The Priority Academy

As the Owner, Trainer and Coach at The Priority Academy, I run a varied business that helps individuals and businesses. Whether that be to train as a Coach or as a Mental & Emotional Health Coach for businesses who support their employees.

Founder, Trainer and Coach

ExecOnline

As a Leadership Coach with ExecOnline I coach executives and leaders of global businesses, supporting them to achieve their key personal and business goals.

ExecOnline Leadership Coach

Graham Nicholls Strategic Coaching & Training

Strategic Life Coach, Trainer, Author

Priority Intervention Coaching

Results & Success Coaching
Anxiety, Depression & Stress Recovery

Professional Coach - Results Coaching, Anxiety Conitions Recovery

Tayto Group Limited

Interim Technical Consultant assisting with preparation for Tesco PIU Audit, responsibilities included:
- Complete HACCP System re-write
- Redevelopment of the Internal Auditing System
- Allergen Risk Assessment development

Interim Technical Consultant

Adelie Food Holdings

Full Technical responsibility for a sandwich production site including 
- QA Team
- Technical Services Team
- Process Control Team
- Hygiene Team
- Customer Management on site

Interim Technical Manager

SFQC

Working with SFQC offering my services as:

- Food Safety / Technical Consultant 
- Audit Consultant 
- Red Tractor Assurance Scheme Auditor

Consultant / Red Tractor Assurance Scheme Auditor

2 Sisters Food Group

Full Technical responsibility for a Poultry cutting and packing site, including:
- Managing the restructure of the Technical Team to achieve business KPI's
- Ensure Green Tesco PIU Audit
- Ensure A Grade BRC Audit
- Manage multiple retail customer relationships on site
- Write and Impliment Quality Improvement Plan
- Team Management & Coaching

Freshcook (Bakkavor)

Interim QA Manager

Weetabix

•	Complete Technical Management for 2 factories producing wheat biscuit & flake products
•	Audit, review and improve Quality & Technical Systems
•	Complete overhaul of Hygiene systems during tender and transition process 
•	Management of complaint reduction programme
•	Drive improvement standards 
•	Preparation for unannounced BRC Audit

Interim Quality & Compliance Manager

Making Coaching Training Accessible. Founder - CoachHive & The Priority Academy. Over 150,000 people trained. Follow me for posts on Coaching, EQ, Mental Health, Mindset and more.

What the world won't tell you....

Is that training and personal development doesn't have to cost the earth!

Follow my Step-by-Step Coaching Newsletter for regular updates on how to improve your coaching and grow your business and get your free copy of my Coaching Session Success Strategy Cheat Sheet:

GO HERE -> www.coachhive.com/newsletter

I help people help other people! 

An international best-selling training provider in the areas of Coaching, Mental Health, Emotional Intelligence and Mindset.

Coaching Coaches:
Expert guidance from someone with 20 years experience as a coach. 
Coaches, if you need help please get in touch. I'll bring my 20+years knowledge and experience with me to help you thrive!

Training:
Over the last 7 years I have trained over 150,000 people in 190+ countries in the areas of mental health, mindset, strategic life coaching, NLP, CBT, meditation, mindfulness and more.

I help coaches master their skills and build their sustainable and ethical coaching business.

My portfolio:
=> I'm the founder, trainer and head coach at The Priority Academy & CoachHive
=> I have produced hundreds of hours of training content
=> I have thousands of hours of coaching experience under my belt
=> I have 7 training programs that are international best sellers in their field
=> I've coached leaders at all C-Suite levels of their business

My results:
=> Hudreds of hours of training material produced
=> 150,000 people have been trained or are training
=> A rating of 4.7 out of 5 across over 32000 reviews
=> A community of over 36,000 people
=> I have trained people in 190 countries around the world

GO HERE: https://www.coachhive.com/newsletter
To sign up for my newsletter and get your free copy of my Coaching Session Success System Cheat Sheet.

GO HERE: https://www.thepriorityacademy.com/courses-individual/
To check out my courses and super value course bundles

Wishing you success in all you do.
Graham

Graham Nicholls

She thought AI was destroying her coaching business.
But it was really her all along.

Not because she wasn't good enough.

Because fear had convinced her
to shrink before the world ever asked her to.

I coach many coaches who 
Have the same quiet dread:

"What if AI replaces me?"

AI only replaces the coaches
Who don't adapt to it.

She began doubting her value
In a way she never had before.

But fear rarely tells the truth.

Then something shifted.

Her client walked in overwhelmed

carrying a story she'd told no one else.
  
That special moment a human soul 
trusts another enough to fall apart.

That session woke her up.

Transformation is human-first. 
Tools second. Always.

She realised AI didn't replace her work 

It replaced the parts that weren't her work.
 
And what remained was all her:

The presence, emotional intelligence,
The intuition, the humanity 

Here's what she embraced 

And what every coach I work with embraces 👇

→ AI can produce answers
✅ Only humans produce meaning.

→ AI can analyse language 
✅ Only humans can feel emotion.

→ AI can map behaviour
✅ Only humans truly understand identity.

→ AI can automate tasks 
✅ Humans create trust and space.

→ AI can challenge patterns 
✅ Humans challenge stories.

→ AI can speed up preparation 
✅ Humans slow down for presence.

→ AI can support the coach 
✅ Humans help create transformation

Support is scalable.
Transformation is personal.

She didn't lose her business to AI.

She almost lost it to the story she was telling herself.

AI isn't the end of coaching.
It's the beginning of a new chapter. 

Where the most human coaches will rise the highest.

💾 Save this to remind yourself: AI can enhance coaching, but it will never replace humanity.
♻️ Repost it so that all coaches know they can adapt and thrive

➕ Follow me Graham Nicholls for more coaching and mindset insights

Founder. Coaching Coaches & Leaders who coach. Coaching Training that doesn’t cost the earth! Over 150,000 people trained. OUT NOW - Burnout Coach & Trainer Certification. See Featured section below!

This story still hurts him.
And it changed how he would lead forever.

She was the kind of person every team needs. 

She'd been with the company for years.
When she resigned, he was shocked.

He offered everything he could
But her answer cut deep.

"It's not about that. 
I just don't feel like I matter here anymore."

In my coaching work, I see this pattern constantly 
Leaders don't lose people; they lose connection.

He'd focused on performance. But not the people.

He assumed people knew they were valued,
But he rarely said it. Rarely showed it.

Rarely made them feel it.
And that's why good people leave.

Show your people they matter.
It's the least expensive part of leadership,

But it delivers the highest return.

Here are 7 simple ways to do that 👇

(you'll know these if you're a good leader)

1️⃣ Notice effort before outcome.
Catch people doing something right 
Even when the result isn't perfect. 
Recognition builds trust.

2️⃣ Ask questions that show care.
Not "How's the project going?" 
But "How are you doing with the project?" 
Small difference, huge impact.

3️⃣ Be consistent in your presence.
Leaders who show up only when things go wrong
Teach people to fear visibility. 
Be there in the calm too.

4️⃣ Give credit publicly.
Shine light on others' contributions. 
What you celebrate, you multiply.
And people notice.

5️⃣ Listen without fixing.
Sometimes people don't need answers. 
They need to feel heard 
Not managed.

6️⃣ Protect their wellbeing as much as performance.
A culture that values rest and respect
Outperforms one that glorifies exhaustion.
Make people the priority.

7️⃣ Say thank you and mean it.
Never underestimate the power of genuine appreciation. 
It costs nothing but changes everything.
Thank you.

That day he learned the simplest leadership truth: 

People don't leave jobs; 
They leave when they stop feeling they matter.

So if you lead others
Remember this: 👇 

Show your people they matter.

It's free to give,
But it's priceless to receive.

💾 If this hits home, save it for your next 1:1.
♻️ Repost to help another leader remember what really matters.

✅ Follow me, Graham Nicholls for more on leadership, mindset, and emotional intelligence.

Coaches: your new unfair advantage is right here.

And it will cost you nothing.

What breaks my heart is this:

Some of the best coaches I know

Are one good system away

From changing their entire career.

Most coaches are building their business 
the hardest way possible.

And I say that with love. 

Because I did it too.

When I started coaching over 20 years ago,
I had to figure everything out the slow way.

Coaching wasn't the hard part.

Building my coaching business was.

I wish I had these 20 years ago! 👇

Here are 10 ChatGPT prompts 
every coach should be using right now 

These 10 alone replace months of trial and error.

And there are 10 more in the infographic.

1️⃣ "Create a clear value proposition 
for my coaching business based on my niche: [insert niche]."

2️⃣ "Write 10 high-converting social media hooks 
tailored to coaches who want [insert client result]."

3️⃣ "Analyse my current offer (describe it) 
and suggest how to make it more irresistible."

