Niki Avraam

WORKWELL

As Head of WORKWELL Europe, I lead the transformation of workplace culture across the UK & Europe, unlocking potential, strengthening leadership and embedding wellbeing as a driver of growth. With two decades’ expertise in law, leadership and culture change, I guide organisations through complexity while preparing people for the future of work. Alongside this, I speak and consult widely on ownership culture, leadership identity and my philosophy of “preferred discomfort” as a catalyst for growth.

Head of WORKWELL Europe

I help leaders and organisations build high-impact, adaptable teams by fostering ownership, bold leadership, and engagement. Through keynotes, workshops, and my 90-day program, I equip emerging leaders with the tools to develop their Personal Leadership Philosophy, drive workforce engagement, and create future-ready cultures where people thrive.

Speaker and Adviser to Business - Future of Workforce and Leadership 

Howat Avraam Solicitors

London based, multi-disciplinary law firm, Howat Avraam Solicitors which acts as the trusted legal adviser to companies and individuals by fighting for freedoms, resolving disputes and helping companies and individuals to prosper. We are forward-thinking lawyers, ready to embrace change and be pro-active.  Through periods of growth, uncertainty and adversity, we provide not just legal counsel but holistic solutions to business and workforce challenges.

Founder of Howat Avraam Solicitors 

Common Purpose

Common Purpose in London has been the epicentre of our global and local work for many years.
The city has allowed us to test and deliver our intiatives for multiple generations – young, emerging
and senior leaders. We are committing to a reinvigorated approach in London, to cultivate and maintain the interconnectendess in the city by helping leaders from all walks of life to cross boundaries. By doing so, these leaders will make an impact in both work and society.

Advisory Group Member of the Common Purpose London Advisory Group 

Rosling King LLP

Built stand-alone employment law department. Demonstrating a passion and dedication to justice, I litigated extensively on behalf of clients in discrimination, whistle-blowing and dismissal claims. A robust tactician and negotiator, I was able to use my knowledge and instincts for the dynamics of litigation to take decisive legal action whether this be settling a case or engaging in full blown tribunal action. Key speaker on employment and discrimination law and running a programme of employment law briefings for business owners and executives.

Partner and Head of Employment Law 

Judge & Priestley

Established employment and discrimination law department, representing companies and individuals in all 
manners of employment law claims and providing business advisory support.

Senior Associate

Speaker | Workforce Expert | Lawyer - Employment | 2x Founder | Championing Ownership Culture & Preferred Discomfort to shape bold leaders and energised teams.

I started as an employment lawyer but I never stayed in the back room. I built departments from scratch, founded my own law firms and sat at the heart of organisations when culture broke or needed to evolve.

What I learned?
When people take ownership of their work, everything changes.
Not because of perks but because of purpose.

Today, I work with leaders and organisations ready to raise the bar.

I help you access the top 1% of human potential through:
Ownership. Bold Leadership. Preferred Discomfort (work outside comfort zones).

Because teams don’t just need to cope with change, they need to lead it.

Here’s how I can support your people and performance:

🔹 Keynote Speaking & Masterminds: On workforce, leadership and change. Story-led, practical, and impossible to ignore.
🔹 The Ownership Culture Framework: For organisations ready to replace micromanagement with agency.
🔹 The Personal Leadership Philosophy Programme: A 90-day transformation for new and emerging leaders to define how they lead and why it matters.

I blend legal precision with lived leadership and it works.

From FTSE 100s to ambitious scale-ups, I’ve helped transform flat, disengaged teams into committed, forward-moving ones.

Let's connect

📩 Let’s talk: niki@nikiavraam.com
🌐 www.nikiavraam.com

20 years building teams and companies 
I became a leader before my time.
Here are 7 things to make you a leader before your time.

Here are 7 things that will make you a leader before your time. 

Even if no one hands you the title.
I learned these the hard way.
They’re what made me a leader years before my peers.
👇

🛑 1. Stop waiting for permission.
 No one is coming to tap you on the shoulder.
 Start before you're ready. Move before you're told.

🎯 2. Lead before you’re given the title.
 Leadership isn’t earned through hierarchy.
 It’s built through action and influence.

