Obi James Consultancy

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Obi James Consultancy

I specialise in creating inclusive cultures of shared leadership and empowered relationships where every individual can thrive. These are unprecedented times.

Author of #1 Amazon bestseller, Let Go Leadership - how inclusive leaders share power to drive high performance. Tough global events have not only impacted our everyday lives but also the way we work. The way you rise to this challenge, as a leader, will determine your people's engagement levels, the survival of your relationships, and whether or not you are successful on the other side of the crisis. This is where I help. I am a Finnish-Nigerian Leadership Expert committed to creating inclusive cultures of shared leadership and empowered relationships, where every individual can thrive. For the past 15 years I have successfully trained, mentored and coached clients - individuals, leaders, partnerships and teams - through periods of extreme change and uncertainty. The programmes I facilitate range from individual to large-scale such as leadership development, relationship coaching, team development, outplacement support, client service, culture shifts, pre- and post-M&A integration. I understand the overwhelming challenges that leaders face during these ambiguous times.. In the workplace, there is the double whammy of needing to support your people, while also maintaining excellent service levels. There is often the need to adjust your business model to get more out of existing systems - without additional resources. So, what's the answer? If I've learnt anything, it’s that no one person has all the answers. Although often as a leader, you feel that weight of expectation. I've found that the key lies in shaping inclusive cultures that are fuelled by constructive conversations, collaboration and even, healthy conflict. I work with business leaders, partnerships and teams to embed culture-shaping programmes which strengthen relationships and engage the power of the collective. My programmes looks beyond individual agendas and pull you together to achieve a common goal. When you effectively listen, invite and welcome different perspectives, you motivate and empower everyone. Leadership becomes a hat everyone can and will wear. This shared leadership approach builds trust, fuels creativity and takes pressure off you. Silos are broken down, people collaborate and you have more innovation. This creates efficiencies that save time, cut costs, and consistently increase meaningful output. Strong relationships = sustainable success. To reset your leadership and relationships, get in touch: www.obijames.com

15/09/2025

❗ It’s National Inclusion Week
The theme, “Now is the Time,” lands amid real challenges: diversity without belonging, inclusion that stalls at posters, and systems that still reward the familiar.

💡 Here’s the truth: we all hold some power - title, tenure, budget, networks, airtime. Inclusion happens when we use that power so others belong.

This week and every week:
⭕ Share power: co-lead, sponsor someone under-represented, rotate stretch work and visibility.
⭕ Make access predictable: share context, decision paths, and feedback - no gatekeeping.
⭕ Count what matters: track who speaks, gets opportunities, and progresses - then act on gaps.

Belonging isn’t vibes. It’s fair access to information, opportunity, and decisions. Let’s make that our daily practice.

Credit: by .

13/09/2025

Goal-setting isn’t a numbers game.
👉 Goals without purpose create pressure, not performance.
👉 Goals without co-creation build compliance, not commitment.

Set goals with your people (not just for them) to:
✨ Create ownership
✨ Unlock hidden potential
✨ Build trust that fuels performance

That’s Let Go and SHARE leadership in action: Seek Feedback, Have Accountability, Adapt, Reconnect, Empower.

💡 Reflection: Are your goals stretching people into growth - or squeezing them into compliance?

Try this: co-create one goal with your team. Ask, “What are we missing? Who owns what? How will we learn?”

12/09/2025

🎯 Are Your Goals Stretching Your Team or Strangling Them?

In 'Let Go Leadership', Obi James talks about how easy it is for leaders to confuse pressure with performance. Too often, we set goals that are so rigid and so narrowly defined that, instead of unlocking potential, they shut it down.

The truth?
👉 Goals should inspire, not intimidate.
👉 They should create clarity, not confusion.
👉 They should stretch people into their potential, not strangle them with anxiety.

When leaders set goals with purpose and alignment, something shifts:
✨ Teams see how their contributions connect to the bigger picture.
✨ Individuals feel trusted and empowered to take ownership.
✨ Performance is fuelled by motivation, not fear.

Leadership isn’t just about the goals you hit. It’s about the growth you unlock along the way.

How do you leave your team members feeling after your goal-setting conversations?

11/09/2025

So, it’s my birthday today and I’m feeling deeply grateful.

This week, one of my reflections on LinkedIn was seen by over 268,000 people.

✨ Nearly 10,000 visited my profile
✨ Over 1,500 new people joined my community and engaged

The numbers are humbling… but what they really show is this:

The yearning for, value of, and power of connection 💛

In a world of AI, remote work + endless busyness, it’s easy to feel more isolated than ever.

Yet at the end of our lives, no one will remember our dashboards or bank balances.

They’ll remember how we made them feel and who reached out when the world felt too heavy.

That’s why, in my recent Business Global interview with Juliana Olayinka (International News Correspondent at Channels Television), we spoke about self-leadership, compassion, and keeping connection at the centre of our goals - especially in times of change.

