Are you leading like a Faithful, or behaving like a Traitor?
Forget trust falls, team away days, and the dreaded icebreakers, if you want to see leadership, strategy, and human behaviour under pressure, head straight for the Scottish castle at the heart of The Traitors.
This reality show has quietly become a masterclass in leadership psychology and we’re big fans here at Ascento. Beyond the candlelight and Claudia Winkleman’s excellent wardrobe lies every challenge today’s leaders face: managing perception, forming alliances, handling pressure, and maintaining trust when the stakes are high.
So, what can managers, mentors and modern leaders learn from The Traitors?
And more importantly - are you leading like a Faithful, or acting like a Traitor?
Strategy Under Pressure
Each night, the Traitors meet in the turret to choose who to “murder”. They don’t act randomly; they plan meticulously, weighing personalities, alliances, and sentiment - it’s essentially SWOT analysis by candlelight.
It’s strategy in action. Great leaders think the same way (probably minus the cloaks). They pause to see the bigger picture, reading the landscape before making a move.
Faithful leaders analyse to strengthen the system: proactive, outward-looking and focused on the bigger picture.
Traitor leaders analyse to protect themselves: defensive, reactive and driven by fear.
Strategic thinking isn’t about fear; it’s about looking forward; anticipating what’s ahead while staying connected to the people beside you.
Alliances and Influence
In the Traitors’ castle, survival depends on alliances. They can be steadfast or fickle, genuine or tactical. The Traitors is, at its heart, a case study in stakeholder management - a reminder that leadership runs on trust and relationships, not titles or authority.
We’ve seen how alliances can make or break players. In Series 2, Harry’s calm authority won loyalty and control, gradually overtaking fellow Traitor Paul - a reminder that leadership isn’t claimed through dominance or confidence, but earned through trust and perception.
Fast forward to Celebrity Traitors, and Alan Carr is stealing the show. Carr combines mischief with strategy, deflecting suspicion with humour while quietly steering conversations his way.
But alliances, whether in the castle or the workplace, are fragile. Once traitorish behaviour creeps in, secrecy, self-protection or selective honesty, people sense it instantly. Suspicion spreads quickly, and even high performers retreat into self-preservation.
Faithful leaders build alliances through respect and honesty. They’re open, inclusive and approachable - the very qualities that underpin high-performing teams.
Traitor leaders build alliances through charm and convenience - superficially engaging others while concealing their true agenda.
Only one type earns long-term trust.
Operational Leadership
In the challenges, the Faithfuls either succeed or fail based on one thing: operational clarity. When tasks are well planned, roles clearly defined, and communication steady, they perform brilliantly - just like high-performing teams in the workplace, which blend different strengths, as Belbin identified in his team roles model.
But when people chase glory or ignore feedback, chaos reigns. And when one person goes rogue (Claire Balding, we’re looking at you pulling that lever), the whole team’s performance suffers.
It’s the same in the workplace. Operational excellence is about balance, creating enough structure to maintain focus, but enough flexibility to adapt when things change.
Faithful leaders delegate, empower and adjust.
Traitor leaders, by contrast, focus on control and self-preservation; their decisions are shaped more by self interest than by developing the team.
Good planning builds confidence. Great planning builds capability.
Communication - Managing Perception
At the Round Table, every glance, pause, and raised eyebrow is analysed. Even silence can be suspicious. A moment’s hesitation, too-polished an explanation, or a rehearsed answer can shift the mood of the entire group.
The Faithfuls rely on non-verbal cues to separate truth from deception. They notice crossed arms, averted eyes, nervous laughter; all subtle tells that echo what happens in real teams. It’s leadership through observation, and it demands emotional intelligence, empathy, and self-awareness.
Faithful leaders communicate clearly and consistently. They share context early, especially when uncertainty rises, and they listen as much as they speak.
Traitor leaders communicate reactively - only when they must, and often too late. They manage information instead of sharing it, eroding trust in the process.
In fast-moving environments, openness isn’t optional; it’s essential. Like the Faithfuls around the Round Table, effective leaders know that transparency and tone set the foundation for trust.
Ethics and the Weight of Decision-Making
One of the series’ most memorable moral moments came when Alan Carr was forced to “murder” his friend Paloma Faith. He laughed, deflected, and joked his way through it, but it was evident how uncomfortable he was.
It mirrored what real-world leaders face: difficult decisions that pit relationships against responsibility.
Faithful leaders handle those moments with honesty and empathy, explaining the reasoning, acknowledging the impact, and taking responsibility for outcomes.
Traitor leaders hide behind process, letting systems do the talking.
Ethical leadership doesn’t remove discomfort; it manages it with dignity.
Reflection and Emotional Intelligence
After each round table, contestants relive every conversation; who looked away, who stayed quiet, who smiled too soon. It’s chaotic but instructive: reflection in real time.
Celia Imrie offered one of the best examples of this. After admitting to Jonathan Ross that she’d initially suspected him, she later told the camera she needed to “ignore his deliciousness” and trust her instincts next time. It was a playful but telling moment of self-awareness - recognising how her personal bias and charisma could cloud her judgement. Great leaders do this deliberately. They analyse not just results but reactions: What did I assume? Who did I overlook? How did my behaviour affect the outcome?
Faithful leaders reflect to improve.
Traitor leaders reflect to justify.
True reflection turns experience into progress; without it, you risk repeating mistakes that could ultimately be your downfall.
Leadership’s Secret Weapon - Humour
Alan Carr’s one liners have made him the star of The Celebrity Traitors. From teasing Tom Daley’s suspicion of Kate Garraway’s use of the word “flabbergasted” (“You can’t call someone a Traitor just because they’ve got a better vocabulary!”) his humour cuts through the tension. Celia Imrie matches his humour - eccentric, unfiltered and unashamedly herself.
They both prove that humour and authenticity are powerful leadership tools. Used well, they build psychological safety - the sense that people can speak up, disagree, or even fail without fear. Shared laughter doesn’t distract from the task; it strengthens it. The ability to make people laugh, ease tension, and connect across differences is one of the most underrated leadership skills there is - building trust faster than strategy ever could.
Faithful leaders use humour to connect and uplift - to make others feel at ease, included, and valued.
Traitor leaders use humour to deflect, disguise or dominate - masking discomfort or undermining others to stay in control.
The difference is intent: one builds trust and inclusion, the other creates division and doubt.
The Real Lesson - Faithful Leadership Wins in the Long Run
The Traitors might reward deceit, but in leadership, trust is what really matters.
From Harry’s calm composure to Paul’s overconfidence, from Linda’s warmth to Carr and Imrie’s chaotic brilliance, the series continues to remind us that success is never just about intellect or status - it’s about how people feel in your presence.
Faithful leaders make people feel safe, seen and supported.
Traitor leaders make them feel small, nervous or excluded.
Real leadership, like the Faithfuls, is rooted in self-awareness, integrity and inclusion - behaviours that inspire confidence and belonging. It’s about taking responsibility, communicating openly, and creating a culture where people can thrive, not just survive.
So before your next big decision, meeting or strategy session, ask yourself:
Am I leading like a Faithful or playing like a Traitor?
Because in the castle, as in the workplace, it’s not just about winning the game; it’s about earning trust, securing your team’s buy-in, and building loyalty. That’s what makes success last.
