Atomic Ambition

Atomic Ambition is an 8-week Career Accelerator that helps ambitious professionals and leaders decide on their next big career move and make it happen - whether in corporate or as a solopreneur.

Through a blend of curriculum, coaching, and community, you’ll gain the tools and mindset to make your next big career move a reality.

Founder

Mostyn Wilson Ltd

Corporate workshops on high performance for professionals and leaders.

Financial and professional services companies use my highly interactive and incredibly effective workshops to help their teams:

– Stop the endless cycle of back-to-back meetings.

– Sustain high performance without burning out.

– Use Imposter Syndrome as fuel for growth.

– Take control of their careers.

– Improve wellbeing.

High Performance Workshops for Financial and Professional Services

Senior Executive Coach

MicDrop

Keynotes and workshops on high performance in financial and professional services.

Keynote Speaker

Pelham Street - Leadership Advisory & Executive Coaching

Pelham Street is a leadership advisory and executive coaching firm working with senior leaders to develop leadership efficacy, and improve both individual and organisational performance.

TransRe

Non-Executive Board Director and Chair of the Investment Committee. 

Member of the Risk and Audit Committee, and Compensation Committee.

Non-Executive Director at TransRe London Limited

Just Group plc

A one year contract to support the Audit Committee.

Advisor to the Audit Committee

KPMG UK

Leadership Team member as Chief Operating Officer and then Head of People for Financial Services Audit in the UK.

Leading multidisciplinary, multi-location teams providing assurance, transaction, and advisory services to global listed financial services groups (FTSE 100 and other) and high growth companies.

Relationship development with executive and non-executive board members.

Extensive travel in Asia and the United States to work with local client management and KPMG teams.

Key achievements:
•	Excellent personal results on the firm's number one priority of achieving high audit quality
•	Significant improvements in commercial outcomes across directly led accounts
•	Signing partner on one of the UK’s largest ever insurance M&A transactions
•	Sustainably doubled the size of the FS Audit business over four years 
•	Significant improvement in diversity and staff wellbeing metrics
•	People leadership through Covid, with excellent feedback from colleagues on my approach

Partner

A combination of a client facing role and Chief Operating Officer for the FS Audit business.

Director

A combination of a client facing role and running a department of 60 people.

Senior Manager

Manager

Assistant Manager

Graduate Trainee

⚡️ LinkedIn Top Voice ⚡️ Be happier and more fulfilled by changing how you work ⚡️ Former People Partner at KPMG

*** 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 ***

Thousands of professionals and leaders have transformed their productivity, quality of work, and engagement with my corporate workshops.

These are ideal for away days, leadership programs, employee events, and addressing employee survey feedback.

Clients range from the very big to the very small, and include M&G plc, Bupa, and KPMG.

✅ “𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦-𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴.”
– 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘊𝘌𝘖, 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘱𝘭𝘤

*** 𝗔𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 ***

Get paid more and do work you actually care about.

Atomic Ambition helps professionals and leaders in the second half of their career to figure out their next big career move and make it happen – whether in corporate or as a solopreneur.

It is a live 8-week program for those feeling a bit stuck.

And for you if you feel you could (and should) be playing a bigger game.

Attendees describe it as "life changing" because, well, it is.

The waitlist for the second 2025 cohort is currently open. Visit www.atomicambition.com.

*** 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 ***

For ambitious leaders and founders, my coaching unlocks extraordinary potential. I work with a limited number of people each year.

✅ "𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘯'𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.”
– 𝘊𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 / 𝘊𝘌𝘖, 𝘜𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦

__

I am also a non-executive director and Chair of the Investment Committee at TransRe London Limited. TransRe is an incredibly successful reinsurance company which is part of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

My background is as a client-facing Partner and Head of People at KPMG.

Based in central London, I work internationally.

Mostyn Wilson

If you don't defend your team,
you shouldn't be leading one.

A title means nothing if your people feel unsafe.

Leadership is revealed when things get tough.

The best leaders protect their teams from toxicity that kills trust and motivation.

7 workplace issues great leaders guard against:

1. Unrealistic Expectations
Pushing for endless output leads to burnout.
Set ambitious but sustainable goals instead.

2. Micromanagement
Hovering over every detail kills creativity.
Empower people to own their work.

3. Blame Culture
Fear of mistakes shuts down innovation.
Fix problems, not people.

4. Unnecessary Distractions
Endless meetings wreck focus.
Protect deep work time.

5. Unclear Direction
Confusion leads to frustration and wasted effort.
Communicate clearly. Align expectations.

6. Office Politics
Drama tears teams apart.
Promote transparency and fairness.

7. Lack of Recognition
Feeling unseen kills engagement.
Celebrate wins, big and small.

The best leaders know that their job is to make great work possible.

