Leadership: Embracing Ambition with Compassion

Leadership is often perceived as a balancing act, and one that requires both ambition and humility, technical skill and empathy, vision and support.

Early in many careers, including my own,? leadership can feel like a role played in service of others, ensuring that teams succeed and projects thrive. Yet, as one’s leadership journey deepens, a shift occurs, a realisation that leadership is not about being the support act, but about stepping into the spotlight when the time is right, with the confidence to take ownership and drive the vision forward.

This shift in becoming the act, not the support act, often comes at a senior level, when ambition and hunger for development intersect with the wisdom gained from experience. It’s in these moments that leadership transforms from being about facilitating outcomes for others to owning the outcomes yourself. But to navigate this transformation effectively, balance is key.

Ambition must be tempered with compassion, and hunger for development must be rooted in building meaningful relationships.

The Aspiration for Growth and Development

Aspiration is at the heart of effective leadership. Great leaders are always seeking to grow, to learn, and to challenge themselves. This hunger for development is not driven by ego or personal gain but by a desire to continuously improve, to bring out the best in those around them, and to lead organisations to new heights.

However, ambition in leadership is not simply about advancing to the next level or achieving a particular title. It’s about the internal drive to cultivate new skills, develop new ways of thinking, and push boundaries for the betterment of the organisation and its people. Leaders who are committed to growth bring a sense of energy and forward momentum that is contagious, inspiring others to join them on the journey.

Ambition and growth, though, must be coupled with self-awareness. Leadership at its best recognises the value of reflective growth, where each new experience builds on the last. The realisation that you are now the one setting the direction, making the decisions, and guiding the strategy is a pivotal and sometimes highly emotive moment. It’s the shift from being in the background, supporting others, to being the act itself. Taking responsibility, shaping the future, and owning your role in the success of your organisation.

This is where our old friend ‘Impostor Syndrome’ can emerge, making its all-too familiar appearance in the mindset of the ambitious leader, causing doubt and sometimes existential anxieties when looking to level-up in leadership.

This can feel like:

Am I experienced enough?

Will I be taken seriously?

Am I actually ready?

What happens if I fail?

Impostor syndrome is something many leaders face, especially as they progress into more senior roles where the stakes and visibility are higher. Adrian Ashton, in his book Loving Your Doubt, reminds us that self-doubt can be a powerful force when embraced, rather than suppressed. Instead of seeing impostor syndrome as a barrier, Ashton encourages leaders to view it as an opportunity for growth and a way to remain humble, reflective, and open to learning. By accepting doubt as part of the leadership journey, we hone our resilience and continue to develop our self-confidence to lead authentically, transforming self-doubt into a tool for self-awareness and improvement.

The Power of Relationships

Despite the importance of ambition, leadership is nothing without relationships. Effective leaders understand that people are the foundation of any great organisation, and it’s through relationships that true success is achieved. My own ethos of "Every Contact Matters" in leadership speaks to the importance of each interaction, no matter how seemingly insignificant recognises that leadership is not simply about strategy, performance or execution, but about building rapport and connecting with individuals on a personal level.

Leaders who prioritise relationships build environments where people feel valued, trusted, and empowered. This is not about transactional relationships but about creating connections that are meaningful and lasting. Through compassionate leadership, leaders can inspire their teams to perform at their best, not out of obligation, but because they feel a sense of true belonging through being genuinely supported and motivated.

Leadership that is relationship-driven fosters a culture of openness, collaboration, and shared success. When people feel seen and heard, they are more likely to engage with the organisation’s vision and contribute fully to its realisation. This relational approach also creates resilience within teams, allowing them to navigate challenges with a sense of unity and purpose.

Compassion in Leadership

Compassion has become an increasingly important pillar of modern leadership, and one that is spoken about with some ‘buzz word’ hype. For me, compassionate leadership is cultural, and holistic in its nature and not by any means a convenience method to be thrown into the long grass when things get tough.

It’s not enough to simply drive results or manage operations effectively. Leadership that balances compassion with ambition creates a culture where people are cared for, where their well-being is prioritised, positivity is realised as the ‘norm’ and where their potential is nurtured.

Creating positivity isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s an essential part of leadership. People perform better when they are energised and inspired, and it’s my role as a leader to create that environment. Leadership, for me, is about lighting the way, even in challenging times, and bringing out the best in the people around me.

A compassionate leader understands that success is not just about hitting targets but about fostering an environment where people feel safe to innovate, to take risks, and to grow. Compassion allows leaders to meet their teams where they are, to offer support when needed, and to create a space where mistakes become learning opportunities rather than failures.

This compassionate approach is particularly vital in times of change or challenge. For example, when launching a new initiative, such as the expansion of a community project, compassionate leadership ensures that the mission is aligned with the needs of the people it serves. Compassion becomes the guiding principle that keeps the project focused on its true purpose, even amidst the practicalities and challenges of implementation.

What’s your ‘theme tune’?

In stepping up to senior leadership roles, there’s often a pivotal shift in how you perceive yourself, and how others perceive you. A fantastic work colleague of mine Ben, recently introduced me to a concept from a conversation he had with Chris Turner from Civility Saves Lives, where he asked, “What’s your theme tune?”

