The book · LID Publishing · February 2027
Becoming More
Leading with Clarity, Character and Quiet Impact
For everyone who has ever felt unseen, underestimated or overlooked.
—days until publication
About the book
A book about growth that does not announce itself.
Most books about leadership are written for people who already feel like leaders. Becoming More starts with the person who does good work quietly, suspects they are capable of more, and is not sure anyone has noticed.
Drawing on a journey from banking in Nigeria to leadership in the NHS and London government, it argues that becoming more is not about becoming louder. It is about clarity, character and steady contribution, and about helping the people around you grow too.
Watch
Why I wrote Becoming More.
A short film in which Ayo talks about the people the book was written for, the journey behind it and what he hopes readers will take from it.
Why I wrote it
For the people who stay smaller than they are.
For most of my career I have watched capable people stay smaller than they are — not for lack of talent, but for lack of exposure, encouragement or someone willing to open a door. I have been that person too.
Becoming More is my attempt to turn more than 25 years of experience, mistakes, growth and reflection into something useful: an honest account of what actually helps people, teams and organisations grow.
Who it is for
Written with three readers in mind.
- People who have ever felt unseen, underestimated or overlooked.
- Leaders who believe their responsibility is not simply to achieve more themselves, but to help others become more too.
- Anyone starting again — in a new country, a new sector or a new season of life.
What you’ll discover
Four parts.
Why do some people grow while others remain stuck? How do we unlock our full potential? What role do exposure and opportunity play?
- Part IThe Inner Work of BecomingWhere growth starts: self-knowledge, the stories we carry about what we are capable of, and the character that everything else is built on.
- Part IILeading People with HumanityWhat it means to be responsible for others, and how to hold high standards and real care at the same time.
- Part IIIVisibility, Courage and ResponsibilityStepping forward when it would be easier to stay unseen, and using whatever platform you have for more than yourself.
- Part IVBecoming MoreBringing it together: growth as a lifelong practice, and the obligation to help other people grow too.
Written from practice
Grounded in lived leadership, not theory.
Some of what colleagues and stakeholders have said about the leadership behind the book.
Your investment in people has shaped many careers, mine included.
The mix of doing the work to the best standards and helping people around you to do their best work is a heady one.
Your impact on both people and programmes will be felt long after you’ve gone.
There are not many leaders out there who can make so many people feel seen, valued, appreciated and supported.
Becoming More is not built on theory alone. It draws on more than twenty-five years of leadership across banking, healthcare, public service and community leadership, and the experiences of those who shared that journey.
Praise for Becoming More
What early readers are saying.
Endorsement to follow.
Endorsement to follow.
Endorsement to follow.
Sample chapter
Read the opening before you buy.
A free sample chapter will be available ahead of publication. Leave your email and it will be sent to you as soon as it is released.
Pre-order
Where to buy.
Available to pre-order now, for publication in February 2027.
About the author
Ayo Akande’s career has taken him from banking in Nigeria to rebuilding in the UK, and on to leadership across the NHS and London government. He is co-founder of Connect4Better (Cee4Bee). Becoming More is his first book.
Beyond the book
The book is one part of a wider platform.
- 01
Advisory
For leaders navigating transformation, delivery risk and organisational change.
Start a conversation → - 02
Executive Leadership
Interim and permanent leadership roles delivering high consequence outcomes.
Get in touch → - 03
Speaking
Keynotes grounded in practice and delivery.
See the talks → - 04
Cee4Bee
Closing the exposure gap through connection, exposure and opportunity.
The Cee4Bee story →
The wider work
Part of a wider leadership framework.
The ideas explored in Becoming More connect to a wider body of work around leadership, human development and performance. Together they explore how people, teams, systems and opportunities become more.
February 2027
Be first to know when pre-orders open.
Leave your email and you will hear as soon as Becoming More is available to pre-order.
Would you like Ayo to discuss Becoming More at your event? Get in touch