4️⃣ "Create a step-by-step 30-day content plan 
for attracting my ideal coaching clients"

5️⃣ "Write a compelling bio for my coaching business 
for use on social media and my website."

6️⃣ "Draft a simple sales funnel for my coaching program 
with top, middle, and bottom-of-funnel messaging."

7️⃣ "Create 10 niche-specific lead magnets 
I could offer to attract ideal clients."

8️⃣ "Rewrite my coaching offer 
to clearly communicate transformation instead of features."

9️⃣ "Write a week's worth of authority-building posts 
that position me as an expert in [your niche]."

🔟 "Create a client onboarding sequence 
including emails, forms, and touchpoints."

Save yourself:
 
Thousands of hours,
Thousands in cash.
 
And years of frustration.

Today?

You get them for free.

Because as a coach,

Your time should go into transforming people. 
Not fighting through marketing overwhelm.

💾 Save this post. These prompts will decide how fast you grow.

♻️ And repost it to help another coach unlock the advantage you now have.

A terrible fear crashed in on him 
One he'd never admitted to anyone...

"Did any of this actually matter?"
(and that hurt a little more than he expected)

His leadership legacy didn't just fade
It disappeared without a trace.

Your true legacy as a leader

Isn't in what you leave behind
It's in the people who lead because of you.

Leadership convinces you to measure your value.

→ In targets hit, 
→ In goals achieved, 
→ In fires extinguished.

Someone asked him...
"How do I know if I'm becoming a good leader?"

The easy answer was performance metrics.
Deadlines. Output. KPIs.

But in that moment
The answer came to him...

And it's an answer he should have known
many years before. But didn't.

"You'll know you're leading well when
the people you lead become leaders themselves"

Jack Welsh said it better than anyone:

"Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. 
When you become a leader, success is all about growing others."

A true leadership legacy is built quietly, 
in moments like:

• The mistake you turn into a lesson
• The opportunity you give not guard
• The encouragement that unlocks confidence
• The conversation that changes their direction
• The belief you hold until they hold it themselves
• The trust you extend when they doubt themselves

If you want to understand the true strength of your leadership,

Don't look at what you've achieved.
Look at who is rising because of you.

Legacy isn't the work you complete.
It's the leaders you leave behind to continue the work.

Who will carry on because of you?
Who will lead because you believed in them?
And what part of your leadership will live on in others?

That is legacy.
And it's the only kind that lasts.

💾 Save this as a reminder of the legacy you're building today.
♻️ Repost to help other leaders focus on what truly endures.

✅ If you want more on human-centred leadership, I share practical lessons every week. Follow me here => Graham Nicholls

I said yes to something...
And it scared the hell out of me.

I felt wildly unqualified for it

But dived in anyway.

Most people think growth begins when you feel ready.

It doesn’t.

It begins the second you commit
to something that scares you.

On the outside, I smiled. Said “yes.”

But inside? Pure fear.

I questioned everything:

→ My experience,
→ My competence,
→ My right to even be in the room.

That’s the part no one talks about:

It’s not the opportunity that hurts 
It’s the voice that tells you you’re not worthy of it.

That voice feels like a punch in the gut!

And then the moment came.

I wasn’t perfect. 
But I was present. 

I stopped waiting to become
the person who belonged there

And started behaving like I already did.

Here’s what I learned 👇

And what I now teach every coaching client
who faces a moment they feel unqualified for 👇

7 Actions To Say Yes Before You Feel Ready

1️⃣ Take the smallest possible step today

Don’t wait for readiness, build it.
Choose one tiny action that moves you forward.

2️⃣ Turn fear into fuel

Your anxiety is proof the moment matters.
Ask yourself: “If I wasn’t afraid, what would I do?”

3️⃣ Practise in real conditions

You grow faster through doing than planning.
Start messy and improve as you go.

4️⃣ Interrupt the self-doubt loop

Doubt spikes before growth.
Replace “I’m not enough” with “This feeling means I’m stretching.”

5️⃣ Say yes publicly to create accountability

Fear hates commitment.
Commit to someone you trust

6️⃣ Behave like the person you’re becoming

Identity forms through action.
How would the future you act?

7️⃣ Make bravery a daily habit

Courage grows with repetition.
Do one brave thing every day. 

Your potential expands with every brave choice.

Looking back, I wasn’t ready for that moment.

But saying yes forced me to grow 
into the person who was.

You don’t rise because you feel qualified.
You rise because you show up anyway.

I’ve seen this shift change 
careers, confidence, and entire identities.

💾 Save this for the next time fear convinces you to play small.
♻️ Repost it to show others how to thrive

✅ Follow me Graham Nicholls for insights into leadership and growth

Your team feels your emotions before your words
And I got taught a powerful lesson.

Your emotions arrive
before your words ever do.

It was supposed to be a simple check-in.

But I walked into that room 
carrying a storm inside me.

I didn’t say anything negative.
I didn’t raise my voice.
I didn’t snap.

But the team shifted instantly.
A heaviness settled over the room

And I remember thinking:
“Why is everyone so off today?”

They weren’t off. I was.
And that would change how I lead.

One of my team members pulled me aside.
Quietly. Gently. Bravely.

“When you walked in, we all felt something was wrong… 
so we held back.”

Because my emotional energy filled the room
before my agenda did.

That moment hit me hard
Harder than any feedback I’d ever received.

Your emotional state is the loudest voice in the room 
even when you’re silent.

I had to change. I had to change me.

My state.
My regulation.
My awareness.

I had to rebuild how I lead
One pattern at a time.

Here are the 7 emotional leadership behaviours 
I now teach every leader 

The ones that rebuild trust, stability, 
and psychological safety 👇

1️⃣ Regulate before you communicate
Your emotions transfer before your message lands.
“Is the state I’m in helping or hurting the room?”

2️⃣ Enter the room with intention
Leaders set the tone... consciously or unconsciously.
“What energy does my team need from me today?”

3️⃣ Acknowledge pressure without projecting it
Honesty builds trust; emotional dumping breaks it.
“How can I share the truth without shifting the burden?”

4️⃣ Slow your pace to calm the space
When you rush, others tense. Pause.
“What changes if I take a breath before I respond?”

5️⃣ Stay emotionally consistent
Predictability creates safety. Safety creates performance.
“Would my team describe me as steady?”

6️⃣ Create space for emotional honesty
The quieter the room, the more people hold back.
“Who needs permission to speak today?”

7️⃣ Reflect on your impact daily
Leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about responsibility.
“How did my presence shape the room today?”

The moment you stop leading from pressure
and start leading from presence...

Your team didn’t just perform better…
They trusted you more.

Leadership isn’t what you say.
It’s who you are.

💾 Save this for the moments your state matters more than your strategy.
♻️ Repost this for a leader who needs it

✅ Follow for more emotional leadership frameworks => Graham Nicholls

7 leadership behaviours that give you an advantage

I hated it
But leadership isn’t about being liked…

It’s about being trusted.

I had to make a decision the team didn’t want.

Not because it was easy.
Not because it was popular.

But because it was the right one.

The thought hit me:
“They’re going to hate me for this.”

Part of me wanted to soften it.
To compromise. To choose harmony.

But leadership isn’t about avoiding discomfort.
It's about embracing it.

Leadership can feel brutally lonely
When carrying a decision others don’t yet understand.

Then…
Someone from the team pulled me aside:

“I didn’t like your decision at first…
But I see now why you made it.”

This is what leadership means.

Being liked is optional.
Being trusted is essential.

Here are 7 behaviours every leader needs:

1️⃣ Communicate the “why,” not just the “what.”
People can accept hard decisions 
When they understand the purpose behind them.

2️⃣ Hold your nerve when things get uncomfortable.
Confidence is contagious 
Your steadiness becomes their anchor.

3️⃣ Stay consistent in your actions.
Trust grows when your behaviour doesn’t change 
With the room you’re in.

4️⃣ Admit what you don’t know.
Vulnerability builds credibility, 
Not weakness.

5️⃣ Listen to the frustration, not just the feedback.
Emotions are data 
They reveal what people truly need from you.

6️⃣ Make decisions based on values, not popularity.
Favourite leaders come and go. 
Trusted leaders endure.

7️⃣ Follow through on every promise.
Nothing strengthens trust 
Faster than reliability.

Leadership isn’t about being liked today.
It’s about being respected tomorrow.

It’s the quiet trust
that forms long after the noise of disagreement fades.

Sometimes, the decision they resist
becomes the decision they thank you for.

💾 Save this if you’re navigating a hard leadership decision.
♻️ Repost to help other leaders choose trust over approval.

✅ For more human-centred leadership insight, follow Graham Nicholls

Leaders don't need to be liked

One action gave her more respect
Than any promotion ever did.

Respect has nothing to do with other people.

For years, she thought respect came from results.

→ Deliver more.
→ Work harder.
→ Say yes to everything.