🧱 3. Build what doesn’t exist yet.
 If the role, strategy or department isn’t there, create it.
 That’s how I became a head of department…in my 20s.

💬 4. Say what no one else will.
 Politeness won’t drive change.
 Courageous voices get remembered.

🔥 5. Step into what scares you.
 Growth hides behind discomfort.
 Your next level won’t live in your comfort zone.

🕶 6. Act like the leader you want to be.
 Not someday. Now.
 Your mindset drives your momentum.

👥 7. Learn from everyone.
 Titles don’t define wisdom.
 Stay curious. Listen more than you speak.

If you’re an emerging leader, screenshot this list.
If you’re already leading, share it with someone coming up behind you.

💬 Which one landed for you?
👇 Drop it in the comments.

🔁 Repost to help others rise faster.

👤 Follow Niki Avraam for bold future-focused workforce insights.

Letting go isn’t the end. It’s the beginning.
I didn’t have to travel to Japan to learn this lesson.
I learned it in courtrooms, boardrooms, building companies and the quieter moments in between...

When the dust settles after a win or a failure and you’re left asking:

“What now?”

I’ve learned that in both life and leadership, you don’t rise by clinging tighter.
You rise by releasing.

Like trees shedding their leaves before winter, we too must release what no longer serves us:

🔹 Outdated goals
🔹 Rigid identities
🔹 Leadership styles that worked once, but not anymore.

Every transformation in my career has started with a release:

→ Letting go of “the right” legal path to build my own firm.
→ Letting go of perfectionism to lead with clarity.
→ Letting go of comfort to speak on stages that terrified me.

Here’s what I’ve learned that may help you:

▪︎ Letting go creates space. Holding onto the old leaves no room for what's next.
▪︎ Stillness isn’t stagnation. It’s where real clarity finds you.
▪︎ Growth begins at your edges. Always.
▪︎ Purpose isn’t found; it’s returned to. You already have it.
▪︎ Renewal doesn’t scream. It whispers, “You’re ready.”

You are not falling apart.
You are making room.

🌿
This season, don’t grip tighter.

Let go.

Trust the ground beneath you.
Your roots run deeper than you think.

What are you letting go of this season?
I’d love to know.

 🔁 Repost if this resonates with the season you're in.
 🟡 Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights.

Empathy in leadership isn’t about being soft.
It’s about seeing clearly through someone else’s eyes, not your own.

It sounds simple.
But it’s one of the hardest things to do.

We often assess others based on what feels easy to us.
But what’s second nature to one person might feel like scaling a mountain to another.

That doesn’t mean they’re less capable.
It just means they’re navigating a different mountain
with different tools, different stories, different pressures.

Too often, judgement steps in where understanding should.

We confuse difference with deficiency.
We miss the potential right in front of us
because it shows up in a way we didn’t expect.

People grow best when they’re recognised for what they bring, 
not criticised for what they lack.

💬 Empathy in leadership looks like:

▪ Listening with curiosity, not assumptions
▪ Spotting potential even when confidence wavers.
▪ Valuing the steady as much as the bold.
▪ Asking, “What might this feel like for them?” before deciding.
▪ Meeting people where they are, not where we assume they should be.

Empathy doesn’t mean lowering the bar.
It means broadening your perspective.
Because leadership isn’t just about what gets delivered 
It’s about understanding the people who deliver it.

🟡 What does empathy look like in your leadership?
Let me know, I’d love to hear your take.

🔁 Repost to keep the conversation going.

➕ Follow Niki Avraam for bold future-focused workforce insights.

20 years as an employment lawyer. 
Thousands advised.
I’ve seen how toxic workplaces really operate.

The silent sabotage most people never talk about.

Most people think toxic looks loud.
It doesn’t.
It looks like this:

🚫 Career Stagnation
→ Passed over for growth, no matter how hard you work.
→ Kept from stretch roles and high-impact projects.

🧊 Frozen Out
→ You’re not in the loop. Conversations stop when you enter.
→ Key meetings happen without you.

🔎 Under the Microscope
→ Suddenly, your work is never quite right.
→ The bar moves. Your confidence drops.

📉 Performance Weaponised
→ Reviews turn unfair. Praise disappears.
→ You’re no longer “aligned” with the culture.

