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.

Remote HR Employee Experience & People Business Partner Consultant

Remote

Global Employment Operations & Compliance

Webhelp

Senior Global HR Operations Specialist

Teleperformance

Senior Human Resources Generalist

TIM Business

HR/People Partner

Adecco

Recruiter

HR Operations I Human Resources Business Partner in HR Tech I Ex- Remote I Leadership & Personal Growth for Linkedin

Hello, I'm Costas, a dedicated Senior HR Employee Experience - Culture Professional and Remote work advocate with a deep focus on HR processes, workplace culture and employee lifecycle management. 

My journey in this field has honed my expertise in the Labor Laws of EMA countries and in optimizing HR operations. Through the fast pace environment I've worked in, I have developed my ability to streamline onboarding and offboarding processes, which has led to significant time and resource savings. My approach is always employee-centric, ensuring that HR solutions not only meet organizational needs but also enhance employee satisfaction and engagement.

Accomplishments:

-Achieved a 30% reduction in onboarding time and a 50% decrease in paperwork within 6 months, streamlining HR processes efficiently.

-Improved employee satisfaction rates by 35% and reduced query resolution time by 30% in one year, demonstrating my ability to handle employee relations and HR inquiries effectively in global teams.

-Specialized in multiple employment laws, significantly reducing legal risks and navigating complex HR situations with expertise.

-Collaborated cross-functionally with the Product team to design scalable processes, tools, and systems to enhance operational efficiency by 20%.

-Managed payroll and benefits for over 400 employees, maintaining 100% accuracy in payroll data and statutory filings.

-Enhanced HRIS administration, increasing user satisfaction by 50% through effective customization and training.

Costas K. G.

Degrees impress.

But self-education transforms.

Because:

1. Formal learning ends with a certificate.
- Self-learning never stops.

2. Traditional training sets the baseline.
- Self-education sets you apart.

3. Many wait to be taught.
- Few teach themselves.

That’s the real edge.

5 Methods to Grow Through Self-Education:

1. Turn downtime into growth time
- Replace 30 minutes of scrolling with one podcast or TED Talk.
- Small swaps compound over weeks.

2. Build your personal curriculum
- Pick 3 topics that excite you.
- Read books, watch videos, take notes.
- Curiosity makes learning stick.

3. Practice in real time
- Don’t just absorb, apply.
- Test new ideas in your projects, habits, or conversations.
- Knowledge without action fades.

4. Track your growth
- Keep a simple journal of what you learned this week.
- Reflection turns information into wisdom.
- Progress becomes visible.

5. Teach it forward
- Share what you’ve learned with a friend, colleague, or online.
- Explaining is the fastest way to master.
- Teaching multiplies impact.

Never underestimate an employee who invests in themselves.

They’re not just upgrading skills.
They’re reshaping possibilities.

Learn relentlessly.
Grow intentionally.
Lead boldly.

---

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Keynote Speaker I HR Operations I Human Resources Business Partner in HR Tech I Ex- Remote I Leadership & Personal Growth for Linkedin

A paycheck sustains you.

But leadership shapes you.

One funds your life.
The other defines it.

Because:

Work should build you... 
Not break you.

Leadership should protect you... 
Not drain you.

Here's the difference:

1. Bosses silence.
- Leaders listen.

2. Bosses demand.
- Leaders develop.

3. Bosses chase control.
- Leaders build trust.

4. Bosses call burnout “commitment.”
- Leaders call rest “fuel.”

5. Bosses use fear to get results.
- Leaders use belief to inspire them.

6. Bosses take credit.
- Leaders give it back.

7. Bosses see roles.
- Leaders see humans.

5 Things Great Leaders Do Differently:

1. They trust with autonomy
- Freedom replaces control.
- Decisions are shared, not dictated.
- Trust builds ownership.

2. They listen to understand
- Conversations flow both ways.
- Safe spaces welcome ideas.
- Listening becomes power.

3. They fuel your growth
- Development is a daily act, not a yearly formality.
- Support replaces anxiety.
- Growth becomes identity.

4. They protect your balance
- Rest is respected.
- Humanity comes before productivity.
- Balance keeps brilliance alive.

5. They honor your effort
- Progress gets noticed, not just results.
- Gratitude fuels consistency.
- Recognition builds belonging.

Leaders don’t build followers.
They build people.

And people build everything else.

---

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Leadership is about hero-making.

Hero-making because:

1. It builds belief in others.
- This is their courage.

2. Courage creates action.
- This is their breakthrough.

3. Breakthroughs spark growth.
- This is your legacy.

Not being the loudest voice.
Not having all the answers.

But seeing the gold in others...
Even when they don’t see it yet.

Think about the best leader you ever had...

They didn’t try to outshine you.
They made you feel like you could do anything.

That’s what great leaders do.
They pass the torch.
They build people, not egos.

