Leadership is a Skill, Not a Position
Episode Overview
Join me, Sue Firth, as I interview Andy Coley, a leadership development expert who transitioned from tech to transforming how people think about leadership. Andy shares his personal journey from IT professional to TEDx Speaker of the Year, revealing why leadership is a learnable skill rather than an automatic privilege of position.
Key Topics & Timestamps
Andy’s Background & Career Transition (5:00-12:00)
Computer science degree sponsored by IBM in the late 90s
Early career at Goldman Sachs in London tech sector
Transition to web development and e-commerce in early 2000s
Running own web development company as director
The Personal Crisis That Changed Everything (12:00-18:00)
Mid-30s “epic life fail” around 2010-2011
Business failure, debt, and 11-year marriage breakdown
Weight gain to 23 stone (142kg) from overwork
Near-suicidal thoughts and seeking help
Discovery of NLP coaching as a turning point
The Leadership Philosophy: Skill vs Position (18:00-25:00)
Why leadership doesn’t automatically come with job titles
The 82% statistic: Most leaders never receive formal leadership training
Four stages of learning applied to leadership development:
Unconsciously incompetent
Consciously incompetent
Consciously competent
Unconsciously competent
Understanding NLP in Leadership (25:00-30:00)
How people process information differently
The thinking-feeling-doing connection
Body language as primary non-verbal communication
Using NLP to understand yourself and teach others
Common Leadership Challenges (30:00-35:00)
“Why aren’t my team doing what I’m telling them?”
Matching leadership style to team experience level:
Directive: For emergencies or new employees
Coaching: For developing team members
Delegating: For experienced professionals
The micromanagement trap with experienced teams
Managing Change & Uncertainty (35:00-42:00)
“Shift Happens” philosophy
Chinese proverb: “When winds of change blow, some build walls, others build windmills”
Circles of control vs influence vs concern
Leading with limited information during volatile times
Supporting teams through uncertainty
Key Takeaways
✅ Leadership is learnable – It’s a skill set that can be developed, not an innate talent that comes with promotion
✅ Self-audit first – Assess your current leadership abilities through feedback and honest self-reflection
✅ Match your style to your team – Experienced teams need delegation, not micromanagement
✅ Focus on what you can control – During change, concentrate energy on your circle of control and influence
✅ Continuous feedback beats annual reviews – Regular micro-feedback is more effective than yearly performance dumps
✅ Personal crisis can become transformation – Sometimes our lowest points redirect us toward our true calling
Notable Quotes from Andy
“Leadership is a skill and not a position – just because you get made a lead doesn’t mean the leadership skills just switch on.”
“82% of leaders and managers have never had any kind of formal leadership training.”
“When winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.”
Resources Mentioned
📚 Book: “Leadership is a Skill” by Andy Coley
🌐 Website: leadershipisaskill.com
🌐 Andy’s Website: andycoley.com
🎤 TEDx Talk: “Leadership is a Skill and Not a Position”
📖 Additional Talk: “Shift Happens” – on managing change
About the Guest
Andy Coley is a leadership development expert, NLP Master Practitioner and Trainer, and TEDx Speaker of the Year. After transitioning from a successful tech career, Andy now helps leaders develop essential skills through workshops, keynotes, and coaching. His book “Leadership is a Skill” was released in February.
Specialties:
Leadership development training
NLP coaching and training
Change management
Conference speaking and workshops
Connect with Andy Coley
Website: andycoley.com
Book & Resources: leadershipisaskill.com
Speaking Engagements: Available for conferences, keynotes, and workshops
About The Executive Edge
The Executive Edge gives you practical skills to achieve and maintain success in life and business. Hosted by Sue Firth, each episode delivers actionable insights from industry experts and thought leaders.