But it didn't.
It came from one simple shift. 

How she showed up.

Like many professionals, 
she thought effort was enough.

So she stayed late, stayed quiet, and stayed agreeable.

She wanted to be helpful.
Instead, I became overlooked.

Because when you don't protect

→ Your time, 
→ Your energy, 
→ Or your voice
 
People stop valuing them too.
And I see it every day with my coaching clients.

Here's what she learned 👇

Respect doesn't start with how others treat you.
It starts with how you treat yourself.

🔥 Behaviours that destroy respect:

(I bet you recognise some of these)

→ Saying yes when you mean no.
→ Apologising for things you didn't do wrong.
→ Avoiding conflict to keep the peace.
→ Over-explaining your decisions.
→ Letting deadlines drift without communication.
→ Taking credit from fear, or avoiding it from doubt.
→ Staying silent when you disagree.
→ Complaining instead of leading change.
→ Waiting for permission to act.
→ Treating everyone's priorities as more important than your own.

But there is another way.

💪 Behaviours that build respect:

→ Speaking with calm conviction, even when challenged.
→ Saying no with clarity and yes with commitment.
→ Taking ownership of your time, results, and growth.
→ Listening deeply before you respond.
→ Communicating early and honestly.
→ Giving credit freely and owning mistakes fully.
→ Holding boundaries without apology.
→ Following through every single time.
→ Asking for feedback and using it to grow.
→ Leading through consistency, not control.

I was taught to respect everyone,
no matter their position.

Remember this: 👇 

You can't earn respect from others
Until you respect yourself.

Because your actions tell the world
What you believe about your own worth.

And when that belief is strong 
Respect follows naturally.

✅ Follow me Graham Nicholls for more on mindset, leadership, and growth.

💾 Save this as a reminder to respect yourself daily.
♻️ Repost to help someone strengthen their professional presence.

Blind to her own potential
Something was lying to her...

She almost rejected the opportunity 

Not because she lacked the skills...
Because fear sounded more convincing than fact.

Imposter syndrome is lying to you
And it was lying to her as well.

She stared at the job description for hours.

"I've never done that."
"I only meet about 60% of this."
"Someone else would be a better fit."

"They'll see right through me."

→ It didn't matter that she was talented.
→ It didn't matter that people believed in her.

After coaching many through imposter syndrome
I've learned this truth:

Imposter syndrome doesn't shout.
It whispers. Quietly. Persistently.
 
When she gathered the courage to apply...
They didn't hire her résumé.

They hired her possibility.

Someone, right now, already sees something in YOU.
If you've doubted yourself, this is for you 👇 

The 5-Step Reframe for Imposter Syndrome

1️⃣ Recognise the Real Voice
Separate your fear from your ability.

2️⃣ Reclaim Your Evidence
List what you have achieved.

3️⃣ Redefine "Qualification"
Define success in your own terms
 
4️⃣ Reframe the Gap
Write where you meet the criteria.

5️⃣ Respond With Action
Confidence comes because you leapt.
 
Someone out there sees your potential.
Your job is to catch up to the version of you they see.

So ask yourself:

Who took a chance on you?
When you were convinced you weren't ready?

You're far more qualified than your fear suggests.

Don't wait to feel ready 
Act, and readiness follows.

💾 Save this for the days your imposter syndrome gets loud.
♻️ Repost to help someone who deserves more belief than they currently hold.

➕ PS: I write about confidence, coaching and overcoming self-doubt. Follow for more => Graham Nicholls

Reframing Imposter Syndrome

I used to mistake activity for advancement.

And it cost me dearly.

"The scariest place to be
is the same place as last year."

I convinced myself I was progressing.

→ My days were busy.
→ My calendar was full.
→ My to-do list was endless.

And I told myself the biggest lie 
high performers often believe:

"If I'm active… I must be advancing."

But I wasn't.

Founders, coaches and leaders 

I've coached them all.

And we all fall into this trap.

Busyness becomes our badge.

What makes it worse is:

Zero growth has its own kind of pain.
 
It's the stagnation that hurts. 

And I felt that deeply.

This isn't about urgency…

It's about alignment.

Pay attention if you want to
step intentionally into 2026 

Here are the 7 steps that 
helped me stop confusing effort with evolution 👇

(The infographic expands this to 12 frameworks)

1️⃣ Audit where you truly are 

Honesty beats hustle.
Look at what's really progressing.

2️⃣ Identify your 2026 identity

Name the version of you who achieves next year's goals.
Lead from that identity now.

3️⃣ Choose one defining priority

Not 15 goals.
One direction that moves everything else forward.

4️⃣ Replace busyness with strategy

Ask yourself daily:
"Is this activity moving me closer to who I'm becoming?"

5️⃣ Remove the biggest drag on your growth

A habit. A task. A fear.
One thing slowing you down more than you realise.

6️⃣ Set standards that make old patterns impossible

Growth is built from boundaries, 
not willpower.

7️⃣ Start now, not in January

Momentum isn't created by a date.
It's defined by a decision.

I'll say it again:

The scariest place to be
is the same place as last year.

But the most powerful place?

Standing at the end of a year and knowing:

You didn't wait for change, you created it.

2026 won't change... unless you do!

💾 Save this so you can thrive in 2026, take the next steps!
And ♻️ repost so others can follow your lead

✅ Follow me Graham Nicholls for more on helping you thrive in the years to come.

His choices felt quiet and lonely.

And it hurt.

It's not the loud moments that change us.

The quiet ones do.

He was waiting for something...
Special.

But that moment never came.

I've seen this pattern in hundreds
of my clients

They don't understand 

That the quiet choices mattered.

And he didn't either.

They felt too ordinary. Too soft.
 
He realised the truth far too late:

You know you're capable of more,
But you're quietly choosing less.

That's where the real pain lives.

The harsh truth hit him:

"It's my quiet choices and actions
that make the big impacts"

In over 20 years of coaching
I've seen how these choices change lives.

Here are the 7 quiet choices that shape your life
and how to make them positively 👇

1️⃣ Choose discipline over convenience

• Reduce friction
• Prep the night before

2️⃣ Choose rest before burnout

 • Honour early signals
 • Protect your boundaries

3️⃣ Choose to walk away from what isn't right

 • Listen to discomfort
 • Name the cost of staying

4️⃣ Choose discomfort over stagnation

 • Do the thing that scares you first
 • Reframe fear as growth 
 
5️⃣ Choose honesty with yourself

 • Ask: "What's really going on?"
 • Admit what you've been avoiding

6️⃣ Choose to keep going when motivation dies
 
 • Let discipline carry you when emotion won't
 • Focus on the minimum viable action
 
7️⃣ Choose who you're becoming 

 • Act like your future self today
 • Replace old patterns with intentional ones

These are the choices that define you.

And choosing them today
Will define the direction of your 2026

The life you want won't be built in dramatic moments.

But in the quiet commitments 
you honour when no one is watching.

💾 Save this for the days you're choosing between comfort and who you're becoming.
♻️ Repost it for those in your network who need to hear it

✅ Follow me Graham Nicholls for insight on mindset and life

My biggest growth happened in silence 
Long before anyone knew what I was doing.

The truth? 

If you're quietly growing in your career or leadership
You're in the right place to thrive.

When I first started training as a coach over 20 years ago,
I didn't tell a single person.

Back then, I wasn't confident.

I wasn't "a coach."
I wasn't anything special.

I just knew something needed to change.

So I started alone.
Quietly. Privately.

I doubted myself constantly.
I questioned whether I was good enough.

And because no one knew, there was

No reassurance.
No encouragement.
No accountability.

Just me and my doubts.
But that was the gift.

Those months of studying, practising, failing, learning
Changed me.

Not just as a coach. As a person.
And it built the foundation

For every client success I've seen since.

So, if you're in that unseen season right now,

Here are 7 ways to grow when nobody is clapping yet
That I've learned in all my years of coaching 👇

1️⃣ Learn deeply, not loudly.
Grow from curiosity, not from the need to be seen.

2️⃣ Practise even when it feels pointless.
Repetition without applause builds mastery. 

3️⃣ Build self-trust by showing up for yourself.
When no one is watching, consistency becomes identity.

4️⃣ Track your progress privately.
Keep a simple daily log; it compounds quickly.

5️⃣ Use your doubts as data, not judgment.
Every insecurity reveals your next layer of growth.

6️⃣ Set boundaries to protect your focus.
You don't grow in chaos. You grow in intention.

7️⃣ Celebrate the small wins
Quiet milestones are the foundations.

Your private growth becomes your public strength.

If you're growing quietly right now,
wondering if it's enough…

Believe me:
You're not behind. You're being built.

Because quiet growth...
That's where coaches and leaders are forged.

💾 Save this for the days when you're growing quietly.

