer, with his QC background, often seems more focused on interpreting the law than changing it—a fine lawyer, but as Prime Minister, does he need to lead like one?
• Angela Rayner, with deep union roots, brings passion to workers' rights—but now, as Deputy Prime Minister, she risks crafting policy through the lens of a union negotiator, not a national strategist.

These aren’t criticisms—they're reminders. Even the most capable leaders can fall into the trap of skills transfer bias: assuming what worked in one role will work just as well in another, without adapting to the new context.

In M&A, this is especially relevant when preparing a second-tier management team for a transaction. Buyers look beyond the founder or CEO—they want confidence that the business can thrive without them. But if the second tier has legacy mindsets, hesitant to lead, or too reliant on how things “used to be,” it raises red flags.

Developing a transaction-ready team means building a layer of leadership that’s:

• Aligned with strategic growth, not just operational legacy
• Willing to step up, not just support
• Adaptable to change, not defined by the past

Because when the deal closes, buyers aren't just acquiring numbers—they're investing in people who can take the business forward.