Why I'm So Passionate About Leadership

People often ask me why I'm so passionate about leadership. The answer is simple. Because I've seen firsthand what great leadership can do, and I've seen the damage poor leadership leaves behind.

Over the past decade, I've worked in senior leadership roles across a range of industries, leading teams through growth, transformation, restructures, crises, and change. I've had the privilege of leading hundreds & hundreds of people, mentoring emerging leaders, and helping organisations improve performance and culture. But what has stayed with me most isn't the projects, the budgets, or the business results. It's the people.

I've watched talented, capable people lose confidence because of poor leadership. I've seen workplaces where trust disappeared, communication broke down, and good people left because they no longer felt valued.

I've also seen the opposite.

I've watched leaders bring out the absolute best in their teams. I've seen confidence grow, careers flourish, and workplaces become environments where people felt safe, respected, and motivated to do great work. The difference wasn't intelligence. It wasn't experience. It wasn't personality. It was leadership.

What surprised me most throughout my career was how many new leaders were expected to simply "figure it out." They were promoted because they were exceptional at their job, handed a team, and suddenly expected to coach, motivate, influence, manage conflict, deliver feedback, navigate change, and build culture, often with little or no training. Then surprise, surprise, we wonder why they struggle.

And unfortunately, the research tells the same story.

According to the Centre for Creative Leadership, 60% of first-time leaders receive little or no formal leadership training before stepping into their role. More than a quarter don't feel ready to lead, and many are already doubting themselves before they've even had a chance to succeed.

That isn't a leadership problem. It's a support problem.

Somewhere along the way, we've created the belief that becoming a manager automatically means you'll know how to lead. Let me assure you, it doesn't. Leadership is a skill. Like any skill, it needs to be learned, practised, refined, and continually developed.

The other thing I've learned is that leadership isn't about having all the answers.

It's about creating an environment where other people can do their best work.

The best leaders I've worked with weren't perfect. They didn't always make the right decision. They weren't the smartest person in the room.

What made them exceptional was their willingness to listen, admit mistakes, learn continuously, and genuinely care about the people they led. They created trust. They communicated honestly. They remained calm under pressure. They took accountability. And most importantly, they treated people with respect, especially when things became difficult.

Those are the leaders people remember.

Throughout my own career, I've made plenty of mistakes. I've had difficult conversations I wish I'd handled differently. I've made decisions I'd change with the benefit of hindsight. I've experienced imposter syndrome, questioned myself, and wondered whether I'd done enough. Those moments didn't make me a poor leader. They made me a better one. Because every mistake became an opportunity to learn. Those experiences are also why I created my business.

Everything I develop, whether it's my coaching, self-paced leadership programs, workshops, leadership assessments, or my book How Not to Be a Shit Leader, exists for one reason: To help leaders avoid learning everything the hard way.

I want aspiring, first-time, and newly promoted leaders to have the practical guidance I wish more people had access to earlier in their careers.

Not another leadership theory. Not another corporate buzzword. Real-world advice based on lived experience that works when you're under pressure. Advice that helps you build trust. Lead difficult conversations. Navigate conflict. Give meaningful feedback. Develop confidence.

I want people to become the kind of leader people genuinely want to follow.

Because leadership isn't measured by your job title. It's measured by how people feel after they've worked with you.

Did they feel heard?

Did they feel respected?

Did they grow?

Did they feel safe enough to contribute?

Did they leave believing they were capable of more than they thought?

That's the legacy of great leadership.

It's also why I believe the first 90 days in any new leadership role are so important. Those early months set the tone for everything that follows. They're when confidence is built, habits are formed, and trust begins to grow.

Support leaders during that period, and you don't just improve individual performance, you shape stronger teams, healthier cultures, and better organisations. At the heart of everything I do is one simple belief.

Leadership changes lives. A great leader can transform someone's confidence, career, wellbeing, and future. And a poor leader can do exactly the opposite.

That's why I'm passionate about leadership.

Because when leaders grow, everyone around them benefits. Teams become stronger. Workplaces become healthier. People perform at their best. And organisations become places where people genuinely want to work.

If I can help even one leader avoid becoming the kind of leader they'd never want to work for, then everything I've built has been worth it. After all, the world doesn't need more managers. It needs more leaders worth following.