What Executive Teams Can Learn from Start-Up Thinking (Even in Legacy Organisations)

It’s easy to assume that start-up culture and legacy organisations live on opposite ends of the business spectrum. One moves fast and breaks things. The other follows process and protects reputation. But as more transformation projects stall, stretch or miss their targets, it’s worth asking: are we missing a trick?

Because when we talk to senior leaders in both public and private sectors, the appetite for change is clear. They know transformation isn’t optional anymore. It’s expected. What’s less clear is how to cut through the inertia that often surrounds large-scale change.

Here’s the good news. You don’t need to act like a start-up to think like one. And often, it’s executive teams who can lead the way by shifting how their organisations approach risk, delivery, and most importantly, people.

So, what does start-up thinking actually mean?

It’s not about beanbags or buzzwords. It’s a mindset. One that values agility over hierarchy, iteration over perfection, and rapid learning over drawn-out planning. Start-ups build quickly, test with real users, and adjust as they go. They get things wrong all the time, but they learn fast and get to what works faster.

For legacy organisations, especially those leading complex transformation programmes, there’s a lot to take from this.

The reality in most established organisations — whether that’s a government department or a decades-old FTSE company — is that change is hard. Bureaucracy, siloed teams, and a fear of failure can all slow things down. Add rigid hiring structures and cautious governance, and even the most well-funded transformation programmes can lose momentum.

Start-ups don’t have the luxury of slow. That’s why they rely on small, cross-functional teams. They launch minimum viable products instead of waiting for a polished final version. They keep customer feedback front and centre. And they allow teams to make decisions without waiting for layers of approval.

That may sound impossible in a large, risk-sensitive organisation, but it isn’t. We’ve seen public sector teams make it work. The UK’s Government Digital Service (GDS) is a great example. They changed how digital services are designed and delivered by introducing agile methods, bringing in digital and design talent from outside government, and making user needs the focus from day one.

We’ve seen this thinking in action in the private sector too. One of our clients, a traditional financial institution, launched an internal digital venture to compete with newer players. They gave the new team autonomy and hired talent from outside the banking sector. The result was a customer-first product delivered at start-up speed, but within the structure of a legacy organisation.

This isn’t about copying start-ups. It’s about adapting their mindset in a way that works for your organisation. That could mean giving teams more space to experiment. Or creating fast feedback loops so decisions are based on evidence, not assumptions. Or empowering leaders at all levels to act, not just escalate.

It also means rethinking how you bring people into your organisation. Start-ups thrive because they attract people who are comfortable with ambiguity, who move quickly, and who care deeply about solving problems. Legacy organisations can attract the same kind of talent — but it often requires a more flexible and strategic approach to hiring.

That’s where Malikshaw comes in.

We help organisations access the people who can drive transformation forward. From agile delivery managers and product leads to programme directors and digital specialists, we work with public and private sector clients to build teams that get results. Teams that bring in fresh thinking, challenge the status quo, and help legacy organisations move like modern ones.

If you're facing a big change programme or looking to inject new energy into your transformation team, let's talk. You don’t have to become a start-up to benefit from start-up thinking.

Need a partner who understands transformation and knows how to build the right team?
We’d love to help. Get in touch and let’s talk about what you’re building next.
Contact Malikshaw today.