ACCOUNTABILITY
IN THE NEW ERA
By Neil Murphy — The Takeaway Teacher
The Truth About the "What I Can Get Away With" Culture
How leaders will seriously be tested in the new era of accountability — and the case for considering franchise models
After 30 years in business, sales, marketing, leadership, recruitment, and HR disputes, I have seen a major cultural shift. The old mindset of build, grow, win, and become the best you can be is being replaced in too many workplaces by something smaller: do just enough to keep the job.
In the UK, that shift is happening alongside rising tribunal claims, with 531,000 open claims at the end of March 2026 and 11,857 single claims received in Q4 2025/26, up 58% year-on-year.
For business leaders, especially sales managers and directors, this creates a serious challenge. The wrong hire costs time, money, morale, and momentum, and poor performance can quickly turn into a management burden that feels more like babysitting than business building.
In the UK, the real cost of a poor hire can exceed £30,000 once recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity are counted.
That is why hiring the right people has never been more important in sales, marketing, advertising, and growth-led businesses.
The quality of the recruit shapes the quality of the result, and the quality of the result shapes the quality of the culture.
How people join a business often shapes how they leave it, and weak fit usually becomes expensive fit.
This is where franchising starts to matter. I have personally been involved in two franchising ventures — one unsuccessful and one highly successful — and I learned that franchising can create a stronger ownership mindset.
When people have skin in the game, they think differently, work differently, and behave more like business owners than employees.
For leaders who genuinely care about their teams, that matters.
Franchising is not risk-free, but in the right model it can reduce supervision, raise accountability, and create a more entrepreneurial culture.
In a world where the old employment model is being tested, that may be a serious business opportunity worth considering.
— Neil Murphy, The Takeaway Teacher
About the Author
Meet Neil Murphy
Neil Murphy
The Takeaway Teacher
Neil Murphy is a seasoned sales expert, trainer, and entrepreneur with 30+ years experience helping businesses thrive in competitive, cut-throat markets.
He has coached hundreds of salespeople and mentored numerous business owners in sales, marketing, negotiation, business presentations, and new technology.
Neil is an in-demand recruiter and headhunter, respected and known for building high-performing sales teams. He’s also skilled in franchising ventures as well as raising venture capital to scale businesses.
His client portfolio includes Mercedes-Benz, Ralph Lauren, Royal Insurance, Western Provident Association, and hundreds of hospitality venues and restaurants across the UK.
His ability to adapt and innovate with new trends and technology is demonstrated by applying AI in all aspects of business — to his own ventures and other businesses — to drive growth, sales and efficiency.
He has also embraced the global power of podcasts, both as an educational and learning tool, and as an expert podcast interviewer himself.
Neil is a published author with numerous books available on Amazon. His newest publication — Daytime Takeaway Profits — draws on decades of expertise to help takeaway and catering businesses maximize their daytime sales and better expand their market reach.
When not advising businesses or writing, Neil enjoys football, UFC and spending quality time with his family.
Talk to Neil About Leadership, Hiring and Franchising
If you are serious about building a stronger, more accountable team, let's have a conversation.
07831 571890 · neil@deckchairai.com
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