The Strategic Leader

We explore how senior leaders can better understand their leadership impact, communication style and executive presence, particularly when operating at the top table.
Paul Kinkaid brings lessons from 20 years as a British Army officer and his work in leadership consultancy to explore his concept of “forensic leadership”, understanding the positive and negative traces leaders leave through everyday interactions, behaviours and communication.. We talk about high pressure leadership, imposter syndrome, confidence, training, simulation, communication and the importance of being conscious, deliberate and intentional.
The conversation highlights why leadership impact is not just about intention. It is about how people experience us. From red traces created by poor communication or unconscious behaviours, to green traces that build trust, confidence and commitment, this episode offers senior leaders a useful language for self reflection, feedback and team development.
We also discuss why simple, accessible communication matters, how leaders can prepare themselves before important meetings, and how emotionally intelligent leaders can use feedback to become better enablers of others.
Key points discussed
Why high pressure leadership in the military has useful parallels for senior leaders in organisations
The balance between imposter syndrome, confidence and finding a “good enough” way forward
How training, simulation and rehearsal improve leadership under pressure
How leadership behaviours leave lasting traces on teams and culture
The difference between intention and impact in senior leadership
How leaders create positive or negative “traces” through behaviour and communication
Why clear communication and executive presence matter in senior leadership
How “red trace” feedback can open up more constructive leadership conversations

Key takeaway
Senior leaders are always leaving traces, whether they realise it or not. The opportunity is to become more aware of those traces, use feedback well and choose how to show up with greater intention.
If this episode has prompted you to reflect on your own leadership impact, executive coaching can help create the awareness, perspective and behavioural shifts that strengthen how you lead.

Guest bio
Paul Kinkaid is a former British Army Officer, leadership consultant, speaker and author of Forensic Leadership. After serving for 20 years across 44 countries and five continents, Paul now works with leaders and organisations around the world to improve leadership impact, team performance and executive presence. His work explores the “traces” leaders leave behind, helping people become more conscious, deliberate and intentional in how they lead.
You can connect with Paul on LinkedIn here, where you can connect and find out more about his work.

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast.
If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.
If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:
www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)
www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

Stepping into a senior leadership role is not just a promotion, it is a fundamental identity shift that reshapes how we think, act and contribute. The move from functional expertise to enterprise leadership demands a broader perspective, where success is no longer defined by one area alone but by the performance of the whole organisation.
We explore the critical balance between depth and breadth, recognising that while expertise earns a seat at the table, it is strategic thinking and systems awareness that sustain influence. Building confidence to contribute beyond our specialism becomes essential, even when we feel out of depth. Asking better questions, challenging constructively and connecting decisions across the business are key to adding value.
Equally important is understanding our impact as leaders. We set the tone, consciously or not. The idea of an emotional thermostat highlights how our behaviour, language and presence shape culture, expectations and what becomes tolerated. Small shifts in how we show up can have significant organisational impact.
Finally, accountability evolves. We move from reporting activity to owning outcomes, focusing on enterprise impact rather than functional outputs. This shift enables stronger strategic leadership, better decision making and more aligned senior teams.
Key points discussed
The identity shift from functional leader to enterprise executive
Balancing depth of expertise with breadth of strategic thinking
Building confidence to contribute beyond subject matter expertise
Using questions to add value at senior leadership level
The emotional thermostat and its impact on organisational culture
How behaviours signal what is tolerated within a business
Moving from activity reporting to accountability for outcomes
The importance of collective ownership at the top table

Key takeaway
Leading at the top table is less about what we know and more about how we think, show up and take responsibility for the whole organisation. Small shifts create significant impact.
About our guest:
Steve McNicholas is a leadership practitioner with nearly 30 years of experience across banking, insurance and private equity, including several C suite roles, including Chief People Officer. Having led complex organisational change and delivered strategic outcomes across multiple sectors, he now focuses on developing senior leaders through coaching, programmes and speaking. He is also the author of leadership books that share practical methodologies and real world insight to help leaders become more effective at the top level.

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast.
If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.
If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:
www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)
www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

Feeling stuck in back-to-back meetings yet still not moving the business forward? This explores why senior leadership teams struggle to think strategically and how to reset that balance.
Strategic leadership, team effectiveness and decision making all depend on creating space to think beyond the day-to-day.
The reality is most teams are pulled into operational detail. Even experienced leaders can spend up to 95 percent of their time on immediate tasks, leaving little room for long-term planning, innovation or organisational strategy. The first step is awareness. Understanding how time is currently spent versus how it should be spent creates a foundation for change.
From there, the discussion explores the critical levers that shape strategic performance. Time must be intentionally carved out, not treated as optional. Skills and experience determine how effectively that time is used, including the ability to guide conversations, summarise thinking and keep discussions at the right level. Team dynamics and culture also play a major role, especially where power, ego or behavioural norms limit contribution.
At the centre sits meeting architecture. Clear structures for weekly, monthly and quarterly discussions ensure the right conversations happen in the right place. This creates focus, reduces wasted time and enables leadership teams to operate more strategically and with greater impact.
Key points discussed
Most senior leadership teams default to tactical work rather than strategic thinking
Awareness of time spent on operational versus strategic work
Strategic time must be deliberately created and protected
Skills influence how effectively teams use limited strategic thinking time
Strong behavioural skills help keep conversations at the right level
Team culture and power dynamics can enable or block strategic contribution
Ego and lack of expertise can lead to poor decision making or unfocused debate
Clear meeting architecture ensures the right conversations happen at the right time

Key takeaway
Strategic leadership does not happen by default. It requires conscious choices about time, behaviour and structure, supported by clear meeting rhythms that enable better thinking and better decisions.

