What does it actually mean when the buck stops with you?

When you run the business, every decision – good or bad – comes back to you. In this activity you'll hear from an entrepreneur who learned that real leadership means surrounding yourself with people who are better than you.

This activity is designed to be flexible and can be used as follows:

  • During a lesson - 30 minutes. Students work in pairs and then share their reflections with the rest of the class.
  • During tutor time - 20 minutes. Students watch the video independently and then discuss one of the topics together.
  • As homework - Students watch the video on their own and complete the reflection at their own pace.

This activity supports the following frameworks:

  • Gatsby Benchmark 5
  • PSHE Association KS3 codes L5, L11
  • PSHE Association KS4 codes L8

1. Before you start

Take a moment to think about the following question:

  • If you were in charge of a business and something went wrong, who would be responsible? What do you think that kind of pressure would feel like?

If you're working with a partner or team, share and compare your thoughts before continuing.

2. Watch the video

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James Stanley - Entrepreneur

James is the co-founder and CEO of a health and wellbeing startup. He builds teams, works with investors, and deals with a different challenge every day. He says being an entrepreneur means you're in the driver's seat - but it also means all the risk and responsibility sit with you.

While watching the video, listen for the following:

  • What does James say is the worst thing about being an entrepreneur - and why does he say it also keeps him driven?
  • What story does James tell about presenting a prize, and what did it teach him about leadership?

3. Reflect and discuss

First, add a personal reflection based on the following:

  • What is one thing from James's description of entrepreneurship that you hadn't thought about before?

Next, think about the following and discuss with your partner or group:

  • James says "the buck stops with you" - all the risk, all the responsibility. He calls it both the hardest and the most motivating part of his job. Would that kind of pressure drive you or put you off? Why?
  • James was on stage presenting a cheque because "a thousand people delivered amazing things underneath me." He says he surrounds himself with people who are better than him at their own thing. What does that tell you about what leadership actually looks like compared to what people assume?
  • James wishes someone had told him to understand his network earlier - from school friends to university contacts to first colleagues. A family friend taught him to always remember something personal about the people he meets. Why do you think relationships matter as much as skills when it comes to building a career?