Follow me Graham Nicholls for practical, experience-backed tools to grow your impact as a coach or leader.

"I'll try" => the expensive lie we tell ourselves.
For her, that one sentence shattered her story

For years, she lived in "almost."
"Almost ready."

(Sound familiar?)

It became her comfort zone.

In one of our coaching sessions 
The truth became clear.

And in 20 years of coaching I've seen it many times.
It was hesitation dressed as effort.

Deep down, she knew it.

She'd been offered an opportunity.
Her first reaction?

"I'll try my best."

But the truth hit her just as quickly:
Trying meant nothing would change.

Trying was survival.
But deciding?

Deciding was identity.

She realised she wasn't waiting for confidence.
She was waiting for courage.

Here are 12 things to stop saying today:
You'll start to notice them everywhere.

❌ I'll try...
❌ I'm not sure yet…
❌ Maybe later…
❌ Let me think about it...
❌ What if this doesn't work?
❌ I just need a little more time...
❌ I'll wait for the right time...
❌ I don't feel ready…
❌ I'll see how things go…
❌ Let me get back to you…
❌ I need more information...
❌ It might be better if I wait.

12 things to kickstart your decisions:

✅ I've decided…
✅ This is the direction...
✅ I'm moving forward with this.
✅ Here's my next step.
✅ I choose progress.
✅ I'll create clarity via action.
✅ I don't need to feel ready...
✅ I'm making space for this.
✅ I'm choosing this option.
✅ This is worth the discomfort 
✅ I trust myself to figure it out.
✅ I'm getting started

Your life doesn't change when you try harder.
It changes when you decide differently.

Because your destiny
Is defined by your decisions.
(read that again)

💾 Save this for the day you need courage more than confidence.
♻️ Repost for those who want to thrive.

✅ For more actionable insights, follow Graham Nicholls

She spent 10 years helping others grow.
But was hiding the most important thing.

Because being the helper felt safer than being helped.

Here's the uncomfortable truth:

When you're always the expert, 

You get to avoid your own discomfort.
You get to keep performing.

But you also get to stay stuck.

In my 20 years as a coach,
I've seen this constantly.

→ Coaches who won't be coached.
→ Leaders who won't ask for support.
→ Helpers who refuse to be vulnerable.

They'll guide 50 people through transformation.

But the moment someone offers them feedback?

Walls go up.

I did this for years.

Helped hundreds of people.
Avoided being truly seen myself.

The helper role became my hiding place.

Growth always requires what you're avoiding:

Letting someone else see you clearly.

To change this and thrive, you must:

1. Receive feedback as openly as you give it

2. Prioritise your own growth with the same urgency

3. Embrace being a work in progress

4. Let yourself be truly known, not just needed

5. Invest in support without rationalising it away

6. Model the vulnerability you ask for from others

7. Share your struggles as part of your learning

8. Lower the shield and let people see the real you

9. Create space for your own development

10. Choose evolving over performing

"I don't want to be coached because I'm afraid."

That honesty changed everything for her.

She needed permission to not have all the answers.

The best coaches and leaders I know stay coachable. 

They invest in their growth daily.

You can't guide others through territory you refuse to walk yourself.

💾 Save this if you've been hiding behind helping.
♻️ Repost for the coach or leader who needs this.
------
✅ Follow me Graham Nicholls for more on coaching, mindset, and emotional intelligence.

I took control and my best people left.

I broke the trust I thought I’d built.

A great leader's job isn't to shine...

It's to make sure everyone else can.

I learned the hard way.

Instead of helping

They left because of me. 

That cut deeply.

The shift I needed?

Real leaders don't create followers.

They create other leaders.

I changed.

My management became leadership, 
not control.

And my team thrived.

When you step back, you don't fall.

Your impact multiplies.

Here are 5 ways to start empowering your team this week:

1️⃣ In each meeting, ask someone else to share first

Wait 10 seconds after asking. 
Their ideas need space before yours fill the room.

2️⃣ Delegate with all the info.

Explain the required outcome.
When people see the full picture, they make better decisions.

3️⃣ Name a specific team member in your next leadership update

Credit them by name to senior leadership 
Visibility creates momentum for their career.

4️⃣ Build and share a simple decision framework 

Write down how you evaluate options. 
Give them the same tool so they can use it as well.

5️⃣ Assign ownership of decisions you'd normally make

Tell them you trust their judgment. 
Then step back and let them lead it fully.

The greatest leaders aren't remembered for their brilliance.

They're remembered for the light
that they helped others discover.

Great leaders don’t stand in the spotlight

They shine it on others

📑  Save this for when you need clarity in your leadership purpose.
♻️ Repost this if you want more leaders, not more followers.

✅ Follow me Graham Nicholls for insights on leadership and mindset.

Back then, we didn't call it burnout.
We just called it "pushing through."

25 years ago, my body gave up before I did.
Stress. Depression. Anxiety. All at once.

It was the worst time of my life!
I'd been living at full speed for too long.

→ Chasing goals 
→ Ignoring rest
→ Pretending I was fine.

And somewhere in between, 
I lost myself completely.

For a long time, I felt ashamed.
How could I have fallen apart?

But burnout isn't weakness.
It's the body's emergency brake 

The final act of self-preservation.

I promised myself that if I ever made it through,
I'd help others do the same.

That promise became my purpose.

Over the last 20 years as a coach,

I've worked with countless professionals 
Travelling between ambition and exhaustion.

Now, I've created something 
I wish I'd had back then

The Burnout Recovery Roadmap 

→ Here's the first thing every client realises in Phase 1: 
Burnout isn't failure, it's feedback.

Here's what that journey looks like 👇
(There's more info in the carousel)

✅ Phase One: Awareness & Recognition 
The moment you stop pretending.
Accepting that you're burning out 
is the first brave step.

✅ Phase Two: Stabilisation & Rest
You can't heal at the same pace that broke you.
This phase is about slowing down, rebuilding energy, 
and creating space to breathe again.

✅ Phase Three: Inner Work & Identity
Here, you begin to explore what led you here
The patterns, the pressure, the beliefs.
It's where self-awareness becomes clarity.

✅ Phase Four: Rebuild & Redesign
You start to rebuild from the inside out.
Values, priorities, and boundaries.
You learn to work with yourself, not against yourself.

✅ Phase Five: Integration
This is where recovery transforms into resilience.
You rediscover purpose, energy, 
and a new, sustainable way to succeed.

Burnout once broke me.

But it also rebuilt me 
Stronger, softer, and infinitely more self-aware.

And if you're there right now, feeling lost, drained, or defeated,
Please know this:

You're not broken.
You're being asked to rebuild.

💾 Save this if you're in recovery or know someone who needs it.
♻️ Repost to help someone else begin their recovery journey.

✅ Follow me, Graham Nicholls for more on burnout recovery, mindset, and emotional wellbeing.

Creating a Burnout Recovery Roadmap

He didn't come looking for a breakthrough.

He came because he was stuck.

This happens to leaders so often
And it boils down to one thing.

Most people don't like hearing it 
They hate this question.

Only the strongest leaders answer it honestly.

This transformative question
is only three words long.

He kept telling his team, his peers, even himself:

"I'm trying my best."
"I'm doing everything I can."
"I'm just under a lot of pressure."

He wasn't failing because of a lack of talent.
He was failing because of a lack of honesty.

And this is where so many careers stall.

Halfway through our coaching session, 
something cracked.

He whispered:

"I'm scared I'm falling behind... 
and I don't want anyone to see it."

That was the moment I asked him the question
That I reserve for the turning points in someone's career:

"What's the truth?"

He thought vulnerability was a weakness.
Once he confronted it,

His leadership sharpened.
His confidence returned.

Because here's the uncomfortable truth:

Leaders don't grow by trying harder.
They grow by being braver with themselves.

Here's my 5-step leadership breakthrough framework

The same one I use with executives, founders, 
and senior leaders worldwide 👇

1️⃣ Name the truth
Growth demands honesty 
long before it demands action.

2️⃣ Identify the cost of not changing.
Leadership stagnates when comfort wins. 
Progress requires discomfort.

3️⃣ Own what's yours
Accountability accelerates careers. 
Self-blame destroys them.

4️⃣ Choose one courageous action today.
Movement breaks fear faster 
than motivation ever will.

5️⃣ Commit before doubt returns.
Decisions shape identity. 
Identity shapes leadership.

You might be one honest answer away
from your next level.

Because clarity never destroys
It builds strength and resilience.

💾 Save this for the moment honesty becomes your turning point.
♻️ Repost to show you know the truth

➕ Ready for more leadership and mindset insights? Follow Graham Nicholls

What blindsided me most wasn't the decision
to make me redundant.

It was what happened next.

They invited me back a year later.

It felt like rejection.

But it was really a redirection.

Twelve months later, my phone rang.

