Episode 20

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Published on:

2nd Jul 2026

Ep 20 - 5 Leadership Questions Every Leader Must Answer

with Alec Pearson

After 19 honest conversations with leaders, founders and coaches working in very different worlds, the same themes kept appearing.

Questions about identity, energy, trust, change and what really happens when leadership becomes personal.

Why do some leaders know exactly what needs to change, yet still do nothing about it?

And what are the questions that leadership keeps asking, regardless of role, sector or experience?

In this 20th episode, Alec Pearson looks back across the first six months of Beyond Leading to explore the recurring themes that have shaped the podcast so far, what those conversations have reinforced for him personally, and why knowing what to do is rarely the same as being ready to do it.

We explore:

Why does leadership become more personal the further up you go?
What happens when reflection is constantly squeezed out by the diary?
Why can knowing the right thing still fail to change our behaviour?
How do energy, trust and self-awareness affect the way we lead?
What have 19 very different conversations revealed about the reality of leadership?

If you lead people, carry responsibility or find yourself knowing what needs to change but still not acting on it, this episode is worth your time.

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About the Podcast

Beyond Leading

Beyond Leading is the leadership podcast for senior leaders and those building towards it — honest conversations about the real psychological and human experience of leading at the top. Hosted by executive coach and Non Executive Director Alec Pearson.

Most leadership content gives you frameworks and five-step plans. Beyond Leading goes somewhere different.

This is the podcast for senior leaders and those building toward that level, people who already know that leadership is harder and more human than any framework prepares you for.

Hosted by executive coach and Non Executive Director Alec Pearson, with regular contributions from fellow coaches Tiffany Barnard and Nick Sellers, Beyond Leading goes inside the real human experience of senior leadership. The pressure. The identity questions. The decisions that don't have clean answers. What's really going on beneath the surface when things get hard.

The conversations draw on SME business owners, corporate leaders and coaches who've been in the seat, people who'll talk honestly about what senior leadership cost them, what they got wrong, and what they'd do differently. No frameworks sold. No glossy success stories. Just the conversation senior leaders actually need.

We don't claim to have all the answers. What we do is ask the questions worth reflecting on, and give you the space to work out what they mean in your world.

If you're a senior leader, or someone building toward that level, this is your podcast.

Subscribe and join the conversation.

🎙 Let's go beyond leading — and everything in between.

About your hosts

Alec Pearson

I'm Alec Pearson, Non-Executive Director, Board Advisor and Executive Coach, with over 30 years' experience across professional services, law, technology, manufacturing, transport and founder-led SME's.

I work with boards and senior leaders when decisions feel heavier than they used to, complexity is rising, and clarity really matters. My approach combines independent board-level thinking with a coaching lens: pragmatic, people-aware, and straight-talking.

Beyond Leading is the podcast I wish had existed earlier in my career. It's the honest conversation about what senior leadership actually demands, the pressure, the identity questions, and everything in between.

Tiffany Barnard

I spent over 25 years leading teams and running a business in Tanzania, and those experiences shaped how I see leadership today. Now, I coach leaders around the world to communicate with impact, build trust, and lead in a way that feels true to them. The best part of my work is watching that moment when they realise what’s possible — and step into it. You can find me on LinkedIn if you’d like to connect.

Nick Sellers

Even leaders need a helping hand to achieve their potential. I bring decades of corporate experience and a keen interest in people to my coaching and mentoring activities. And I really like to help those who want to grow and develop.
For more information, you can find me on LinkedIn and schedule a quick call.