Which of these resonates most with your experience?

♻️ Share this with a leader who needs to hear it.

Follow me (Mostyn Wilson) for more on building teams people want to be part of.

Solving the Workload Crisis | Watch my Showreel | Global Speaker | Helping leaders and teams perform brilliantly without burning out | ex-KPMG Partner, COO & Head of People

A True Leader Protects You

When I led my first real project, half the team didn't really do anything...

A few people even disappeared when deadlines hit.

And two people – just two – kept the whole thing alive.

They stayed late.
They fixed what others broke.
They refused to let it fail.

We love to say “teamwork makes the dream work.”

It sounds nice.
It even rhymes.
But often it’s not true.

Here are the 3 types of people in a team:

1/ A few people carry the mission.

These are your DRIVERS.
They don’t wait for direction.
They just make it happen.
They treat every project like it has their name on it.

2. Most people just follow along

These are your PASSENGERS.
They get going once things are already moving.
They’re good people, just not self-starters.
They ride the momentum, but they rarely create it.

3. Some people pull it backwards.

These are your DRAINERS.
All talk. No output. Lots of excuses.
They slow progress in the name of “better alignment.”

What should you do with each of these?

Give your Drivers power and pay them very well.

Give your Passengers tasks that stretch them a bit.

And give your Drainers a mirror and a moment to decide whether they want to be on the team at all.

Which type are you...?

♻️ Share this to help others rescue their teams.

📌 Want to see more posts like this? Follow me (Mostyn Wilson)

How to rescue a stuck team

Early in my career, I found myself in a situation that shook me.

I’d been given a chunk of work on a major audit.

It felt like a big step up. 
 
I stayed late, triple-checking everything, determined to prove I was ready.

On day three of the review, a senior manager spotted an issue in the testing approach I’d designed.
 
A gap I hadn’t seen.

My first instinct?

→ Defend it
→ Justify the logic
→ Prove I deserved the responsibility

But instead, I paused.

And asked a simple question:

“How would you have approached it?” 

Everything shifted. 
The pressure in the room dropped. 
The conversation opened up. 
 
And within minutes, we rebuilt the approach together and strengthened it far beyond my original plan.

That moment stayed with me.
The audit went smoothly.
The file stood up to challenge.
 
And I walked away with something more valuable than technical competence: 
 
A lesson in how fast you grow when you stop trying to be right and start trying to learn.

Working with people who are better than you is a competitive advantage, not a threat.

This is where many leaders go wrong.
 
They think leadership means having all the answers.
They resist challenge.
They confuse asking for help with losing authority.

But every high performer I’ve worked with shares one trait:

They’re coachable.

→ They seek out people who stretch their thinking
→ They know breadth of perspective beats ego
→ They don’t need to be the smartest person in the room

Careers accelerate for one reason: curiosity. 

Not because you know everything, but because you’re willing to learn faster than everyone else.

♻️ Repost to share with others
🔔 Follow me (Mostyn Wilson) for more like this

Your expertise isn't holding you back.

Your body language is.

The boardroom politics you hate?
They're just silent signals you haven't mastered yet.

Studies show executives make decisions about your potential in the first 7 seconds. Before you've said a single word.

This isn't theory. I've seen these invisible cues make or break people in hundreds of high-stakes meetings.

Here's what they're really evaluating:

1. Your entrance authority
How you walk into a room signals your confidence.

Amateurs:
→ Rush in apologetically 
→ Shrink at the doorway

Leaders:
→ Enter with purpose
→ Claim their space

2. Whether you're comfortable with silence
Rushing to fill quiet moments signals insecurity. 

The most influential voices use strategic pauses. Three seconds of silence creates more impact than three minutes of over-explanation.

3. Your micro-expressions
Those tiny facial movements when someone challenges you? They're speaking volumes.

A flash of defensiveness tells senior executives you're not ready for high-stakes conversations.

4. Voice modulation
Research shows executives with lower vocal tones receive 23% higher competency ratings.

When making critical points:
→ Lower your pitch slightly
→ End sentences with downward inflection

"I recommend we proceed" (rising tone) = seeking approval
"I recommend we proceed" (falling tone) = providing direction

5. What you do with your hands
Confident leaders keep hands visible and steady - the universal signal of certainty.

Hiding hands or touching your face subconsciously signals doubt.