I said no because,

I'd learned this truth:

Some people don't understand the value you bring to the table

Until they see you at another table.

At my new place, they didn't just see my worth.

They invested in it.

The difference wasn't me.

It was them.

If your workplace can't see your value, 

Here's exactly what helped me rebuild my confidence

1️⃣ Track your impact weekly
Write down specific results you delivered.
Revenue generated. Problems solved. Time saved.

2️⃣ Schedule quarterly value conversations
Don't wait for annual reviews.
Ask: "Where can I create the most impact next quarter?"

3️⃣ Collect feedback beyond your manager
Reach out to colleagues who benefit from your work.
Their perspective reveals your broader value.

4️⃣ Solve tomorrow's problems today
Study industry trends affecting your company.
Build skills for challenges they don't see coming yet.

5️⃣ Make your work visible to decision makers
Share wins in team meetings.
Send brief update emails to stakeholders.

6️⃣ Interview elsewhere every 6 months
Not to leave, but to stay sharp.
You'll discover how others value your experience.

7️⃣ Build your exit plan while you stay
Update your network. Refresh your skills.
Ready doesn't mean leaving - it means choosing.

When you become someone who 
knows their value, everything changes.

The right environment doesn't just use your talents.

It grows them.

A table that doesn't value you isn't a table.
It's a waiting room

💾 Save this for when you need the reminder
♻️ Repost this for anyone questioning their value right now

✅ Follow me Graham Nicholls for insights on career growth and leadership

I stopped telling myself BS excuses...

And gave my potential the room to thrive.

Everything changes when 
You stop giving yourself a way out

I had a routine I knew mattered to me
Morning reading, mindset work, and coaching practice.

But every morning, 
I’d still tell myself the same quiet lies

I now coach clients through this
Every day.

“It won’t matter if I skip just once.”
But “once” always becomes twice and more.

High performance doesn’t collapse overnight.
It erodes quietly.

Eventually, 
You forget you ever had standards.

My excuses weren’t the problem.
My negotiations with them were.

So I made a decision
“No more negotiations.”

And within weeks, everything shifted:

My energy. My focus.
My discipline. My consistency.

Your identity strengthens
Every time you follow through on a promise to yourself.

Here are the 7 insights that will help you
Because they help my clients to level up:

1️⃣ Decide your non-negotiables in advance

Never decide in the moment.
Choose your standards before the day begins.

2️⃣ Reduce the friction, not the goal

Make the habit easier, not smaller.
Create an environment where success wins.

3️⃣ Start with “the minimum viable win”

Five minutes of consistency 
beats one hour of inconsistency.

4️⃣ Recognise your most common excuse pattern

Is it time? Fear? Fatigue?
Knowing the pattern helps you stop falling for it.

5️⃣ Anchor your behaviour to identity, not emotion

Don’t ask, “Do I feel like it?”
Ask, “Who am I becoming?”

6️⃣ Use accountability that protects your standards

A partner, a journal, a routine
Something outside your emotions that keeps you aligned.

7️⃣ Track only one thing: Did you show up today?

Not perfectly. Not impressively.
Just truthfully. Yes or no.

Consistency is what unlocks 
every level of high performance.

When I stopped negotiating with my excuses,

I didn’t become someone new 
I became someone consistent.

If you’re tired of being stuck between who you are

Start where I did:
Stop negotiating with the voice that wants you comfortable

Discipline isn’t loud. It’s the quiet choice you keep.

💾 Save this for the days your excuses feel louder than your potential.
♻️ Repost to show you are quitting the negotiations with yourself

✅ Follow me Graham Nicholls for insights that help you thrive.

Growth felt like he was falling backwards.
And that's why he almost quit.

At the time, he felt like a failure.

Every effort was heavy.
Every step forward felt like sliding back.

And he thought, 
"If it's this hard, maybe I'm not cut out for it."

One thing I've learned
From 20 years as a coach:

No one warns you that progress 
Rarely feels like progress.

→ You doubt your ability.
→ You question your choices.
→ You feel resistance and assume it's a sign to stop.

He still remembers sitting in his car 
Wondering why trying so hard felt so impossible.

And that's when the truth hit him 
Growth always feels wrong before it feels right.

You feel:

 📉 Weak before you feel strong.
 📉 Confused before you feel clear.
 📉 Terrified before you feel brave.

It's the same in every area of life:

💪 The gym makes you sore before it makes you strong.
🧠 Learning makes you doubt before it makes you confident.
💎 Investing in yourself feels risky before it pays off.
🦁 Facing your fears feels terrifying before it sets you free.

What part of your growth journey has felt the hardest?

Growth hides behind friction.
Yet every breakthrough demands it.

He didn't know it then,

But those moments of discomfort 
Were proof that he was growing.

Here's what he discovered 👇

→ Start before you feel ready.
Courage is built in motion, not in waiting.

→ Learn before you feel confident.
The lessons arrive after the leap, not before it.

→ Stretch before you feel certain.
Growth never happens in the comfort zone. 

He kept going.
Falling. Rising. Repeating.

Because the only true failure
is letting temporary discomfort stop permanent growth.

One day the struggle will make sense.

Not because it was easy, 
But because it shaped who you became.

💾 Save this for the next time resistance makes you doubt yourself.
♻️ Repost to help someone else keep going when it hurts.

✅ Follow me, Graham Nicholls for more stories on mindset, resilience, and growth.

Management Consultant | Coaching managers to transition from middle management stagnancy to senior leadership flourishing | DM "CONSULT" to get started

You’re a mid-level manager doing everything right, but still watching others move into senior roles ahead of you.

The truth is, most mid-managers get stuck at the same place: doing great work, but still being seen as the executor, not the strategic leader. 
Not the one with vision. 
Not someone decision-makers view as executive material.

I’m Marija, and for almost 20 years, I’ve helped Fortune 500 management teams bridge the gap between "get the stuff done" and "trusted advisor". I’ve learned that breaking into senior leadership has very little to do with more credential and everything to do with how you're perceived.

That’s why I created the Pathway to Senior Leadership workshop. 

In it, I’ll show you:
	• The career mistakes that quietly keep managers stuck in the middle
	• How to advocate for yourself without waiting for permission
	• And how to lead with influence, so the right people champion your next promotion
	
If you're tired of being overlooked, this is the strategy you've been waiting for. 

A clear, actionable plan to help you move into senior leadership in months, not years.

Marija Stevanovic

Being confident doesn't mean you have to be loud.
Being humble doesn't mean you're unsure.
 
Great leaders strike that balance.
They lead with quiet strength, not ego.
 
But how do you know if you're truly growing into that kind of leader?
 
Here are 10 uncommon signs you’'e becoming a humble but confident leader:
 
1/ You say "I don’t know" without panic or pause
↳ That honesty creates space for collective problem-solving.
 
2/ You let your team make mistakes you'd rather avoid
↳ Trusting their growth matters more than short-term perfection.
 
3/ You celebrate the hard truths your team hesitates to share
↳ Because growth starts where comfort ends.
 
4/ You invest in your team's narrative more than your own
↳ Their wins become your legacy, not your trophies.
 
5/ You ask questions you don't already know the answers to
↳ Vulnerability fuels your curiosity, not insecurity.
 
6/ You're comfortable being the last to speak in the room
↳ Because you know the best ideas often come after thoughtful silence.
 
7/ You expect discomfort as the price of change
↳ And you stay steady when everyone else wants to sprint or freeze.
 
8/ You quietly prepare for resistance, not applause
↳ Your confidence grows from knowing your convictions will be tested.
 
9/ You monitor your ego carefully
↳ Not to suppress it, but to channel it when it can serve the team’s vision.
 
10/ You manage your energy, not just your time
↳ Knowing when to lean in, and when to step back, is leadership muscle.
 
💡 Pro Tip: The confident humility of a leader isn't a mask you put on.
It's the result of deep self-awareness and relentless practice.
 
If you're seeing these signs in yourself, you're on the right path.
 
What’s the most surprising sign of humble confidence you've seen in a leader?
 
Share your story below ⬇️

You know what's worse than underperforming?       
 
Giving 100% and still being questioned.
Still being dismissed.
Still being unseen.
 
You hit targets.
You cover for others.
You lead with integrity.
 
But all they see is:
🧷 A moment of failure
📉 A decision they didn't make
📋 Admin work they dump on you to feel in control
 
You're told: "You're accountable for the team."
But when you act like it?
They ask why you acted at all.
 
And here's what's worse:
 
They know you're ten steps ahead.
But they need to see you shaken.
So they provoke.

Delay.
Discredit.
Because it feeds the illusion that they still hold the power.
 
You think this only happens in toxic orgs?
 
Nope.
This is everywhere leadership goes unchecked.
 
It's what happens when former top performers are handed teams
not because they can lead,
but because someone once told them they should.
 