This idea really resonates with the journey of stepping into the spotlight. Just like a theme tune sets the tone in a movie, your own theme reflects how you show up in your leadership role. It’s about the energy you bring, the presence you command, and the impact you leave.

At senior levels, this external self-perception evolves as you move from being the support act to being the act itself. The spotlight is on you, and your team and peers look to you for direction, inspiration, and confidence. How you see yourself, strong, empathetic, driven surely must align with how others see you in order to lead effectively.

For me, my theme tune is “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC. Having trained for Ironman, this is the song they play on the beach before the race begins, a powerful and emotive moment that captures the intensity and focus needed to face such a challenge. That’s the energy I strive to project as a leader: bold, driven, and ready to face whatever comes my way.

As you step into senior roles, your theme tune might change along with your leadership style. It’s important to regularly reflect on whether the way you see yourself matches how others experience your leadership. Stepping up means owning the role, bringing your unique presence to the forefront, and ensuring that the way you lead resonates with those around you.

Becoming the Act: A Realisation at Senior Leadership

For many leaders, the realisation that they are the act, not the support act, comes later in their journey. Suddenly, they are the person whose credibility is grounded by a title, and for some this is where a leader can choose to go down a path that actually isn’t in line with their values.

Many of the people I coach in senior roles often feel pressured to adopt a more autocratic style, believing that assertiveness and control are the hallmarks of effective leadership. This assumption is understandable. Leadership at higher levels comes with increased responsibility, and the instinct to take charge can be strong. However, adopting a “my way or the highway” approach can have devastating effects on their teams. It risks disengaging team members, fostering siloed working environments, and encouraging micromanagement, all of which stifle creativity and collaboration.

In Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek discusses how a sense of safety and belonging is crucial to the health of any team. When leaders create environments that are overly controlling or authoritarian, they erode this sense of trust and safety. Team members become more focused on self-preservation than innovation or cooperation, which ultimately weakens the organisation. Sinek points out that when leaders prioritise the well-being of their teams, rather than just focusing on asserting control, they build cultures where people feel valued and motivated to contribute.

As a coach, I often challenge leaders to pause and reflect on the kind of environment they are fostering. Is this truly the way they want to lead?

By walking them through different leadership styles, such as affiliative or visionary approaches, I help them see that effective leadership doesn’t have to rely on dominance. Instead, it can focus on building relationships, offering a compelling vision, and empowering others. Sinek argues that when leaders demonstrate empathy and serve their teams, they create the conditions for long-term success.

Affiliative and visionary leadership styles, which emphasise connection, trust, and purpose, can often reduce the need for a commanding, top-down approach and lead to more engaged, cohesive teams.

In these conversations, leaders often realise that assertiveness can still be present, but it doesn’t need to come at the expense of their team’s trust and morale. By shifting from an autocratic style to one that prioritises collective success and well-being, they can lead in a way that not only achieves results but also strengthens the entire team, exactly the kind of leadership Sinek advocates for.

Coming back to where the promoted leader steps into the senior role - As ambition and development intersect with experience, there’s a moment of clarity where the weight of responsibility is felt, but also the excitement of leading from the front. It’s a pivotal shift, one that transforms a leader’s mindset from facilitator to visionary, from supporting others’ success to actively driving the organisation’s success.

At senior levels, this shift is necessary! Organisations need leaders who can step into the spotlight, who have the confidence to own the vision, and who can make the difficult decisions that will shape the future. But this doesn’t mean the leader abandons the relational or compassionate aspects of leadership. In fact, those qualities become even more essential.

Leadership at the highest levels demands both ambition and humility, confidence and collaboration. It requires the leader to trust in their abilities, but also to recognise that they cannot succeed alone. By staying connected to the team, by fostering strong relationships, and by leading with compassion, senior leaders can step into the spotlight without losing sight of the broader organisational goals.

The Future of Leadership: Balancing Growth, Compassion, and Relationships

Leadership today is more complex than ever. It requires a delicate balance of ambition, compassion, and relationship-building. Leaders must be hungry for growth, constantly seeking to improve themselves and their organisations. But that growth must be tempered with an understanding of the human element, the relationships that drive success and the compassion that fosters engagement.

As leaders progress through their careers, the shift from support act to the act itself becomes inevitable. It’s a natural evolution that occurs when ambition and experience converge, allowing leaders to step confidently into roles that require vision, responsibility, and the ability to inspire others. The key is to navigate this transition with self-awareness, humility, and an unwavering commitment to the people and purpose that underpin true leadership.

Leadership is not about being in the shadows or standing behind others. It’s about owning the space you’ve earned, using your experiences and insights to guide others, and ensuring that the environment you create is one where everyone can thrive.

Ultimately, leadership is not just about what we achieve, it’s absolutely about how we achieve it. It’s about recognising the importance of every contact, every decision, and every relationship. It’s about stepping into the spotlight not for personal glory, but to guide others and the organisation toward a shared vision of success.