6. Reaction management
Amateurs:
→ Answer immediately
→ Speak faster
→ Overexplain

Leaders:
→ Pause first
→ Acknowledge the question
→ Respond with measured confidence

Here's the truth nobody tells you:

The most promotable people aren't just technically brilliant. They've mastered the subtle signals that say "I belong at the next level".

These aren't innate gifts. They're learned skills.

When you develop them, you stop wondering why others get picked and you become the obvious choice.

👇 Which of these signals have you had to master?

♻️ Repost to help someone who deserves that next promotion.

Infographic titled The Body Language of Leaders. It explains six behaviours that signal leadership in the first seven seconds. Section 1 compares rushing in nervously with entering confidently. Section 2 contrasts filling silence with using calm pauses. Section 3 shows defensive micro-expressions versus neutral composure. Section 4 contrasts a high, uncertain voice with a lower, steady tone. Section 5 shows hiding hands versus keeping them visible and still. Section 6 contrasts reacting instantly with pausing and answering with measured confidence. The footer says top performers master subtle nonverbal cues and invites readers to download a high resolution PDF from mostynwilson.com.

Your manager just described you to senior leadership.

You weren't there.

And the story they told will determine your next five years.

I've watched this play out dozens of times.

Someone's career narrative gets written in a 30-second soundbite during a calibration meeting.

"Great executor"
"Detail person"
"Safe pair of hands"

None of it's wrong.
But none of it signals leadership potential.

And once that story sticks, it follows you.

You're doing strategic thinking.
But the narrative about you is: "Best kept in delivery mode"

You're ready for bigger scope.
But the label that you're given is: "Technical expert, not people leader"

The gap between who you are and how you're known grows silently.

Until the day you're passed over for the role you were built for.

And you never saw it coming.
Because the decision was made using the wrong story.

Here's what to do:

Take control of your narrative before someone else does.

When you share a win, frame it in the language of where you're headed.

Don't just say: "We delivered the project on time"

Say: "I brought three teams together, navigated conflicting priorities, and delivered ahead of schedule"

One sounds like execution.
The other sounds like leadership.

Have the "here's where I'm going" conversation early.
Don't wait for your review.

The professionals who accelerate fastest don't just do excellent work.

They make sure the story that's told about them matches the leader they're becoming.

Want more strategies for advancing your career and building real influence?

Join my weekly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eE287NTG

♻️ Repost to help someone else take control of their story.

The 30 second story that determines your next 5 years

If you see the future too early, most companies will actually treat it like a threat.

Some of the smartest, most forward-thinking leaders are also the most frustrated.

They see the gaps.
They anticipate the risks.
They spot growth opportunities.

Months before anyone else does.

But they’re stuck in environments that don’t know what to do with that vision.

It’s not toxic, it’s just too cautious.
Slow.
Comfortable.

And here’s the problem with comfort:
Comfort doesn’t reward challenge, or change.

It rewards predictability.
Compliance.
Loyalty to what worked five years ago.

So if you’re someone who pushes for more, who sees what’s next before others do, who wants to lead from vision, not reaction…

That kind of culture won’t promote you.
It will contain you.

And the longer you stay, the more you will shrink yourself to fit the system.

Here’s the truth:

It’s not that you’re too ambitious.

It’s just that your ambition hasn’t found the right home yet.

♻️ Repost to help other visionaries.

Follow me (Mostyn Wilson) and tap the 🔔 to see more posts like this.

Are You Wasted Where You Are?

The breaks you’re taking might actually be making you more tired. 

You wouldn't drive your car all day thinking, "I'll fill up the tank when I run out on the highway"…

But that's how most people treat their energy during a normal workday.

Most of us aren’t taking enough breaks. 

Or the right sort of breaks. 

Good breaks fuel your brain.
Bad breaks fry your brain.

Good breaks:

✅ A walk outside
✅ Stretching at your desk
✅ Reading (not work stuff!)
✅ Meditating
✅ Light conversation
✅ Even just looking out the window for two minutes

Bad breaks:

❌ Scrolling social media
❌ Checking work email*
❌ Reading news
❌ Gaming on your phone
❌ Stress eating at your desk

* - You'd be surprised how many people classify this as a break...

Here's what most people miss:

Good breaks don't feel as immediately satisfying because there's no dopamine spike. So we tend not to take them.

But they do give you the actual brain chemicals you need to reset your brain (Serotonin and GABA).

They reset your system.
Your mood stabilises.
Mental clarity returns.

Your energy actually refills instead of draining further.

Bad breaks?
They overstimulate a system that's already running hot.

The trick here is to be as effectively off as you are intensively on.

And if you don't schedule restoration, your body will force it:

Zoning out in meetings.
Snapping at someone over nothing.
Rereading the same email five times.