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast.
If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.
If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:
www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)
www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

What does strategy actually look like when you’re juggling running projects, leading teams and sitting at the executive table?
In this episode we explore that question with Nicola Tilbury, Director at construction consultancy Potter Raper. Drawing on more than 30 years in the industry, Nicola shares how her own strategic capability evolved, often before she realised that was what she was doing.
We explore how strategic thinking often begins with noticing how things could be improved. Early in her career Nicola found herself stepping back from the day-to-day work, questioning processes, and creating new ways of assessing performance and capability. Those instincts eventually led her to take an even bigger strategic view, including developing a business case to open a new regional office.
From her perspective on the executive board, Nicola also shares the reality of balancing operational leadership with strategic leadership in a medium-sized organisation. With directors still closely involved in projects, it can be easy for conversations to drift into operational detail unless time and structure are intentionally created for strategic thinking.
A key insight from the conversation is the constant movement leaders need to make between different levels of thinking, zooming into operational detail, stepping back to the strategic picture, and connecting decisions across the wider organisation.
Key Points Discussed
How Nicola first recognised she was thinking strategically by improving processes and team capability
Why strategic thinking often starts with noticing how work could be done better
The importance of stepping back from operational work to consider longer-term direction
Why leadership teams in operational businesses must intentionally create space for strategy
The role of facilitated strategy sessions in aligning leadership teams around purpose and values
How strategy provides focus when industries face uncertainty or disruption
The leadership skill of zooming between operational detail and the wider strategic picture
Why communication becomes more important as leaders move into senior roles

Key Takeaway
Strategic leadership is not about staying permanently at the “big picture” level. It is the ability to move constantly between detail and perspective, while keeping the organisation aligned to its longer-term direction.

About our guest:
Nicola Tilbury is a Director at Potter Raper with more than 30 years’ experience in construction and project management. She has worked on a range of strategic initiatives over that time, including setting up a new office, and evolving the organisation's internal business approach, and she plays an active role in industry mentoring, networking initiatives for women in construction, and leading the firm’s ESG strategy.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-tilbury-3a5b0915/

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast.
If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.
If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:
www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)
www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

What actually changes when you move from operational leadership into the strategic conversations at the top table?
In this episode we explore that question through the lens of COO leadership with our guest, Divinia Knowles. Drawing on her experience as a COO, CEO and now a coach to operational leaders, she shares what she has learned about the shift from execution to strategic contribution.
One of the biggest transitions, particularly for COOs and operational leaders, is moving from being valued for what you deliver to being valued for how you think. We discuss why this shift can feel uncomfortable, especially when working alongside visionary founders or strong personalities who appear naturally strategic.
Divinia introduces her model of role, remit and relationships, offering a practical way for COOs to understand the value they bring to a senior leadership team. We also explore the confidence barrier many executives face when contributing to strategy, including the very common experience of questioning whether you are allowed to challenge the CEO or shape the direction of the business.
A key theme running through the conversation is the need to deliberately create thinking space. Strategic leadership rarely appears in the gaps between meetings. It requires time, perspective and the confidence to develop your own view of the business.

Key Points Discussed
Why COOs are often defined by doing and why that can make the transition to strategic leadership harder
The shift from being valued for execution to being valued for thinking and perspective
How Divinia’s model of role, remit and relationships helps clarify the COO contribution
Why many executives feel uncertain about challenging strategy at the leadership table
The dynamic between visionary founders and operational leaders
How leadership teams benefit from different thinking roles and perspectives
Why “be more strategic” is often unhelpful feedback without clarity or support
The importance of protecting time for thinking as a core leadership responsibility

Key Takeaway
Moving from operational excellence to strategic leadership requires a deliberate shift. Creating thinking time, forming your own perspective and contributing it confidently are essential steps in that transition.

About our guest:
Divinia is a former start-up and scale-up Chief Operating and Financial Officer, now an EMCC-accredited coach and founder of the London COO Roundtable. She has coached over 150 COOs, CEOs and founders through growth, complexity and exit. She specialises in working with COOs and senior leadership teams, bringing a practical, honest perspective on the realities of operating at the top of organisations. Her background includes senior roles at Mind Candy and Pact Coffee, alongside extensive psychologically informed coaching training.
https://www.cooroundtable.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/diviniaknowles/

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast.
If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.
If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:
www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)
www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)