🧠 Emotional Undermining
→ Passive digs. Cold shoulders. Side-eyes.
→ Gossip chips away at your credibility.

⚠️ Set Up to Fail
→ You’re drowning in work or given none at all.
→ Both are designed to break you.

🗂 Punished Through Process
→ HR becomes silent. A file starts to grow.
→ You’re now “not a fit”.

🚪 Forced Resignation
→ It’s not a firing. It’s a slow push to the door.
→ Stress replaces support until you leave.

I’ve seen this unfold behind closed doors too many times.

Often, the most damaging exits look like smiles and thankyous.

But inside? Burnout. Shame. Blame.

👀 Leaders don’t ignore the signs.
And if this is happening to you, know this:
You’re not the problem. The system is.

What’s one red flag you’ve spotted in a toxic workplace?

🔁 Repost to help others

✨ Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights.

Your best employee just quit.
You had six months to stop it.
20 years advising companies as an employment lawyer and leading people

I’ve seen this story on repeat and it’s almost always preventable.

Here's what leaders often miss:
Engagement > Retention. Every time.
But if the first time you really listen is the exit interview?
You’re too late.

You didn’t just lose a great employee.
You lost:

• Six months of momentum
• A culture-builder
• Deep knowledge no one else had.

And the worst part?

Most companies are still bleeding talent for reasons they could fix.

Here’s what actually makes people stay (not perks or pizza): 👇

1. Trusted
➤ They’re not second-guessed
➤ They have space to lead
➤ Their time is respected

2. Listened To
➤ Their voice shapes the room
➤ They’re asked for input before decisions
➤ Hard feedback is welcomed

3. Involved in Decisions
➤ Not just informed. Invited
➤ They see the 'why', not just the 'how'
➤ Strategy isn’t created in a vacuum

4. Respected
➤ Title ≠ value
➤ They’re treated like adults
➤ They’re trusted with autonomy

5. Mentored
➤ Not corrected but developed
➤ Growth is intentional, not left to chance
➤ Their potential is seen early

6. Promoted (for what matters)
➤ Capability > politics
➤ Action > visibility
➤ Influence is earned, not inherited

7. Paid Fairly
➤ They don’t need to threaten to leave
➤ Benchmarks are clear
➤ Reward follows impact

8. Appreciated
➤ Regular, specific recognition
➤ Celebrated for outcomes, not just output
➤ Valued beyond their to-do list

If you’re losing people quietly, they didn’t leave yesterday.
They started leaving months ago, in their heads.

Culture isn’t what you say.
It’s what people experience every day.
l
💬 What’s your workplace getting right?

🔁 Repost to help a leader catch this early.
🟡 Follow Niki Avraam for bold future-focused workforce insights.

Building business and building a family taught me something I didn’t expect......
Progress isn’t always loud. It’s not always dramatic.

Sometimes, it’s barely noticeable at all.

I’m impatient by nature.
It’s what helped me launch departments from scratch, take risks most wouldn’t and push when others paused.
But it’s also what made me overlook the power of small wins.

The tiny steps.
The effort you make when no one sees and nothing looks like it’s moving.

Then life happened.
Work grew.
Children arrived.

And I realised something:

The people who go furthest?
They just keep going.

Even when the progress feels invisible.
Even when it’s one small, tired, quiet step at a time.
So now I treat every tiny step as a victory.

Because when you look back it was never one big leap.
It was the accumulation of hundreds of small, consistent choices.

That’s what builds momentum.
That’s what builds a life.
That’s what builds anything worth building.

So if you showed up today, even a little, you’re doing more than you think.

🟡 Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights. 

 🔁 Repost if you needed this reminder too.

The new you will cost you the old one.
And that’s what makes growth so painful

So lonely
So hard.

But also so necessary.

Because at some point, the version of you that built the life you have,
isn’t the one that can take you where you’re meant to go.

For years, I built employment law departments from scratch.
I built a law firm
I took on national newspapers, ran discrimination cases that made headlines.

That work mattered; it still matters.
But I reached a point where it wasn’t enough.

I didn’t want to keep stepping in after the damage was done.
I wanted to stop the rot before it spread.
I wanted to work with organisations, not just represent them.

To build teams that don’t just tick boxes 
but connect.
That don’t just function 
but flourish.

