Gary Lineker versus the BBC. A case study in creative leadership

Send us Fan MailThis podcast is written for use as a mini-case in creative leadership. The news headlines for the past week have been dominated by a dispute between the BBC superstar football broadcaster Gary Lineker and his employers.To be more precise,  Gary is a contracted freelance broadcaster not a permanent member of staff. This is a detail which may have added a complication to what is already a complex case.Other figures who became involved were the Director General of the BBC, Tim Davie; the chairman of the BBC board, Richard Sharp; the Home Secretary: Suella Braverman; and the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.A critical event which makes a convenient starting point is a tweet by Gary Lineker strongly condemning the language and content of the immigration bill being introduced into Parliament by the Home Secretary Suella Braverman. He described the bill as immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people, and in language ‘that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s’ As was inevitable, his tweet produced a storm of discussion both for and against his tweet. His supporters broadly took the free speech argument . Opponents claimed he had himself deployed hate speech, by describing the government as operating with the methods of the Nazis.The consequences are examined as a case example of creative leadership.Stay up-to-date with all of Tudor's podcasts, blogs and current affairs commentary by signing up to our newsletter! Email [email protected] to sign up!Follow Tudor on Twitter @TudortweetFollow Tudor's blogs:everydaycreativity.ukleaderswedeserve.wordpress.com