In this episode of How to Lead, leadership coach Kate Waterfall Hill discusses the vital shift for leaders from focusing on details (the 'engine room') to adopting a more strategic perspective (the 'strategy room'). She highlights the common reasons leaders get stuck in the engine room, and offers practical advice to make this transition, including redesigning ownership, protecting thinking time, and changing daily behaviours.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction to Strategic Leadership

01:01 Linda's Leadership Example

01:50 The Shift from Engine Room to Strategy Room

03:21 Recognizing Engine Room Leadership

04:16 Reasons Leaders Get Stuck in the Engine Room

05:35 Signals It's Time to Move to the Strategy Room

06:22 Concrete Changes for Strategic Leadership

09:12 Practical Steps to Shift to Strategic Leadership

10:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Useful links:

The Digital Academy Online Course

Free Resources and more information on Kate's coaching programmes

Buy the "How to Lead" book

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Follow Kate on TikTok

Contact Kate

In this episode of 'How to Lead,' discover how when everything feels urgent in organisations it can affect team performance and morale. Kate explains how urgency is often a result of poor prioritisation and offers practical strategies to distinguish real urgency from noise. Learn about the DISC profiling tool to understand how different personality types handle urgency, and get concrete tips to reset pace without sacrificing momentum.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction: Why Everything Feels Urgent

00:20 Meet Your Host: Kate Waterfall Hill

00:48 Today's Topic: The Illusion of Urgency

00:56 Linda's Team Meeting: A Case Study

01:29 Understanding the Real Problem

01:50 The Impact of Urgency on Teams

02:06 The Role of Leadership in Creating Urgency

04:48 How Different Personalities Handle Urgency

06:10 The Risks of a Permanent Urgent Culture

06:57 Distinguishing Real Urgency from Noise

07:59 A Practical Model for Prioritization

09:50 Rebalancing Fast Pace with Quality

10:30 Practical Checklist for Leaders

11:27 Final Thoughts and Next Steps

12:02 Conclusion: Lead with Clarity, Care, and Curiosity

Useful links:

The Digital Academy Online Course

Free Resources and more information on Kate's coaching programmes

Buy the "How to Lead" book

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Follow Kate on TikTok

Contact Kate

In this episode of the 'How to Lead' podcast, Kate provides practical tools and strategies for building trust as a new leader in a team. She emphasises the importance of vulnerability, consistency, clear communication, and understanding team dynamics. Key tips include observing before acting, being explicit about work expectations, maintaining reliability, and fostering a collaborative environment.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to Building Trust as a New Leader

01:13 Common Misconceptions About Leadership

02:10 Practical Steps to Build Trust

05:34 Five Key Actions to Build Trust

07:19 Engaging with Your Team

09:11 Common Mistakes New Leaders Make

09:53 Leadership Development and Support

11:05 Addressing Team Dynamics

12:02 Final Thoughts on Building Trust

12:30 Conclusion and Call to Action

Useful links:

The Digital Academy Online Course

Free Resources and more information on Kate's coaching programmes

Buy the "How to Lead" book

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Follow Kate on TikTok

Contact Kate

Kate discusses why teams often fail to take ownership and provides actionable strategies to fix this issue. She emphasises creating conditions for genuine ownership by stepping back, granting real decision-making power, setting clear outcomes, and integrating ownership into regular work rhythms. Leaders are encouraged to foster a culture of belief and trust within their teams, which in turn can lead to sustainable and effective leadership.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction: Why Your Team Doesn't Take Ownership

00:21 Meet Kate Waterfall Hill: Your Leadership Coach

01:09 The Hidden Burden of Low Ownership

02:30 Linda's Story: A Case Study in Ownership

03:33 Leadership Design Problems

04:07 Four Habits That Undermine Ownership

06:43 Four Ways to Foster Ownership

08:40 Closing Reflections: Shifting Leadership Habits

09:17 Conclusion: Lead with Clarity, Care, and Curiosity

Useful links:

The Digital Academy Online Course

Free Resources and more information on Kate's coaching programmes

Buy the "How to Lead" book

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Follow Kate on TikTok

Contact Kate

In this episode of 'How to Lead,' leadership coach Kate shares the top five leadership techniques essential for managers and leaders. She emphasises the importance of outcome-based delegation, consistent one-to-ones, clarity first principles, high-quality feedback, and balancing direction, support, and accountability. Featuring practical examples and frameworks, Kate provides actionable strategies to help leaders create thriving teams and achieve positive results.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to Leadership Techniques

01:03 Linda's Satirical Leadership Tips

01:42 The Importance of Practical Leadership Techniques

02:30 Technique 1: Outcome-Based Delegation

04:38 Technique 2: Consistent One-to-Ones

06:17 Technique 3: Clarity First Principle

07:35 The Role of Self-Awareness in Leadership

09:31 Technique 4: High-Quality Feedback

11:15 Technique 5: The Leadership Triangle

12:51 Recap and Final Thoughts

14:08 Conclusion and Call to Action

Useful links:

The Digital Academy Online Course

Free Resources and more information on Kate's coaching programmes

Buy the "How to Lead" book

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Follow Kate on TikTok

Contact Kate

Mentioned in this episode:

Digital Academy January Sale

Click here for the How to Lead: Digital Academy: www.waterfallhill.co.uk/htl-digital-academy

In this episode of 'How to Lead,' leadership coach Kate dives into managing underperformance, a challenge that affects all leaders. Kate shares practical tools and strategies to address underperformance in a structured, calm, and human way. Learn how to handle different types of employee responses and the importance of consistency in follow-up. The episode concludes with self-reflection questions to help leaders improve their approach to managing underperformance.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction to Managing Under Performance

02:05 Common Mistakes in Handling Under Performance

03:20 Understanding the Root Causes of Under Performance

05:26 Effective Conversations for Managing Under Performance

07:09 The LECA Framework for Performance Conversations

08:53 Handling Different Types of Responses

10:26 When to Escalate: Reset Conversations and Formal Processes

12:10 Consistency and Self-Reflection in Leadership

13:37 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Useful links:

The Digital Academy Online Course

Free Resources and more information on Kate's coaching programmes

Buy the "How to Lead" book

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Follow Kate on TikTok

Contact Kate

Mentioned in this episode:

Digital Academy January Sale

Click here for the How to Lead: Digital Academy: www.waterfallhill.co.uk/htl-digital-academy

Kate kicks off the new year with a strategic reflection and planning process for 2026. The episode includes actionable steps and a workbook (link below) to help leaders enhance their effectiveness, with practical tools for weekly touch points, team discussions, personal leadership plans, and creating a shock-absorbent leadership approach. The episode aims to help leaders cultivate clarity, care, and curiosity, and ultimately, a more impactful and adaptable leadership style in 2026.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Reflecting and Planning for 2026

00:55 Introduction and Setting Up for Success

01:01 Linda the Bad Manager: A Lesson in Self-Awareness

02:24 The Reality of January for Leaders

03:21 A Fresh Strategic Model for 2026 Planning

06:26 The Three Rooms Model

07:56 Setting Intentions, Not Resolutions

09:24 Planning Through the Lens of Energy

10:44 Designing Your Year with Leadership Touch Points

11:43 Planning with Your Team

12:59 Creating a One Page Personal Leadership Plan

13:53 Planning for the Unexpected

14:48 Day One, Week One Action List

15:38 Closing Reflections and Final Thoughts

Useful links:

The Reflect & Plan Workbook

The Digital Academy Online Course

Free Resources and more information on Kate's coaching programmes

Buy the "How to Lead" book

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Follow Kate on TikTok

Contact Kate

Mentioned in this episode:

Digital Academy January Sale

Click here for the How to Lead: Digital Academy: www.waterfallhill.co.uk/htl-digital-academy

