Get to Know Us: James Leggett

In the first of our new Meet the Team interviews, we talk to Managing Director James Leggett and find out what drives him – and what he’s driving!

How would you summarise your career and what has led you to where you are today?

I joined MTM in 2008 as a Junior Analyst.  My parents had seen an advert in a window and thought it looked like a good job for me. My passion for complex analytics and automation quickly led me up the ladder to the point where I had to leave MTM for a year. There wasn’t a higher role for me and instead I worked with the Norfolk and Norwich Health Service as a Data Analyst. Then I came back to MTM, where I headed up the Research Team developing the tools and the team around me, whilst in a client-facing role.

In 2015, Melanie retired – she lost her husband the year before, so it was perhaps not unexpected.  As a team we were all waiting for something to happen. That provided me with the perfect opportunity to lead the business forward. It’s never an easy path, and going from working as junior to some staff, to then being their boss was a challenge for everybody involved. However, my continued passion, and drive to build the best product possible, is what holds us in such good stead today.

Tell us a bit about your own school experience?

I went to a very small preparatory school called Eversley School in Southwold.  I was also a chorister in the local church at the time. At the age of nine, I moved to Norwich School.  There I was a chorister in the cathedral from the age of nine until 14. I completed my A levels at Norwich school, had a gap year as a roustabout on a sheep farm in Australia and then went on to complete a music technology degree at the University of Hull. Music has always allowed me to combine creativity with problem-solving.  This always been a good balance for me. I had two great music teachers who always inspired me.  Those teachers and my grandfather have made me who I am today.

What are the values that drive your leadership at MTM Consulting?

In any business, and MTM is no different, relationships with people are the most important thing, be those with your staff or with your clients. Being fair to everyone, open and honest at all times, is the lead principle I’ve stuck by. I’m honoured to work with some exceptional individuals.  In most cases, it’s that fairness and diligence that really are the shared principles, which is why we work so well together. When you have good staff, empowering them to have the confidence to take responsibility for their own work is something that has worked well for us.

The concept of ‘fair’ is something that we’ve always discussed internally and externally.  Sometimes that means telling people things they don’t want to know or to hear.  But if you don’t tell them, you’re actually being unfair. They’ve got to know the truth to make evidence-based decisions. There’s always a way of couching these things appropriately.

As a team, we’ve always been innovative, looking for new and better ways to do the same thing to improve the outcomes for everyone. When you’re on that journey, you’re constantly learning. There are always new things around the corner and we have to understand how they work and whether there is a benefit there or not.

What is something that school leaders have to deal with that you want to help fix?

Knowing where your business will be in three or five years is on the mind of every business leader.  It’s okay having good pupil numbers now, but how do you know they’ll be secure for the future? Parents at this level are particularly fickle. It doesn’t take a lot for them to be either attracted by the next shiny thing or spooked by a rumour. Of course, there are a number of schools where their brand will carry them. For those that are not in such a fortunate position, we’re here to help.

What do you see in MTM Consulting’s future?

I’d love to see more schools have the confidence to use MTM and for us to be their first point of call, safe in the knowledge that we can help them to achieve their goals. We can’t deny the next few years will be challenging for the independent education sector and for other education sectors.  The birth rate contraction, combined with a difficult economic landscape, will have an impact. So the more ways that we can help support schools and reduce the stress of the leadership team the better!

Top 3 favourite books or podcasts?

I don’t actually read books or listen to podcasts, really. Occasionally I listen to business self-help books in the car. But I’m not a big reader unless it’s a classic or sports car magazine!

What is your secret ambition?

I’ve always been an open book, so no secret ambitions here. I’ve enjoyed travelling and exploring so I’d love to do more of that. Particularly in a classic Alfa Romeo – now that would be a real adventure.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

When I’m not at work, I love spending time with the family, my wife, two kids, and the dog.  Motorsports is also a love of mine. I compete regularly in my MG ZR which I’ve built into a road rally car and I’m building a classic Alfa Romeo in the garage. Also I am a massive map geek, so I navigate road rallies across the UK.

Oh, and there’s all my music of course. I still play piano, drums, and guitar, and I’m learning the violin!

To see who else makes up the MTM Team, don’t forget to check out the About Us section.