It meant evolving 
It meant being criticised for pivoting. For daring to change:
"Why would you change and abandon what already works?"

Why? 

Because the mission got bigger.
Helping leaders build bold, resilient, autonomous teams.
Workforces where people take ownership.
Where energy and clarity replace burnout and confusion.

To help create a workforce that is simply, happier. 

And it’s not always comfortable.
Growth rarely is.

But there’s power in choosing Preferred Discomfort 
Leaning into the hard stuff you choose,

So you don’t stay stuck in what you’ve simply accepted.

What’s something you’ve had to let go of, in order to grow?
 
🔁 Repost if this resonates with where you're at.
🟡 Follow Niki Avraam for bold future-focused workforce insights.

Stop saying "let me know if you need anything."
You're creating dependents, not owners.
After 20 years as a leader and 2x founder, I've seen how the wrong words kill ownership before it even starts.

Your team isn't disengaged because they don't care.
They're disengaged because your language taught them to wait for permission.

Here are 9 phrases that destroy ownership (and what to say instead):

1. ❌ "Let me know if you need anything"
✅ "What's your next step? I'm here when you hit a wall."

2. ❌ "I'll take care of that"
✅ "This is yours to own. What support do you need?"

3. ❌ "Did you finish the report?"
✅ "Walk me through your thinking on this."

4. ❌ "Just do it this way"
✅ "Here's the outcome we need. How would you get there?"

5. ❌ "Keep me updated on everything"
✅ "Let me know when you need a decision or you're stuck."

6. ❌ "Let me handle the tough conversations"
✅ "How do you want to approach this? I've got your back."

7. ❌ "That's not how we do things here"
✅ "What made you try it differently? I'm curious."

8. ❌ "I need you to..."
✅ "We need to solve X. What's your recommendation?"

9. ❌ "Great job!" (with zero detail)
✅ "The way you handled X without waiting for me? That's ownership."

Shift your language.
Shift your culture.

Teams that hear ownership language don't wait around.
They solve problems before you know they exist.
They take initiative that surprises you.

Your words are either building owners or training people to ask permission.

There's no middle ground.

👇 Which phrase have you been saying? 

🔁 Share this with anyone struggling with team initiative.

➕ Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights.

Comfort is the quiet killer of potential.
Not loudly.
But daily, by keeping you safe, still and the same.

We call it burnout, but for many people…
It’s boredom in disguise.

Most people aren’t exhausted from working too hard 
They’re exhausted from not growing.

As someone who’s rebuilt leadership teams from the inside out, I’ve seen it too often:

Brilliant people stuck in comfort loops.
Leaders mistaking stability for progress.

📍Here’s what I teach: Preferred Discomfort.

The intentional choice to stretch, just enough for growth to kick in. 

It’s how leaders evolve.
It’s how careers reignite.
It’s how teams wake up.

Here’s how to practise it 👇

✅ Volunteer for what scares you a little
Fear is feedback. Use it as a compass, not a cage.

✅ Break your pattern
Shift one habit, one meeting, one routine. Disrupt autopilot.

✅ Choose discomfort before it chooses you
Growth doesn’t wait for permission. Neither should you.

✅ Say yes before you feel ready
You’ll never feel ready for your next level but it’s waiting anyway.

Growth doesn’t happen by accident.
It happens by design, through the discomforts we choose.

💬 Where in your career or leadership do you need to choose discomfort next?

🔁 Repost this if someone you know is stuck in comfort.

✨ Follow Niki Avraam for bold truths and future-focused workforce insights.

I empower organisations and individuals to exceed their potential by promoting a culture of ownership and adaptability. My mission? To energise the workforce and ensure we are ready for the future of work, which is NOW.

With years of expertise as an employment and discrimination lawyer and as founder of Howat Avraam Solicitors, I demonstrate how embracing growth beyond comfort zones - what I call "Preferred Discomfort" - leads to unprecedented success.

I offer bespoke keynotes, masterclasses, and workshops focused on cultivating a leadership and ownership mindset, prioritizing agility over rigidity, embracing preferred discomfort and aligning personal goals with organisational vision.

Connect with me to explore how we can work together to create a thriving, forward-thinking world of work.