Smart breaks during the day aren't a luxury.
They're how high performers stay sharp all day.

Which type of break do you default to?

♻️ Repost this to help others take smarter breaks

Follow me (Mostyn Wilson) for more insights on peak performance.
__

P.S. Taking Smart Breaks is something I cover in my most popular Sustaining Success workshop series. DM me to find out how I can help your team to perform brilliantly without burning out.

A cartoon brain is shown twice. In the top image, the brain smiles while being fuelled like a car, with the words “Good breaks fuel your brain.” In the bottom image, the brain looks stressed and overheated while frying in a pan, with the words “Bad breaks fry your brain.”

You know you're capable of more.

But every time you're in that meeting, you stay quiet.
Every time there's an opportunity, you hesitate.
Every time someone asks your opinion, you second-guess yourself.

The gap between what you know and what you believe about yourself keeps growing.

And it's not about talent.
It's about confidence.

Most people think confidence is something you're born with.

But it's not.
It's a skill you can build.

The problem is, no one teaches you how.

So I created a cheat sheet that breaks it down: "Build World-Class Professional Confidence".

It covers the 6 things that hold most people back.
Imposter syndrome is just the beginning.

More importantly, it gives you 6 actionable strategies to develop unshakable belief in yourself.

One approach alone – setting micro-goals daily – is something I’ve repeatedly seen move professionals from playing it safe to taking the calculated risks that accelerate their careers.

Small wins build unstoppable momentum.

Because confidence isn't about feeling ready.
It's about taking action before you feel ready.

Get the high-res PDF of this cheat sheet plus 40+ other free resources at https://lnkd.in/eE287NTG

Thousands have already joined.

This could be the shift you've been waiting for.

Infographic titled ‘Build World-Class Professional Confidence’. The first section, ‘The Confidence Gap: What Holds You Back’, lists six barriers: imposter syndrome, fear of failure, negative self-talk, seeking external validation, avoiding new challenges, and hesitating to speak up. The second section, ‘The Path to Unshakable Belief’, surrounds an illustrated confident professional and lists six actions: set micro-goals daily, develop expertise and a growth mindset, seek constructive feedback, practise self-compassion, step outside your comfort zone, and cultivate a supportive network. Footer invites readers to download a high-resolution PDF and access free resources at mostynwilson.com.

The secret to passing an interview isn’t what you think.
It’s not your CV.
It’s not your achievements.
It’s not even your ability to do the job.
It’s something far more uncomfortable but far more powerful.

Most people spend interviews proving they can perform the role.
So does everyone else.
That’s why it never sets you apart.

What actually moves the needle is knowing:

– Why the role aligns with who you are.
– Why you will enjoy the work.
– Why the work aligns with your values.

And why these mean you’ll show up with more natural energy and enthusiasm than the next candidate.

When you can articulate that, the whole process changes.
You stand out without trying.
You sound confident without forcing it.
And the interviewer finally sees the person behind the résumé.

One Atomic Ambition graduate told me last week that doing this changed everything for her:

She narrowed down her focus to just one company that she knew was going to be a brilliant fit for her.
She explained her WHY so clearly that she was the only choice.
She’s now their new CEO.

Yes. She only applied to ONE company.
And it's her first CEO role.
Pretty mind blowing stuff.

If you want to understand how to do this step-by-step for yourself, I broke down the full process on Wilson Obeneme’s podcast:

https://lnkd.in/e7_u9yuE
__

And if you want to go deeper, take a look at Atomic Ambition here: https://lnkd.in/e739yevD

The longer you wait to feel ready...
The more you train your brain that doubt means “don’t”.

Your future self will never thank you for waiting.
 
They’ll thank you for starting.

And you’ll never feel completely ready.
 
Not for your first bold move.
Not for your next big role.
Not for the thing you actually want.
 
Most of us wait for the right moment.
 
More skills.
More experience.
More confidence.
 
But  that moment never arrives.
 
Here’s what I’ve learned from every leap I took before I felt ready:

→ The skills came after I started
→ My confidence grew with every step
→ The right people showed up once I was in motion
 
You don’t become ready by thinking.
You become ready by doing.
 
Top performers don’t wait for permission.
They act before they’re certain.
They grow into the roles they want.
 
Because action creates the confidence you’re waiting for.
 
Which area in your life needs less waiting, more starting?
 
♻ Repost to help your network take action

✅ Follow me (Mostyn Wilson) for more on personal and professional growth
__

P.S. Have you subscribed to my weekly newsletter yet?
Click 'Visit my website' above to try it this week.

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The Battle

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