In this episode of the How to Lead Podcast, Kate provides practical tools, techniques, and strategies for managing Gen X and Baby Boomer employees successfully. Managing experience can be just as tricky as managing inexperience, and in this episode Kate highlights the importance of respect for expertise, clarity over charisma, and the benefits of tech integration without condescension, with actionable tips.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction to Managing Gen X and Boomers

00:54 Understanding the Generational Spectrum

01:43 Alice's Story: A Lesson in Assumptions

02:48 Challenges in Managing Experienced Employees

03:45 Four Key Lessons for Managing Experienced Colleagues

05:53 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

07:25 Practical Tips for Immediate Implementation

07:55 Conclusion: Respect, Relevance, and Relationship

JOIN MY COMMUNITY: Subscribe HERE⁠⁠ if you’d like new podcast episodes delivered right to your inbox along with weekly tips, tools, and musings.

Have you subscribed yet?

It would mean so much to me if you would SUBSCRIBE, SHARE OR REVIEW the How to Lead podcast wherever you get your podcasts!

Useful links:

Free Resources and more information on Kate's coaching programmes

Buy the "How to Lead" book

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Follow Kate on TikTok

Contact Kate

Mentioned in this episode:

Digital Academy January Sale

Click here for the How to Lead: Digital Academy: www.waterfallhill.co.uk/htl-digital-academy

In this episode of 'How to Lead,' Kate delves into the critical challenge of building and sustaining trust in hybrid and remote teams. Drawing from her extensive leadership experience, she outlines practical habits to strengthen trust, address common pitfalls like proximity bias, and promote equity in meetings. Through a mix of strategic insights, Kate emphasises the importance of consistent behaviours, clear communication, and intentional connection to foster a thriving hybrid work environment.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction to Hybrid Leadership

00:57 The Importance of Trust in Hybrid Teams

04:08 Common Pitfalls in Hybrid Work

05:41 Core Principles of Trust

06:38 Practical Strategies for Leading Hybrid Teams

10:01 The Role of Office Policies in Hybrid Work

12:00 Feedback and Iteration in Hybrid Work

12:48 Conclusion and Homework

JOIN MY COMMUNITY: Subscribe HERE⁠⁠ if you’d like new podcast episodes delivered right to your inbox along with weekly tips, tools, and musings.

Have you subscribed yet?

It would mean so much to me if you would SUBSCRIBE, SHARE OR REVIEW the How to Lead podcast wherever you get your podcasts!

Useful links:

Free Resources and more information on Kate's coaching programmes

Buy the "How to Lead" book

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Follow Kate on TikTok

Contact Kate

Mentioned in this episode:

Digital Academy January Sale

Click here for the How to Lead: Digital Academy: www.waterfallhill.co.uk/htl-digital-academy

In this episode of 'How to Lead,' Kate delves into the critical skill of prioritising tasks and managing to-do lists. She discusses common pitfalls leaders face, such as the confusion between urgency and importance, and ineffective delegation. Kate provides actionable strategies including the Eisenhower Matrix, impact vs. effort grids, the 1-3-5 Rule, and the 'Hell Yes' test to ensure leaders can focus on what truly matters.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction to Prioritising and To-Do Lists

00:58 Common Struggles with To-Do Lists

01:48 Linda's To-Do List Dilemma

02:52 The Importance of Prioritization

04:50 Effective To-Do List Strategies

05:07 Prioritization Frameworks

06:33 Daily Prioritization Techniques

09:09 Communicating and Reviewing Priorities

12:02 Conclusion and Reflective Questions

JOIN MY COMMUNITY: Subscribe HERE⁠⁠ if you’d like new podcast episodes delivered right to your inbox along with weekly tips, tools, and musings.

Have you subscribed yet?

It would mean so much to me if you would SUBSCRIBE, SHARE OR REVIEW the How to Lead podcast wherever you get your podcasts!

Useful links:

Free Resources and more information on Kate's coaching programmes

Buy the "How to Lead" book

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Follow Kate on TikTok

Contact Kate

Mentioned in this episode:

Digital Academy January Sale

Click here for the How to Lead: Digital Academy: www.waterfallhill.co.uk/htl-digital-academy