The biggest lie in leadership
That great leaders all look the same.
They don’t! 20 years leading teams taught me....

There is no “ideal” leader.
1,000+ studies by Harvard Business Review confirmed it. 

Great leaders don't just use one style.

They master these 9 approaches:

Here's how to use each one:

1. Paint the Vision (Steve Jobs)
→ Start with the “why”, not the “how”
→ Speak to possibility, not just process

🟡 Use when: launching something new, sparking belief, shifting culture.

2. Lead with Empathy (Jacinda Ardern)
→ Listen before leading
→ Say “we’re in this together” and mean it.

🟡 Use when: your team is burnt out, uncertain, or navigating crisis.

3. Build Together (Satya Nadella)
→ Make “what do you think?” your most-used phrase
→ Celebrate team wins, not personal ones

🟡 Use when: solving complex problems, shifting behaviour, co-creating change.

4. Bridge the Gap (Indra Nooyi)
→ Think across layers: boardroom to frontline
→ Communicate like a leader and a translator

🟡 Use when: leading diverse teams, scaling globally, or facing disconnect.

5. Lead Quietly (Tim Cook)
→ Let actions carry weight
→ Move steadily toward progress

🟡 Use when: you’ve got the right people, and trust is high.

6. Stand Firm (Ruth Bader Ginsburg)
→ Choose your moments to speak and then be immovable
→ Stay rooted in values, especially when challenged

🟡 Use when: navigating ethical decisions, standing alone, or facing backlash.

7. Grow Others (Sheryl Sandberg)
→ Share credit, own the blame
→ Use every challenge as a coaching moment.

🟡 Use when: developing future leaders, onboarding talent, scaling fast.

8. Think Long-term (Jeff Bezos)
→ See the next decade, not just the next sprint
→ Say no to the urgent, yes to the important

🟡 Use this when: setting strategy, pivoting, or making big bets.

9. Unite People (Barack Obama)
→ Start with common ground
→ Hold space for disagreement without disconnection

🟡 Use this when: leading through conflict, aligning across difference, building coalitions.

🧠 Real leadership isn’t rigid.
It’s responsive.
It’s knowing which version of you your people need and when.

Great leadership is fluid, not fixed.
Which of these 9 do you lean on most?
And which do you need to develop next?
👇 

🌀 Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights. 

♻️ Repost this to equip your network with a leadership toolkit that actually fits reality.

You’re the high performer.
You’re the one they count on.
I’ve spent 20 years helping leaders stop losing people like you.

But here’s the part they often miss:

You won’t walk out with fireworks.
You’ll fade. Quietly.
You’ll stop offering ideas.

You’ll say “yes” when you mean “no.”
You’ll get the job done but not the one you want.

And that’s when the damage starts.
Not just to you but to the business.

Because when high performers disengage, they take:
🧠 Institutional knowledge
 ⚡ Initiative
 💡 Insight
 🎯 Quiet leadership

The cost? Invisible. Until it’s too late.
Here’s how it usually plays out 
And what to do to stop it:👇

📌 1. You Become the ‘Safe Pair of Hands’
 More lands on your desk.
 But not more recognition.

 🔁 Set boundaries. Make your impact visible.

📌 2. Your Excellence Hides Broken Systems
 You keep it all moving  even when it’s not working.

 🔁 Name the gaps. Offer strategy, not just support.

📌 3. You're Praised, Not Progressed
 You’re appreciated… but passed over.

 🔁 Track your wins. Ask for what’s next before burnout hits.

📌 4. You Do the Work of Two (Silently)
 You carry the weight without complaint.

 🔁 Speak up. Don’t let silence be mistaken for ease.

📌 5. Your Competence Breeds Complacency
 “She’s got it handled” becomes their excuse to lean out.

 🔁 Don’t just do communicate your value.

📌 6. You Train Others But Don’t Get the Title
 You lead without the label.

 🔁 Document your leadership. Make it hard to ignore.

📌 7. You’re Left Out of Strategy
 Trusted to deliver not to decide.

 🔁 Start contributing bold questions, not just finished work.

📌 8. You Forget What You Want
 You’re so useful, you stop being intentional.

 🔁 Reconnect to your ambition. Make space for your goals.