And now, to protect their legacy,
the system protects them.
 
Mid-managers, this is your early warning:
📍When praise is political
📍When trust is conditional
📍When power is weaponized to belittle
 
Here's how to start fighting back, strategically:
 
1️⃣ Shift from compliance to clarity
Stop reacting. Start defining.
Clarify your role, your authority, your boundaries and stick to them.
 
2️⃣ Track outcomes, not opinions
Don't argue with narratives. Document impact.
Show your wins in metrics, not emotions.
 
3️⃣ Leverage power, don't chase it
Use your influence sideways and upward.
Quiet allies > loud approvals.
 
4️⃣ Make yourself visible beyond the noise
Start shaping how you're seen, not just by your team, but by the business.
Brand yourself on performance, not proximity.
 
💜 Like if this hits a nerve 
♻️ Share with someone quietly battling bad leadership

I used to think growth came from
chasing "More"
 
More meetings
More visibility
More projects
 
This led to decent results:
Promotions, pay raises, more responsibility.
 
But I still felt stuck.
Like I was moving, but not upward.
 
Something had to change.
 
Then I realized:
To become who I wanted to be,
I had to stop being who I was.
 
That shift is hard.
Because becoming someone new
means letting go of who's familiar.
 
5 actions that helped:
 
1/ Define your future self
Get specific. Who do you want to become in 3-5 years?
 
2/ Rewire your decision filter
Only say yes to what future-you would choose.
 
3/ Embrace the stretch
If it feels unfamiliar, you're growing. Stay with it.
 
4/ Audit your identity anchors
What habits, roles, or labels are keeping you small?
 
5/ Normalize internal discomfort
Every version upgrade starts with internal resistance.
 
Be patient with yourself.
 
You're not just changing roles.
You're becoming someone you've never been.
 
What version of you are you stepping into?
 
📍 Ready to lead from purpose, not pressure?
Join my Pathway to Senior Leadership workshop 
and align who you are with how you lead:
https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU

Image credit: @goldiealexx on Instagram

It rarely starts with a battle.
It starts with silence.
 
You report to someone
who's never done what you've done.
 
But they've got
- the degree
- the title
- the confidence.
 
So, you nod.
You comply.
You shrink.
 
Until one day you look up,
and you're reporting to someone you quietly resent.
 
But here's the part no one says out loud:
 
You let it happen.
 
Leadership gets weaker
when strong people stay silent.
 
→ When titles matter more than proof
→ When politics outweigh performance
→ When you wait instead of act
 
And mid-level is the danger zone:
🔻 You're skilled enough to lead
🔻 Close enough to see the flaws
🔻 But stuck between safety + change
 
You either challenge it
or you become it.
 
Most choose comfort.
They stop pushing back.
They blend in.
 
But the cost is steep:
⛔ Talent that gets buried
⛔ Loyalty that breeds resentment
⛔ A system that rewards the wrong people
 
Here's a better way:
 
1️⃣  Stop being impressed by titles
Start being impressed by results.
 
2️⃣ Make truth more important than approval
You don't need to be liked to be respected.
 
3️⃣ Lead from the middle
You don't need permission to set a higher standard.
 
4️⃣ Don't inherit the script
Write your own version of how leadership should work.
 
5️⃣ If you're more qualified, act like it
Don't wait to be asked.
 
6️⃣ Refuse passive obedience
If you won't challenge it, don't complain about it.
 
👉 What's one moment you realized you had more to offer?
 
Drop it below, it might wake someone up.
 
📍 DM me "MIDDLE" if you're ready to stop playing small in a broken system.
♻️ Repost to remind others: silence is surrender

I used to think doing all the right things was leadership.
 
That if I worked harder, I'd get promoted.
That if I proved myself again, I'd finally be seen.
That if I was in every room, I was moving up.
 
But not every race leads where you think it does.
Some just run you in circles.
 
Because at some point, being the go-to stops being impressive
and starts becoming invisible.
 
If you're stuck solving, sprinting, and still not stepping up,
these 5 mindset shifts might help you exit the middle:
 
1/ Trade being needed for being known
Staying busy keeps you useful, but not necessarily visible.
 
- Who sees the impact of your work?
- Who can name what you're best at?
- Where are you known for insight, not output?
 
2/ Ask for direction, not just feedback
Feedback helps you adjust. Direction helps you ascend.
 
- What roles are above you, and what do they actually need?
- How are senior leaders evaluated?
- What would someone two levels up say about your leadership?
 
3/ Step out of your lane
You don’t grow by staying put. You grow by playing bigger.
 
- Take on projects that cross teams.
- Speak up in conversations that feel one level above.
- Get comfortable not being fully ready.
 
4/ Let go of being the fixer
Fixing earns points. But foresight earns trust.
 
- Track what keeps breaking.
- Raise the flag early, not after the fire.
- Shift from action to anticipation.
 
5/ Redefine leadership
Leadership isn't about being busiest, it's about building belief.
 
- Influence without title.
- Champion change before you're asked.
- Be the reason your team sees what’s possible.
 
Being great at your job won't get you out of the middle.
It'll keep you in it.
 
Want to grow?
Stop racing to prove you're ready.
Start leading like you already are.
 
Wanna know how? 
Register for the final 2025 edition of my Pathway to Senior Leadership workshop:
https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU

Image credit: @WisdomMadeEasy on Insta

You may never get the title you've earned
You may never lead the team you built
You may never drive the vision you shaped
 
But here's what you will get:
 
More tasks stacked on your plate.
More meetings run by leaders who don't listen.
More years watching others rise on your work.
 
Corporate is full of managers keeping things afloat
Yet somehow, they stay boxed in,
While those with less depth steer the ship.
 
Everyone tells you: "Be a team player" to get ahead.
But you're watching others skip steps, speak louder, and take the credit.
While you carry the weight and stay silent.
 
So you ask yourself: if you exceeded expectations,
Led through every fire,
And coached without recognition,
 
Why does progress feel blocked?
Why do others lead while you keep things running?
 
After watching this cycle repeat, I've learned the real story:
No one's coming to hand you your next chapter.
 
1/ Begin with hard truth
What are you allowing to continue?
Because quiet acceptance becomes your ceiling.
 
2/ Kill the fantasy of the perfect plan
There's no script that guarantees growth.
Only choices that demand clarity.
 
3/ Trade comfort for control
Growth at this level needs a leap.
Not more patience, but more power.
 
You're at the crossroads.
 
Keep holding up broken systems.
Or step into the leadership you've already earned.
 
You choose.
 
Register for my Pathway for Senior Leadership workshop:
https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU
 
New date:
December 3rd, 5-6 PM CET

Your title shows your role.
Your stories show your leadership.
 
Grazie, Marco Zima Simonella, for the visual and the inspiration behind this one.
If you're not already, follow him for sharp leadership insights.
 
You lead meetings.
You manage outcomes.
You deliver results.
 
But real influence?
It's not built in your deliverables.
It's revealed in your storytelling.
 
The best senior leaders I know don't rely on polished decks.
They rely on stories that stick.
Not louder, just deeper.
 
They tell stories that:
→ Create belief when alignment is hard
→ Make people feel the mission, not just hear it
→ Turn risk into rallying points
→ Stay with you long after the meeting ends
 
Because storytelling isn't about a stage.
It's about moments like:
→ Owning a failure that shaped your voice
→ Naming the quiet win that kept the team going
→ Casting vision that others choose to carry
 
I've seen executives with no followership.
And mid-level leaders who shift entire rooms with a story.
 
The difference?
One recites metrics.
The other makes meaning.
 
Because decks fade.
Strategies shift.
But stories?
 
They spread.
They become your reputation, your leadership brand, your legacy.
 
No one remembers the project name.
They remember how you made them feel.
 
👉 What story are you telling that people want to follow?
 
♻️ Repost if you know storytelling beats status
➕ Follow for more strategic leadership shifts

Most mid-level managers aren't stuck because of effort.
They're stuck because of repetition.
 
You're showing up.
You're delivering.
But your thinking? Running in loops.
 
The brain loves familiarity:
→ Same habits
→ Same priorities
→ Same lens
 
It saves energy.
But it also limits your leadership.
 
Even high performers hit this wall.
The work gets done, but growth stalls.
 
That's when it's time for a shift:
 
Start thinking beyond execution.
Start thinking like a senior.
 
Here's how I guide clients through that shift:
 
1/ Audit your thinking
Are you solving bigger problems or just solving faster?
 
2/ Change your questions
Stop asking: "How can I get this done?"
Start asking: "What would a senior leader focus on here?"
 
3/ Protect white space
You can't lead strategically if you're stuck in back-to-back tasks.
 
Senior leadership isn't earned from years of tenure.
But from practicing that level of thinking before you get the title.
 
