Conversations That Grow The 3 Qualities Every Leader Needs in a Chaotic World
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.