🔊 To the high performers:
 Your strength should never make you invisible.

🧠 To the leaders:
 If your best people are disengaging quietly, they’re already halfway gone.

Let’s stop rewarding silent excellence.
Let’s start recognising visible value.

🔁 Repost if If you’ve ever carried more than your share.

 ➕ Follow Niki Avraam for bold future-focused workforce insights.

I wasn’t leading a team. I was directing a cast.
I told people how the case should be run.
How departments should grow.

How we’d win.

And we did win.
But it didn’t feel like we did.

Because when I looked around, I saw something else:

✨ My win wasn’t their win.
✨ My passion didn’t trickle down; it stayed at the top.
 ✨ My control created silence, not initiative.

I thought I was building performance.
I was actually stifling it.

The turning point?

I stopped trying to be the driver of everything.
Instead, I became the enabler of growth.
I gave people space. Ownership. Permission to lead.

And that changed everything.

Ideas started coming from everywhere.
People won work I never pitched for.
The energy shifted because they were leading, not waiting.

That’s what this image represents.

And it’s what separates two very different leadership styles:

❌ Version 1: The Performer Boss
You drive everything.

You hold the vision....alone.

You give instructions, not space.

You win the work. The team delivers it.

Growth feels heavy because it’s on you.

✅ Version 2: The Enabler Leader
You define the goal, not the method.

You trust before it’s comfortable.

You unlock ideas, not just execute your own.

People take ownership and grow fast.

Wins feel shared because they are.

💡 Real growth happens when people start acting like leaders.
But they can’t unless we start treating them like leaders.

📌 Which version are you building right now?

📌 Save this if you're ready to shift how you lead.
🔁 Repost to help another leader break the pattern.
👣 Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights.

Most talent in your organisation is invisible right now.

Not because it’s absent.

Because your culture hasn't given it permission to show up.

Great talent doesn’t sit on the surface.

It’s often buried under fear, silence, burnout, systems that reward compliance over creativity.

Like natural resources...
You have to dig.

If your workplace makes people feel unsafe, unseen or second-guessed 
They’re not going to hand you their gold.
They'll hide it.

And eventually...
They’ll take it somewhere else.

So how do you build a culture where hidden talent reveals itself?

Here are 7 practical shifts that change everything:

1️⃣ Ask better questions, not just for status updates.
 → “What do you wish you could do more of here?” will reveal more than “How’s the project going?”

2️⃣ Reward risk, not just results.
 → People speak up more when they know they won’t be punished for an idea that flops.

3️⃣ Create ‘visibility loops.’
 → Build regular space where quieter team members present or reflect, not just the loudest ones.

4️⃣ Audit your meeting dynamics.
 → Who speaks most? Who gets interrupted? Shift the airtime and watch ideas emerge.

5️⃣ Ditch the "job description" mindset.
 → Let people shape parts of their role. When they co-own it, they show up differently.

6️⃣ Spot potential in real-time.
 → Don’t wait for performance reviews to say, “You’ve got something.” Say it when you see it.

7️⃣ Celebrate traits you say you want.
 → You say you value courage, initiative, curiosity? Then publicly praise it when it shows up.

💬 What would happen if your team felt safe enough to be seen fully?

💬 How many quiet geniuses are you accidentally overlooking right now?

📸 Repost this if you want to dig deeper. 
➕ Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights.

Your team doesn’t trust you.
Not because they’re cynical.
Because you taught them not to.

Here's what I know after 20 years advising companies and leading them. 

7 reasons why your team don’t trust you:

1. You said “my door’s always open” but only for good news.

2. You said “we’re a team” but you took the credit.

3. You said “I want feedback” then punished honesty.

4. You said “take ownership” then grabbed the steering wheel back.

5. You said “be brave” then made failure fatal.

6. You said “I’m transparent” but your decisions happen in secret.

7. You said “we value authenticity” but your people wear masks to survive the culture.

Trust doesn’t implode overnight.
It bleeds out slowly.
Through every mixed message, every fake smile, every “I’ll circle back.”

You don’t build trust through slogans.
You build it through consistency when it’s inconvenient.

When you actually let your people lead.
When you invite feedback and don’t flinch.
When you share credit even when no one’s watching.