Your next step up doesn't come from working harder.
It comes from thinking bigger.
 
Let's lead like it.
 
👉 Which one of these do you need to practice more?
 
💜 Like if this resonates
♻️ Share with a mid-level manager who needs this
☑️ Follow me for more real talk about leveling up to senior leadership

The scariest place to be?
 
In the same position
while everyone else is growing.
 
You're fixing problems.
They're building futures.
 
You feel useful.
But also… stuck.
 
That was me for years:
The go-to fixer
The dependable one
The safety net
 
But not the one
moving forward.
 
Until I asked:
What would it look like
to build, not just patch?
 
That question changed everything.
 
Because no one promotes the firefighter
while the builders move on.
 
Here's how to stop it:
 
1/ Write down the version of your role today
2/ Write the one you want next year
3/ Ask if your current path gets you there
4/ Define the gap. Then close it yourself
5/ Remember: you are the architect. No one’s coming to upgrade it for you
 
Here's the truth that reframes everything:
 
Your "indispensable" role
might be what's keeping you in place.
 
Being useful is not the same
as being irreplaceable.
 
Build your career like you'd build a business:
with a path, not just output.
 
🔥 Save this if you've been stuck in the same seat too long.
 
👉 Step into the final 2025 edition of the Pathway to Senior Leadership workshop:
📆 November 24, 5 PM - 6 PM CET
🔗 Link to register: https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU

Stop calling yourself a leader if you're not leading with proof.
 
If you stand for something, show it.
Even when it's easier to stay silent.
Quiet ≠ credible.
 
The workplace is full of people wearing leadership titles.
But they don't model clarity.
They don't give direction.
They don't make decisions.
 
And it's not really due to lack authority.
It's because their values disappear under pressure.
 
But real leadership doesn't vanish when it gets inconvenient.
 
When you skip alignment with your values:
→ You confuse the people you're trying to lead
→ You build a reputation you can't live up to
→ You lose respect before you've earned authority
→ You stall your path to senior roles
 
The uncomfortable truth?
You don't earn leadership by pitching potential.
You earn it by living it daily.
 
Some managers rely on empty ambition.
They repeat buzzwords.
They say all the right things.
But they never show the receipts.
 
You're not them.
You're ready for senior leadership.
 
And the people who make it there?
→ They communicate with proof, not promises
→ They lead by example before asking others to follow
→ They back up every pitch with lived alignment
 
Stop using the title if you're not doing the work.
Stop hoping values are implied.
Stop mistaking ambition for leadership.
 
Be the leader.
Let your values speak before you do.
 
👉 Who needs to see you show up as the real version today?
 
Last chance to register for the next week's workshop:
https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU

Mid-manager: I feel stuck.
 
Me: What do you mean?
 
Mid-manager: I've done everything right. But I have no idea what's next.
 
Me: Do you want to be a Director?
 
Mid-manager: Maybe. I don't even know if that's the right move.
 
Me: Are you energized by what you're working on?
 
Mid-manager: Honestly? No. I'm just… coasting.
 
Me: Can I be real with you?
 
Mid-manager: Please.
 
Me: You're not stuck. You've just never had the space, or guidance, to define what success really means to you.
So you're climbing a ladder you're not even sure you want.
 
Mid-manager: That hits hard…

………….
 
This is the quiet crisis for high performers.
 
They do what they're told success looks like.
 
But inside, it feels flat.
 
Why? Because no one taught you how to lead with purpose.
 
You were taught to:
📍 Get the job
📍 Climb the ladder
📍 Check the boxes
📍 Wait to be noticed
 
But here's what creates clarity and momentum:
 
1/ Get honest about what drives you
2/ Define what "success" looks like for you
3/ Audit your current role for alignment
4/ Discover the kind of leadership you're wired for
5/ Identify strengths you've been underutilizing
6/ Shift from autopilot to intentional choices
7/ Build a vision worth working toward
8/ Use that vision to shape your next step
 
When you lack direction, everything feels heavy.
Work becomes mechanical. Promotions feel empty.
 
But when you clarify purpose?
↳ You stop comparing yourself to peers
↳ You reconnect with confidence
↳ You become known for something that matters
↳ You create momentum that feels like you
 
Your next level is about alignment
with the work, the mission, and the version of you you’re becoming.
 
Wanna learn more?
Register to my Pathway to Senior Leadership workshop:
https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU
 
Re-scheduled for:
December 3rd, 5-6 PM CET

Not every breakdown is loud.
Some happen in silence, right in the middle.
 
Mid-level managers carry the most invisible weight.
 
And over time, even the strongest glue breaks
when stretched without direction.
 
They're balancing three forces every day:
📍 Leadership's evolving priorities
📍 Their team's ground-level realities
📍 Their own career momentum
 
And beneath all of it, a quiet question grows louder:
"Am I still aligned with where this company is going?"
 
I've seen high performers stall not from burnout,
but from a slow drift into misalignment.
 
One feels exhausted.
The other feels lost.
 
Misalignment doesn't just lower performance.
It fractures belief.
 
Your strategy may be crisp.
Your slides may be clear.
But if your mid-leaders can't see themselves in the future you're building
they won't build it with you.
 
Ultimately, people stay when they grow with the company,
not just inside of it.
 
Where in your business is clarity missing from the middle?
 
👋 DM me if you're ready to become the clarity-driven decision maker 
your people can rally behind.

Mid-management isn't a milestone.
It's a transition phase, with an expiration date.
 
In consulting, I learned this early:
 
Projects end.
Roles shift.
And the next opportunity?
You don't wait for it.
You lead your way into it.
 
Your career should work the same way.
 
But too many get stuck perfecting their current role
when they should be preparing for the one ahead.
 
But here's where the real stall begins, quietly, and without warning:
 
You can be the most reliable person in the room and still get passed over.
You can deliver flawlessly and still feel invisible.
You can lead quietly and still watch others leapfrog you.
And execution alone stops working at this level.
 
That's how high performers get trapped in the middle
mainly since they never learned how to be seen as senior.
 
Here's how to stop circling the middle:
 
📍 Shape perception as intentionally as performance
📍 Lead beyond your title, own business outcomes
📍 Control your narrative before someone else does
 
If you've started to think of mid-management as "where you are"
get ready to stay there.
 
Your next level won't invite you.
You have to initiate it.
 
And if you're tired of doing everything right and still not moving up?
If you're ready to stop waiting and start rising?
 
This is exactly what we unpack inside my Pathway to Senior Leadership workshop.
 
🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU
 
💜 Like if this re-centered your path
♻️ Share with a leader stuck in the waiting room
☑️ Follow for more career strategy that breaks the ceiling

The wrong move is often the most useful one.
You've probably had one.

The role that promised growth, but left you questioning your own value. 
I know I did, and it changed everything.
 
It looked like a step up.
Talked like a big opportunity.
Came wrapped in praise and promise.
 
But inside six months, I knew:
 
I didn't grow, I shrank.
My edge dulled.
My clarity blurred.
And the version of me I'd worked hard to build?
She started to vanish.
 
Here's what I wish I knew then:
 
The wrong move isn't a failure.
It's your fastest path to knowing what right looks like.
 
Because inside every misaligned role, you gain:
 
🔹 Proof that title ≠ alignment
🔹 A masterclass in leadership you’ll never emulate
🔹 A list of non-negotiables you now defend fiercely
🔹 The language to name red flags in seconds
🔹 The self-respect to walk away before you're erased
 
These aren't setbacks.
They're strategy.
Developed in frustration.
Sharpened in silence.
Built in the brutal middle, between who you were and who you're becoming.
 
If you’re mid-career and mid-questioning, stop asking:
 
👉 Did I mess up?
Start asking:
👉 What wisdom did I earn?
 
Because senior leadership isn't a prize for perfect moves.
It's the result of strategic recovery from the wrong ones.
 
Want to turn detours into direction?
 
Join my Pathway to Senior Leadership workshop.
We'll decode your missteps and turn them into momentum.
 
https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU

They told me to "toughen up" if I wanted to lead.
 
So I tried:
- Be calm, not reactive
- Be logical, not emotional
- Be strong, not soft
 
But underneath?
 
I still felt everything.
 
Frustration when decisions lacked context.
Guilt when I pushed too hard.
Empathy I couldn't turn off, even when the deadline couldn't move.
 
At first, I thought: "This must be a flaw."
 
But I was wrong.
 
The emotion I carried wasn't a weakness.
 
It was the signal I was built to lead, just differently.
 
The real shift into senior leadership didn't happen when I shut it down.
 
It happened when I learned how to hold it all, without losing direction.
 
Here are 10 emotional shifts that mark the real move into senior leadership:
 
1/ You feel the weight of decisions and move forward anyway
↳ Responsibility doesn't paralyze you. It clarifies you.
 
