If the themes in these podcasts resonate, and you sense your mid-level managers could benefit from deeper reflection and peer exchange, consider joining our monthly online community. Hosted by Roddy Millar, it’s a relaxed yet purposeful space where leadership challenges are unpacked with insight and camaraderie. Each session offers structure without rigidity, and conversation without jargon. To learn more or explore joining, drop us a line at: admin@ideasforleaders.com __________________________________________ In this episode of The Power Between Podcast by Ideas for Leaders, host Roddy Millar speaks with Martin le Comte, leadership expert, keynote speaker, and former senior leader at organizations including HSBC & Barclays. Martin is the Company Owner of MLCspeaks, Former Delivery Manager at NatWest Group, Former VP Learning Design & Delivery at NatWest Commercial and Institutional and Author of the book “The ten Golden Rules of Leadership”. He shares his journey into financial services and how his passion for people shaped his career. He explores leadership in high pressure environments, the challenges of middle managers, and why practical skills, storytelling, and feedback matter. Martin also explains how leaders can build trust, adapt their style, and develop others for better results. Martin describes his leadership approach as helping people build practical skills to improve performance and relationships. He explains that many managers lack leadership training, emphasizing the need to understand people, adapt styles, and use storytelling. He also highlights feedback, simple questions, and learning by doing, showing that trust, flexibility, and genuine care drive motivation and long-term results. Key Topics: -Career Journey into Leadership Development: How Martin moved from customer service into senior roles in banking before focusing on leadership and people development. -Leadership Skills Versus Technical Expertise: Why strong individual performers are promoted without the tools to lead and the challenges this creates. -The Reality of Middle Management: How managers balance tasks and people while often lacking training and support. -The Power of Feedback and Self Awareness: How simple questions, regular feedback, and understanding impact improve leadership effectiveness. -Building Trust and Adapting Leadership Style: How flexibility, humility, and genuine care for people drive motivation, engagement, and long term performance. 👉 Explore Martin le Comte’s book “The ten Golden Rules of Leadership” to learn simple and practical ways to lead, develop people, and improve performance. Visit: https://a.co/d/05uGfbiF Timestamps: [00:00] Teaser [01:04] Introduction and Martin’s leadership background [03:44] Storytelling, learning, and making leadership practical [06:36] Career journey from banking into leadership development [08:04] Early career lessons and being interested in people [12:26] Challenges of middle managers and lack of leadership training [18:18] Humility, feedback, and understanding your impact as a leader [26:13] Building habits, leadership tools, and measuring impact [34:25] Managing strengths, self awareness, and emotional intelligence [42:41] Feedback culture, leadership behaviours, and closing reflections 📚 Resources: 👉 Subscribe to DLQ just for $3 for 3 months - https://developingleadersquarterly.com/ 👉 Read this article from DLQ46 for free on ‘From Compete and Compare to Collaborate and Care’ - https://developingleadersquarterly.com/from-compete-and-compare-to-collaborate-and-care/?share=ccyoGhQUZSYB 👉 The ten Golden Rules of Leadership - https://a.co/d/05uGfbiF Follow our guest, Martin le Comte: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinlecomte10/ Follow our Guest’s Companies: - NatWest Group: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/natwest-group/ Website: https://www.natwestgroup.com/ - NatWest Commercial and Institutional: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/natwest-commercial-and-institutional/ Website: https://www.natwest.com/ Follow the Host, Roddy Millar: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roddymillar/ Follow Ideas For Leaders: Website: https://ideasforleaders.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ideas-for-leaders/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ideasforleaders.dlq Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideasforleaders/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/ideas4leaders Listening Links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NHgbWdUlJS8z1aSTgcIYt?si=d4f19ce12516420f Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-power-between/id1842080646 Podcast site: https://ideasforleaders.com/ Subscribe for more insights on leadership, people development, and creating high performing teams. Share your thoughts and key takeaways in the comments below!