Leaders, if your people hesitate before telling you the truth,
that’s not their weakness.
That’s your mirror.

💬 What’s one way you’ve seen trust built or broken inside a team?

🔁 Repost to challenge more leaders to look in the mirror.
✨ Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights.

I built a department that didn’t exist.
Then I became a partner.
Then I built law firms from scratch.

No roadmap. No permission.
Just belief.
And action.

Here are 7 lessons that built my career 
The ones I wish someone had handed me years ago.
 👇

🛑 1. Pitch the job you want, even if it doesn’t exist.
 → That's how I became Head of Employment Law in my 20s.

💬 2. Say what others won’t.
 → Silence protects the status quo. Your voice changes it.

🧱 3. Build visibility before you feel ready.
 → You don't need confidence. You need to be seen.

🎯 4. Stop chasing job titles. Architect your role.
 → Use job crafting to create alignment and impact.

🔥 5. Lead before you're given the title.
 → Influence is earned by solving problems.

🛠 6. Make your work undeniable.
 → Make it visible. Make it count.

👣 7. Own your story, not just your CV.
 → Stories connect. Bullet points don’t.

I didn’t wait to be chosen.
I chose myself.
And I built something better than a title: momentum.

If you’re building something from scratch…
Screenshot this.
Save it.
Pass it on to someone one step behind you.

💬 Which one landed for you?
👇 Drop the number in the comments.

🔁 Repost to help someone move faster.
👤 Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights.

Here’s what actually makes you old:

You stopped chasing things that scare you.

Not birthdays.
Not wrinkles.
Not job titles.

👉 The moment we stop stretching, we start shrinking.

It’s not age that dulls people 
It’s fear disguised as “I’m fine where I am.”

Because here’s the uncomfortable truth:

🛑 Playing it safe is the fastest way to stall your growth.
🛑 Comfort zones don’t keep you safe; they keep you small.
🛑 Stability often masks stagnation.

Growth doesn’t come from doing more of what you’ve already mastered.

It comes from:

 → Raising your hand before you're ready
 → Saying yes to the thing you’re scared of
 → Letting go of the identity that no longer fits.

You don’t need a new decade.
You need a new challenge.

If you’re not doing at least one thing a month that makes you sweat a little, 
you’re not leading, you’re lingering.

💬 So tell me this:

What’s one thing you know would grow you but you’ve been avoiding?

👇 Drop it below or send this to someone who needs the nudge.

🔁 Repost if you believe growth has no age limit.
➕ Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights.

Leadership only gets interesting when we stop playing it safe....That’s exactly what we did at Wates Group.

I had the privilege of speaking to their senior leaders, invited by Common Purpose, to kick off their leadership programme and the energy in the room was immediate.

Engaged.
Curious.
Ready to explore the edges of leadership, most avoid.

We didn’t talk about leadership in theory.
We talked about it where it lives; in the real-time decisions, tensions and discomforts leaders face every day.

And that’s where the shift happens.
Not in the inspirational soundbites.
But in the moments where people connect with something true and practical for their world.

What stood out most?

This was a room ready to stretch.
To ask better questions.
To take ownership of what comes next.

That’s the kind of leadership I believe in.
And the kind of work I’m proud to be part of.

Thank you to Common Purpose for the invitation, and to Wates Construction Group for the open minds and sharp thinking.

👉 What’s one area of leadership that still makes you uncomfortable but you know you need to lean into?

👉 Drop it in the comments and repost if this hits home.

🟡 Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights.

20 years leading and advising companies
The best companies don’t hire better.
They win because they do what most leaders miss.

They mine the gold already in the building
.
They run internal labour markets and it’s working.

📊 Companies who use internal mobility boost retention, cut hiring costs and stay ahead of competitors.
(European Central Bank, 2024)

But most businesses?

They promote the loudest voice.
Hire based on CVs.
Reward what’s easy to measure.

And miss the gold sitting right inside their own walls.

The cost?

📉 76% of employees say their skills go unused
📈 Top performers are 2x more likely to leave when overlooked
💸 Organisations waste millions hiring skills they already have.

Here’s what smart leaders are doing differently.

💡 1. Spot Potential Early
They don’t wait for people to tick every box.
They look for sparks.

They ask:
 “Who’s already showing leadership, even without the title?”