2/ You notice when others hold back around you
↳ And you adjust to invite, not intimidate, their best thinking.
 
3/ You recognize frustration as signal, not sabotage
↳ Emotions become inputs, not irritants.
 
4/ You carry others' uncertainty without absorbing it
↳ You hold emotional space while holding the line.
 
5/ You let guilt inform, not define you
↳ Some emotions are invitations to realign.
 
6/ You initiate emotional conversations
↳ Because unresolved tension costs more than tough dialogue.
 
7/ You don't take every reaction personally
↳ You lead beyond your ego, not through it.
 
8/ You stop reshaping yourself for approval
↳ Authenticity becomes your leadership posture.
 
9/ You prioritize calm over control
↳ Influence deepens when your presence feels safe.
 
10/ You stay steady in conflict
↳ Not because it's comfortable, but because you've trained for discomfort.
 
What I learned:
 
It's not about knowing more.
It's about feeling more, without getting lost in it.
 
Emotional depth, with discipline, becomes your quiet differentiator.
 
If you're sensing more, carrying more, and questioning if that disqualifies you:
 
It doesn't.
 
It means you're getting closer to the work that truly matters.
 
Which of these shifts have you felt most recently?
 
💜 Like if this unlocked something for you.
🔁 Share with someone ready to rise, but still stuck in the middle.
☑️ Follow for honest guidance on moving from manager to senior leader.

We live in a world driven by extreme ambition.
And I see it everywhere, from my daughter's ballet class to boardrooms.
 
Everyone's pushing for growth.
But few pause to ask: have we built the foundation for it?
 
This hits especially hard for mid-managers stepping into senior roles.
 
You're asked to lead bigger...
Without ever being shown how to lead better.
 
Here's why strong foundations matter more than you think:
 
1️⃣ Clarity beats speed
↳ If your team doesn't know the goal or the why, they're just staying busy, not growing.
 
2️⃣ Growth needs friction removed
↳ You can’t build momentum when every win comes with 3 blockers. Clear the path first.
 
3️⃣ Trust powers autonomy
↳ Without deep trust, you're micromanaging. With trust, your team takes ownership.
 
4️⃣ Feedback builds direction
↳ No consistent feedback = no consistent growth. People need to know what to improve and how.
 
5️⃣ Enablement multiplies effort
↳ Teams with the right tools, context, and support don't just execute, they evolve.
 
If you want to grow into senior leadership,
Stop sprinting toward outcomes.
 
Start by building the foundation that lets your team, and you, thrive.
 
Here's your chance to learn how:
Pathway to Senior leadership workshop
December 3rd, 5-6PM CET
 
👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU

Your reliability is your real job security.
And most mid-managers spend years protecting the wrong things.
 
Adam Grant said it best:
"The best way to gain job security is not being the most knowledgeable person in the room. It's being the most reliable person in the room."
 
He's not talking about output.
He's talking about predictable leadership.
 
Here's what I'm learning working with mid-managers:
 
At the senior level, knowledge gets you into the room.
Reliability is what keeps you there.
 
Some managers are smart.
Others are steady, consistent, trusted, and those are the ones executives bet on.
 
Pay attention to that.
 
My framework for reliability-based job security:
 
1/ Trust the aftermath
→ What happens after you commit?
→ Do people feel calmer, clearer, and more confident because you're leading it?
 
2/ Audit your leadership habits quarterly
→ Are you predictable in your follow-through?
→ Are you the person who brings clarity when others bring chaos?
 
3/ Signal reliability before you speak
→ Senior leaders promote the people whose presence lowers uncertainty.
→ Make your preparation, communication, and decision-making undeniable.
 
Here's what nobody tells mid-managers about senior leadership:
 
It's not the smartest person who gets pulled up.
It's the person whose behavior reduces risk.
 
The wrong habits make you look busy.
The right habits make you look inevitable.
 
Your value isn't just in what you know.
It's in how reliably others can build on you.
 
Choose reliability as your edge.
 
Share this with someone who's ready to trade being the "go-to executor" for being the leader others depend on.

Image and quote credit: Adam Grant
 
➕ Follow Marija Stevanovic for more on growing from mid-management into senior leadership.

A reminder every mid-level manager needs:
 
You are your most important client.
 
You're trained to deliver for your team,
your boss,
your stakeholders.
 
But when was the last time
you delivered for you?
 
Most managers are high-performers for everyone,
except themselves.
 
↳ You drop everything to fix team issues
↳ You stay late to hit someone else's deadline
↳ You put growth off because "now's not the time"
 
But here's the reality:
 
If you neglect the relationship with yourself,
everything else starts to crack.
 
You'd never treat a key client like this:
 
⛔  Ignoring their long-term goals
⛔  Pushing off their development
⛔  Overloading their plate with no support
 
So stop doing it to yourself.
 
It’s time to shift:
 
Treat yourself like your top internal client.
 
➡️ Block time for your career, not just tasks
➡️ Protect your energy like it's billable
➡️ Set clear KPIs for your own development
 
That's how you grow with the business,
not just behind it.
 
Your team looks to you for leadership.
But you lead best when you're grounded,
developing,
and accountable to your own progress.
 
The work starts here:
📍 Build trust with yourself
📍 Reinvest in your future
📍 Show up like you matter
 
Because you do.
 
👉 What's one promise you've made to yourself this year?
 
💜 Like if this hits a nerve 
♻️ Share with a manager who needs this reminder

Most mid-managers believe they're being evaluated on performance.
 
They're not.
Not at senior levels.
 
They're being measured by something far harder to spot:
 
How quickly they evolve when everything shifts.
 
Here's what I mean:
 
✅ Last year's smartest leadership move? Might be useless now.
✅ Your hardest skill? Could be quietly depreciating.
✅ Your playbook? Built for a version of the business that no longer exists.
 
And senior leadership sees that long before you do.
 
I've watched brilliant mid-managers stay stuck
mainly because they kept polishing what used to work
instead of preparing for what's next.
 
They optimize today.
But they don't anticipate tomorrow.
 
And that's the gap.
 
The leap to senior leadership isn't about doing more.
It's about thinking further.
 
📍 Seeing the system, not just the task
📍 Reading shifts before they become storms
📍 Letting go of mastery to pursue relevance
 
Senior leaders aren't the best executors.
They're the fastest adaptors.
 
They evolve before they're forced to.
They adjust before they're asked.
They stop over-relying on what once worked and start building what will make them essential.
 
So if the work that once felt expansive now feels small, don't ignore that tension.
 
That's not burnout.
That's not boredom.
That's evolution.
And it's asking for your attention.
 
📍 Ready to turn that tension into traction?
Join my Pathway to Senior Leadership workshop and start rewriting your next chapter with clarity, confidence, and presence.
https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU
 
👇 What's one leadership habit you’ve outgrown this year?

Ever had this moment?
You're the one holding everything together…
but your career still feels held in place.
 
That was me too.
 
The moment that changed my career didn't come with a title, a raise, 
or even a thank you.
 
It came when a project went sideways.
 
The assigned leader was overwhelmed.
The team was drifting.
Everyone was avoiding the mess.
 
Then someone said, almost casually,
"Can you help clean this up?"
 
No promotion.
No spotlight.
Just a problem no one wanted.
 
So I stepped in.
I created clarity.
I aligned people.
I removed the noise.
 
And suddenly, leadership could breathe again.
 
A few weeks later, I found myself in rooms I'd never been invited into before.
 
Same job title.
Same org chart.
But a completely different level of trust.
 
That's when it clicked:
 
You don't "earn" senior leadership by doing more.
You get recognized for thinking differently.
 
Executives don't move you up because you're helpful.
They move you up because you reduce uncertainty.
 
They quietly watch for:
✔ Who brings order when things get chaotic
✔ Who speaks in priorities, not tasks
✔ Who sees the consequences before they hit
 
This is the shift we build inside the Pathway to Senior Leadership workshop.
 
Not more tasks.
Not more pressure.
Not more "executive presence theatre".
 
But the real, practical work of becoming the person senior leaders turn to when it matters.
 
We dig into:
✅ How to lead with influence before you have authority
✅ How to reposition yourself from dependable doer to strategic partner
✅ How to create trust signals that decision-makers can’t ignore
 
And here's the truth no one admits:
 
Your work isn't the ceiling.
Your positioning is.
 
Change how you're perceived,
and suddenly the rooms that felt closed
start opening on their own.
 
We start soon.
20 spots.
Last edition in 2025.
 
👇
https://lnkd.in/dt2CBTQU

taplio

The Battle

Graham Nicholls

Marija Stevanovic

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreGraham Nicholls's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMarija Stevanovic's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Graham Nicholls

Marija Stevanovic

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Graham Nicholls's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMarija Stevanovic's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreGraham Nicholls's LinkedIn Performance