What if the biggest gap in leadership isn’t about strategy, but about how leaders see themselves versus how their teams experience them? Even well-intentioned leaders can miss the mark when it comes to empathy, trust, and connection.
In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Tanveer Naseer about his unconventional journey, reflections on leadership, empathy, and purpose. Tanveer is an internationally acclaimed keynote speaker and award-winning leadership writer. He is also the Founder and CEO of Tanveer Naseer Leadership, a leadership corporate training and consulting firm that works with executives and managers to help them develop practical leadership and team-building competencies to drive organizational growth and development. He is the recipient of several awards and recognitions as one of the world’s top thinkers in the leadership sphere, including being recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the Top 100 Leadership and Management Experts.
Listen in to learn how nonverbal cues and unspoken truths can reveal cracks in leadership that words alone never will. You will also learn why leadership isn’t about holding on to employees forever, but about helping them grow so much that they eventually outgrow their role.
Key Takeaways:
- How reflecting on peak experiences and storytelling reveals where to find energy and purpose.
- The role of emotional intelligence, empathy, and compassion in effective leadership.
- How leaders can validate, listen, and recognize employees without always having solutions.
- Why leaders must first learn before practicing leadership skills, beginning with honest self-awareness.
- How small, consistent efforts in listening and asking better questions change team dynamics.
- Why recognizing employees’ strengths and passions fuels long-term engagement.
What You Will Learn in This Episode:
- [01:41] Tanveer’s background in medicine, transitioning into biotech, becoming a stay-at-home dad, and pivoting into leadership development.
- [12:53] He explains how purpose is built over time and shares a story of helping someone uncover their own.
- [16:53] The power of noticing when employees “light up” as a clue to their strengths, because strengths aren’t just skills.
- [20:38] Understanding how curiosity allows leaders to approach situations without needing all the answers.
- [26:36] The concept of leadership vertigo — the gap between leaders’ self-perception and employees’ reality.
- [32:23] The foundation of trust: why leaders must be the first to extend trust before expecting it from employees.
- [37:20] How to build a reputation as a “rock star creator” who develops talent and attracts even more great people.
- [42:09] The importance of checking in on star players when performance dips instead of dismissing them.
- [45:47] Why leadership in 2025 requires more human-centric approaches amidst layoffs and AI disruption.
Standout Quotes:
- “The latest studies have shown that on average, it takes 10 years for someone who’s just started a formal leadership role to get any kind of leadership training.”– Tanveer Naseer [21:48]
- “When you really treat people well and invest in them, your reputation speaks for itself out there in the marketplace as well.”- Kristen Harcourt [41:30]
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