💬 2. Ask Better Questions
Generic check-ins miss real capacity.

Smart leaders ask:
 • “What are you good at that we’re not using?”
 • “What challenge would you love to take on with support?”
New questions reveal new potential.

💪 3. Stretch, Don’t Shield
They don’t keep people safe.
They help them grow.
That means giving real stretch work, not busywork.

Growth happens in the stretch zone, not the comfort zone.

↔️ 4. Let Talent Move
They don’t treat internal mobility as chaos.
They treat it as culture.

• Role swaps
• Cross-functional projects
• Quarterly rotations.

They know: Movement isn’t a threat. It’s retention.

📣 5. Make Wins Visible
Recognition doesn’t just belong to the loudest or most senior.
Smart leaders highlight the quiet wins.
 
They name names in team meetings.
They share the moments others miss.
They make being seen part of the culture.

👂 6. Listen Between the Lines
The best insights?
They’re often never said out loud.

Smart leaders watch who others go to when something’s broken.
They hear what’s not being said.

🏆 7. Share Credit Loudly
Ego hides talent.
Leadership reveals it.

Great leaders make sure credit is public and generous.

They turn team wins into team pride.
They know:
💬 “You did it” is more powerful than “I did it.”

🛠️ Want to start today?
✅ Ask one person this:
 “What are you good at that we’re not using?”
 
Then stop talking.
Let them step into the light.

👥 Tag a leader who needs to read this.

🔁 Save this as your checklist for building high-impact teams.

🟡 Follow Niki Avraam for bold future-focused workforce insights.

7 Secrets Smart Leaders Know About Unlocking Hidden Talent

You’re not stuck.

You’re just waiting too long to make a move.

Leaders stuck in the strategy.
Teams stuck in the plan.
People stuck in the search for “clarity.”

Waiting for the right moment.
The right model.
The right client.

And they miss the one thing that actually gets them unstuck:
Momentum

Clarity doesn’t come before action.
It comes from it.

📍 You figure it out while you're in it,  not before.

For 20+ years, I’ve worked deep inside organisations during high-stakes transitions.

Not advising from the sidelines, but shoulder to shoulder with leadership teams trying to find a way through the unknown.

Here’s what the best ones do:

🔁 They test.
🎯 They notice what’s working.
🔄 They tweak.
📈 They try again.

Not perfectly. But on purpose.

So if you’re waiting for the path to be clear before you take the first step?
That’s not strategy. That’s delay.

Try this instead:
→ Take a small action
 → Learn from what it teaches you
 → Make your next move stronger.

Repeat that and you’ll get to clarity faster than any plan could give you.

👇Where are you overthinking when you could be moving?

🔁 Repost this if someone in your team is still stuck in “prep mode.”

➕ Follow Niki Avraam for bold, future-focused workforce insights.

Being good at your job isn’t enough.

And no one tells you that until it’s too late.

After 20 years as an employment lawyer, founder and workforce adviser, I’ve seen behind the curtain.

Here are 7 real career truths no one talks about (but you’ll wish they had): 👇

1️⃣ Being good at your job won’t get you promoted.
 Visibility > output. If no one knows, it didn’t happen.

2️⃣ People don’t leave jobs.
 They leave silence. They leave micromanagement. They leave leaders who never see them.

3️⃣ Burnout isn’t always overwork.
 It’s misalignment. It’s staying in a role you’ve already outgrown.

4️⃣ You’re not lazy.
 You’re under-challenged. Brilliant people shrink in dull environments.

5️⃣ The people getting ahead?
 They speak before they’re ready. Visibility isn't arrogance, it’s access.

6️⃣ If it feels “off,” it probably is.
 That’s not imposter syndrome. That’s your intuition speaking.

7️⃣ No one is coming to hand you your dream job.
 You have to build it.

👀 I talk about this in my latest video. You can watch it here. 

Because the biggest mistake I see brilliant professionals make?

Waiting.
Waiting to be picked.
Waiting until it feels safe.
Waiting until someone gives them permission.

🎯 Stop waiting. Start owning.

👇 Which one drops for you?
👉 Follow Niki Avraam for more bold workforce insights. 💥
💬 Share this with someone who needs to hear it.

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