In today’s episode, I’m joined by Nigel Cumberland — leadership coach, co-founder of The Silk Road Partnership, and author of several bestselling books including 100 Things Successful Leaders Do.

Nigel and I get into:

The pivotal conversation that helped him redefine who he was
His early career as a very young finance director
Why mistakes became his greatest teachers
Imposter syndrome & how he learned to handle it
Culture clashes and the importance of understanding differences
The evolution of leadership across decades
Why leadership starts with self-awareness
Leadership beyond titles — influencing in everyday life
Why leaders today are more overwhelmed than ever
His framework: Grounded • Connected • Purposeful
The biggest thing leaders need to unlearn
The one leadership principle he believes changes everything
The hidden cost of poor leadership
How leaders can stay human in a very digital world

This is an honest, insightful, deeply human conversation about leadership — the kind that helps you rethink the way you show up in your work and life.

Links from the Episode

Nigel’s Website

👉 https://nigelcumberland.com/

Nigel’s Books

👉 https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nigel-Cumberland/author/B0034P71X2

LinkedIn Learning Courses

👉 https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/nigel-cumberland

Speaking Enquiries

👉 https://www.wsb.com/speakers/nigel-cumberland/

00:00 Intro

01:04 The conversation that changed Nigel’s life

04:30 Resetting your identity after a big career shift

05:53 Mistakes that shaped him as a young leader

09:10 Imposter syndrome in early leadership roles

10:50 Culture clashes and understanding differences

14:05 Why self-awareness matters more than ever

16:40 Leadership beyond titles and formal roles

18:50 Role modelling at home and at work

19:22 The rise of empowerment in leadership

20:00 Helping people see themselves as leaders

23:00 Leadership in a disrupted, digital world

24:30 Grounded, Connected, Purposeful framework

29:44 What leaders struggle with most today

30:50 What people crave in leaders

34:21 Leading with a full tank: self-care and burnout

38:09 The most important principle healthy leaders live by

41:20 When bad leaders survive — and why they shouldn't

42:26 Closing thoughts

The best growth often starts with a meaningful conversation — thank you for being part of this one.

KYU Space.3: The Man from the Desert Star