🎥 I’ve added the full 10-min interview link in my bio.

Most importantly, here’s my birthday gift invitation to you:

👉🏾 Who could you check in on today?

Because leadership isn’t about how much we achieve. It’s about how much we connect.

Love,
Obi

10/09/2025

CEO churn = a succession wake-up call.

Some thoughts from the recent analysis: external hires up, tenures down, over-reliance on headhunters, inclusion gap persists. Let go and share leadership prepares you to navigate leadership changes more effectively.

Source: Financial Times (article linked in comments).

09/09/2025

Happy birthday to our handsome Blue! 😻🥰❤️🎉🎉🎉

06/09/2025

📚 National Read a Book Day 2025

Books have the power to change not just what we know, but how we lead.

On this National Read a Book Day, we are celebrating the impact of “Let Go Leadership” by Obi James 🇫🇮🇳🇬. It’s more than a leadership book; it’s a call to reimagine how we lead.

Key themes that continue to resonate:
• Letting go of control to create space for innovation
• Building inclusive cultures where every voice matters
• Leading with purpose and empathy, not just authority

At a time when organisations face constant change, the lessons in 'Let Go Leadership' feel more relevant than ever.

💡 If you’re looking for your next transformative read, start here.
👉 https://obijames.com/the-book/

05/09/2025

Today, on International Charity Day, we're reflecting on what giving really means in leadership.

It isn’t just about money.
It’s about the conscious use of your privileges to serve those who don’t have it.

💡 Through mentorship, sponsorship, and advocacy, leaders can turn privilege into possibility.
💡 By opening doors for others, we don’t lose power; we multiply it.
💡 And when we invest in others, we change not only careers but trajectories.

The real legacy of leadership isn’t in what we hold on to, but in the privileges we share.

03/09/2025

Most organisations talk about succession planning, but too few leaders live it.
Sustainable leadership isn’t about clinging to your role. It’s about preparing the next generation to thrive without you.

As Obi James 🇫🇮🇳🇬 reminds us in 'Let Go Leadership': leadership is a legacy, not a title.

The question is:
Who are you preparing to rise after you?

-

01/09/2025

📅 A couple of months ago, Obi James 🇫🇮🇳🇬 sat in on two of a client’s team meetings. The leader opened every item, answered most questions, corrected slides mid-sentence, and wrapped the decisions himself. Smart. Efficient. Tight.
The team? Quiet.

In the coaching debrief, Obi asked, “What did you notice while observing yourself lead?”
He paused, then said:
“I can’t develop my team while I’m gripping the reins.”

That was the turn. He reassigned one decision, named a stretch owner, and made “ask before answer” his new rule. Within a week, side conversations moved into the room, and three people started stepping up without being asked.

💡 Why this works: psychological safety + real delegation → more voice, faster learning, stronger results.

💬 Why it fails: Micromanagement suppresses initiative and engagement.

Try this: in your next meeting, count who speaks, who decides, who rescues - then loosen your grip by 10% and name a scope someone else truly owns this month.

-

29/08/2025

💡 Leader as Coach - six-month check-in (in their words)

Six months after every cohort, we bring leaders back together with Obi for a short refresher. The pattern is consistent and powerful:

💬 “I ask before I answer now. My questions-to-answers ratio flipped.”
💬 “I’m coaching more and directing less and escalations have dropped.”
💬 “One of my quietest team members now leads the pre-mortems.”

The shift isn’t theory; it’s habit. Leaders keep three prompts on a sticky note and use them in every meeting:
- What support do you need from me?
- Where are we stuck - as a team?
- What’s one thing we’ll do differently next time?

When managers switch from giving answers to asking better questions, team development accelerates—ownership rises, voices multiply, and results follow.

Ready to make the switch? Ask before you answer for one sprint and watch what changes.

https://obijames.com/leader-as-coach/

28/08/2025

👔✨ Anyone who knows me knows I am an avid declutterer - Marie Kondo style. But this shirt? This one survived every clear-out.

My first ever shirt. 30 years old.

I bought it at 18 when I had to go to court - not as a defendant, but as a witness to a racist incident.

I still remember being terrified they’d find a way to pin something on me and I’d end up in trouble. I was living on my own, parents in another country, figuring out life one anxious step at a time.

Today, my 14-year-old wears it as she heads off to Day 3 of her work experience in the City. She’s soaking up every moment - investments, AI, the awesome people, the works (that’s a post for another day!).

I welled up a bit (remember, that crier in me?) as she chose and slipped into this shirt - with pride, breathing new life into it.

The worries remain mine, but on her, it feels different: lighter, stronger, filled with possibility.

Sometimes what we pass on isn’t just clothes, but the courage, resilience and history stitched into them.

Have a blessed day, my warrior girl🙏🏼🥹❤️

Address

London

Telephone

+442032907894

Website

http://www.obijames.com/

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