When you lead like this, people don’t just follow you.

They believe in themselves.
They try harder.
They grow faster.
They become the kind of teammate others trust.

Leadership is not self-referential.
It is service-driven.

7 Ways to Lead like that:

1. Give ownership, not just tasks.
- Let your team take charge of real projects.
- Trust them to make decisions.
- Mistakes? They’re part of growth. Support, don’t micromanage.

2. Teach critical thinking, not following.
- Ask, “What do you think?” instead of always giving answers.
- Let them solve problems before stepping in.
- Critical thinking builds confident leaders.

3. Show the way.
- Be the example they follow.
- Show integrity, resilience, and empathy daily.
- Leadership is caught, not just taught.

4. Be their mentor.
- Share your wins, and your failures.
- Give real feedback that helps them improve.
- Great leaders invest in others.

5. Inspire with vision.
- Help them see the bigger picture.
- Show them why their work matters.
- Leaders don’t just complete tasks; they drive purpose.

6. Create opportunities for growth
- Give them a chance to lead a project, or a meeting.
- Growth happens outside comfort zones.
- The more they step up, the more they believe in themselves.

7. Celebrate leadership initiatives.
- Recognize when someone takes initiative.
- Highlight leadership actions, not just performance.
- What gets celebrated, gets repeated.

Managing tasks keeps a business running.
Developing people makes it thrive.

Because leadership isn’t about being the hero.
It’s about creating a team of heroes.

Make your leadership about them.
Not yourself.

---

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Ego blocks growth.

Teachability unlocks it.

You don’t need to know everything.
You just need to stay open.

Because:

1. Being smart helps you today.
- Being teachable shapes who you become tomorrow.

2. Knowledge can run out.
- Curiosity never does.

3. Being “right” wins arguments.
- Being teachable wins opportunities.

The real leaders aren’t the loudest in the room.
They’re the ones still willing to learn.

And in leadership, the difference is massive:
- Bosses want to be right.
- Leaders want to get it right.

5 Signs You’re Actually Teachable:

1. You listen to understand, not reply
- You pause instead of defend.
-  You absorb instead of react.
- Feedback feels like fuel, not an attack.

2. You admit what you don’t know
- No pretended expertise.
- No fear of looking inexperienced.
- Humility becomes your advantage.

3. You change your mind when new truth appears
- Stubbornness drops.
- Flexibility rises.
- Growth replaces ego.

4. You seek mentors, not mirrors
- You welcome challenge.
- You want perspective, not validation.
- You’d rather learn than be praised.

5. You’re willing to unlearn
- Old habits don’t run the show.
- Outdated beliefs get questioned.
- You evolve at every level.

Being teachable doesn’t make you weak.
It makes you unstoppable.

The world changes fast.
The people who grow with it…
Are the ones who stay open.

Stay curious.
Stay humble.
Stay teachable.

Lead with openness.

---

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Positions can be refilled.

Trust can’t.

Because:

1. You can replace a role.
- But not the bond behind it.

2. You can fill a desk.
- But not the belief that once lived there.

3. You can rehire talent.
- But not the loyalty that left with it.

That’s where many leaders stumble.

They see people as functions, not foundations.
They confuse presence with loyalty.
They think, “We’ll just replace them.”

But trust doesn’t reboot.
And loyalty doesn’t grow back once it’s broken.

10 Habits That Make People Stay:

1. Notice the unseen effort
- Results get applause.
- Effort gets ignored.
- What goes unnoticed, eventually disappears.

2. Protect reputations fiercely
- Back your people when rumors rise.
- Silence speaks louder than gossip.
- Loyalty grows in defense, not distance.

3. Guard their well-being
- Overwork isn’t pride, it’s pain.
- Rest is part of performance.
- Energy is your team’s most valuable currency.

4. Celebrate their evolution
- Don’t cling when they’re ready to rise.
- Growth is proof you led well.
- Wings were meant to fly.

5. See the human, not the title
- Job descriptions don’t tell their story.
- Care about the person behind the task.
- Belonging starts with being seen.

6. Make feedback a safe space
- Truth without empathy wounds.
- Empathy with truth builds.
- Growth lands softer when it feels human.

7. Feed their future
- Stagnation suffocates potential.
- Challenge them before comfort does.
- People stay where they can still evolve.

8. Give their voice real weight
- Input isn’t inclusion, impact is.
- Let their ideas shape outcomes.
- That’s ownership, not observation.

9. Honor life, not just labor
- Remember milestones, not just metrics.
- Humanity is the strongest retention strategy.
- People stay where they feel celebrated.

10. Ask. Don’t assume.
- Needs shift as people do.
- Listening once isn’t enough.
- Care means checking in again and again.

Numbers fade.
Deadlines vanish.

But how you made people feel...
that’s what stays.

Lead through care.
Lead through trust.
Lead through presence.

