Legacy – A Neurodiverse Perspective on Leadership, Mindset and Purpose
- Kirsty Heap
Book review by Kirsty Heap
Reading Legacy by James Kerr was a slower process for me than usual. As someone who is neurodivergent, I found the small font size and tight line spacing tricky to navigate – often needing a ruler to stay on the correct line. However, once I adjusted and gave myself the space and tools to read in a way that worked for me, I found the book incredibly rewarding. It reminded me of how often, in a neurotypical world, small adjustments can make a big difference – and how important it is to offer flexibility for all kinds of minds.
That said, once I got into it, this book spoke to me on so many levels.
At its heart, Legacy is about mindset – a theme that comes up time and time again in the books I read and the work I do. James Kerr uses the All Blacks, New Zealand’s elite rugby team, to explore what makes a team not just successful, but deeply respected. The Haka – is more than tradition. It represents presence, identity, unity, and energy. For me, that translates powerfully into business: what energy are we bringing into our work? What identity are we showing up with?
One of the most moving metaphors in the book is how the All Blacks sweep the dressing room after each match. No matter their status, they clean up after themselves. This simple act holds so much power. It’s about humility, staying grounded, and remembering that no task is beneath you. In business, this is the same as hearing and valuing every employee’s voice – showing that everyone matters. As I was taught growing up, “don’t ask someone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself.” That ethic shapes everything I do.
The book also unpacks the idea of chasing improvement, not perfection. After every win, the All Blacks still reflect: what could we do better next time? That resonated deeply with me. In business and in life, it’s not about achieving flawlessness – it’s about keeping the momentum of growth. I often say that perfection doesn’t exist, but progress absolutely does.
I particularly loved the quote by Owen Eastwood:
Performance = Capacity + Behaviour
This reminded me that developing people – their skills, mindset, and environment – is crucial. Training, coaching, and CPD aren’t optional extras; they’re part of the foundations that support sustainable performance. When people feel supported, seen and invested in, they grow. It’s as true in sport as it is in the workplace.You don’t have to work it all out on your own. What helps many of my clients is having someone to listen without judgment, who asks the right questions to help them gain clarity on what it is that they want, allowing them to problem-solve challenges themselves.
If you’re sceptical about coaching, perhaps it’s all a bit too mysterious or dark art in your opinion, then I’m going to shed a little light on what it is that I do. I want to share with you some of the strategies I use myself and with my clients to paint a clearer picture as to what coaching is, and specifically what it’s like to work with me.
Another part that stood out to me was about action. Will Hogg wrote:
“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is a nightmare.”
I see this every day in my coaching practice. So many people have big dreams, but without a roadmap or support to take action, they stay just that – dreams. It’s been a privilege through coaching to help people turn those dreams into reality.
Legacy also delves into the phases of learning, growth and decline. Charles Handy describes how, in the learning phase, things dip – just like when you’re learning to ride a bike. You wobble before you gain balance. This insight reminds us to be patient with ourselves and our teams. We can’t grow without first going through the discomfort of learning.
While Handy talks about exiting at the top, I believe as a sole trader that it’s more about re-strategising. When we plateau or need change, we don’t always have to exit – sometimes we need to diversify, shift, or find passive income routes to free ourselves up. It’s about adapting, not quitting.
Charles Darwin’s quote also struck me:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”
In a fast-moving world, this couldn’t be more true. Responding to change with agility – rather than resisting it – is key to sustainability, especially as a neurodivergent entrepreneur.
The book repeatedly affirms that leaders are learners. Whether you’re a CEO or just starting out, there’s always something new to discover – especially from those whose voices are too often overlooked. Learning doesn’t have an age limit or a hierarchy. And marginal gains matter: like how British cycling champion Bradley Wiggins had his own bed moved to each Tour de France stop to optimise his performance. 1% changes, done consistently, make all the difference.
The concept of whānau – working as one – is also powerful. Whether in sport or in business, unity is strength. I often think of a flock of kawau (shags) flying in V-formation: each bird takes a turn leading, while others benefit from the uplift. It’s a model for collaborative, empathetic leadership.
Legacy also reinforced for me that high expectations are okay. I’ve often been told I set my bar too high – but this book reminded me that many successful leaders do have high internal benchmarks. It helped me trust my own instincts.
The importance of rituals was another key takeaway. Rituals ground us. They make beliefs feel real. Whether it’s journaling, repeating affirmations, or visualising goals, these habits strengthen our resolve and keep our intentions alive.
The final, and possibly most beautiful message of the book, was this:
You don’t own the jersey. You’re just the body in it – and your job is to leave it better than you found it.
This echoes everything I strive for. I don’t “own” the work I do in neurodiversity advocacy – I am simply holding the jersey for a while, and I am part of a team of us doing this. My goal is to leave this world a more understanding, more compassionate place for neurodivergent individuals. I may be one small cog in a big machine, but every cog matters.
Legacy is more than a book about rugby. It’s a book about life, about values, about purpose. From a neurodivergent perspective, it’s a reminder that excellence looks different for everyone – and that mindset, humility, growth and unity are accessible to us all.