---

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Costas K. Gian

Kindness is Leadership.

It isn’t a tactic.

It’s the heart of real leadership.

And real leadership isn’t about titles or authority.
It’s about making people feel valued, seen, and inspired.

Kindness in leadership looks like:
- Listening without judgment.
- Recognizing effort, not just results.
- Helping others rise without expecting credit.

Never believe that leadership is about power or control.
It’s not.

True leadership transforms relationships.
- It builds trust and belonging.
- It turns teams into communities.
- It fosters growth, not fear.

Because:
People perform their best when they feel supported.
And yes, kindness creates loyalty and lasting success.

It’s proof that kindness is contagious.

If you lead with ego or strategy alone...
Here’s the truth:
You might get short-term wins... 
But you’ll lose hearts along the way.

If you want to lead with impact, start here: 
Make kindness your default.

5 Ways to Lead with Kindness:

1. Be Empathetic
- Pause and put yourself in their shoes.
- Every person has a story you don’t know.

2. Be Consistent
- Kindness isn’t occasional.
- It’s a daily practice, even when it’s hard.

3. Celebrate Others
- Shine the light on their contributions.
- A small “thank you” can go a long way.

4. Lead by Example
- Show kindness in your actions.
- What you model, others will follow.

5. Listen, listen, listen.
- There no better act of kindness.
- Listen, interpret the problem, act.

Kindness isn’t weakness. 
It’s strength that lifts everyone.

Lead with heart when needed.
It makes the difference.

➡️ What is an act of kindness that you make as a leader?

---

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Bosses manage.

Leaders transform.

Because:

Power doesn’t make you a leader.
How you treat people does.

A manager may direct your work.

But a real leader…
They change your world.

One manages tasks.
The other unlocks people.

Bosses:

- Use fear instead of trust.
- Treat people like roles, not humans.
- Demand output without giving support.
- Take more than they give.


This builds stress.
Not strength.

Performance, maybe…
But without passion.
Without motivation.

True leaders:

- Bring calm when chaos surrounds you.
- Believe in your potential before you do.
- Push you to dream bigger, then stand with you to chase it.
- Share credit, carry blame, and grow with you.
- Make you feel seen, capable, and unstoppable.


This kind of leadership…
It never leaves you.

Because it doesn’t just change your career.
It changes your confidence.

Your choices.
Your life.
Titles fade.

Leaders are remembered for how they made you feel:

Safe. 
Brave. 
Believed in.

The power of leadership isn’t control.
It’s the gift of elevating:

Dreams
Minds
Futures


Be that leader.

---

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Fixed is stuck.

Growth is fluid.

Fixed needs to prove.
Growth wants to improve.

Fixed avoids challenge.
Growth gets curious.

The difference is everything:

1. Fixed says “I can’t.”
- It closes the door before trying.

2. Growth asks “How can I?”
- It finds a way forward.

3. Fixed fears mistakes.
- It sees them as failure.

4. Growth uses mistakes.
 – It turns them into fuel.

6 Mindset Shifts that will change your life:

1. “I’m giving up” → “I’m changing direction”
 - Letting go isn’t failure , it’s wisdom.
 - Better to shift now than stay stuck climbing the wrong hill.

❌ “I’ve put in too much to stop.”
✅ “It’s time to use what I’ve learned and try a new path.”

2. “I’m not ready” → “I’m ready to begin”
 - Waiting to feel ready is the fastest way to stay stuck.
 - Progress starts when you do, not when it feels perfect.

❌ “I need more time.”
✅ “I’ll learn more once I start.”

3. “That was a rejection” → “That was redirection”
 - Every “no” is a nudge toward a better fit.
 - It might hurt now, but it’s helps you find where you truly belong.

❌ “I guess that path is now blocked for me.”
 ✅ “Maybe that path wasn’t meant for me. I’m still moving forward.”

4. “What if I fail?” → “What if I grow?”
 - Fear makes you imagine the worst.
 - But growth comes from doing it anyway, even if you wobble at first.

❌ “What if it goes wrong?”
✅ “What if this takes me to the next level?”

5. “I always mess this up” → “I’m still learning this”
 - You’re not bad at it. You’re just not done yet.
 - Mistakes are part of getting better.

❌ “I suck at this.”
✅ “I’m still getting the hang of it.”

6. “I hope it works out” → “I’ll make it work”
 - Hope is a feeling. Ownership is a decision.
 - Take the wheel. Build the outcome.

❌ “Let’s see what happens.”
✅ “I’ll do what it takes to figure it out.”

Growth begins when your thinking shifts.

If you don’t build thoughts that serve you...
You’ll live with ones that hold you back.

Choose them. 
Shape them. 
Grow through them.

---

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Hit the 🔔 if you enjoy my content.

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The Battle

Graham Nicholls

Costas K. G.

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taplio

The Battle

Graham Nicholls

Costas K. G.

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

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