Mr. Joe Leech

When your name is no longer yours... I never liked my surname, I mean, a leech is a blood sucker after all. At my wedding my aunt asked my now wife if she was taking my name. My wife being a successful entrepreneur said no, she was keeping her name. My aunt's reply quite shocked my wife... Read on: what happens when another Joe Leech comes along. From Founder to CEO: Strategic Insights for a Smooth Transition What got you here won’t get you there – key insights from my recent webinar with the...

Mr Joe Leech Why talking to CEOs about AI is like talking to teenagers about Sex "Everyone else is doing it; it's all they talk about, and it feels like they are doing it way better than we are." Being an ex-teacher, I have had to address this question. I even had training. Now, if you have kids, you know teenagers love to talk a good game. No one wants to be left out. But when teenagers (and CEOs) feel safe, they let their guard down and it all comes out... 👋 Hi I'm Mr Joe Leech, Trusted...

Hi Reader You find me on the cusp of my 50th birthday. 8 days and counting. Let's get some cliches out of the way. I did buy an Italian sports car, (an Alfa Romeo Spider) I did run a half marathon on Sunday (1h40m). Age is just a number after all but why let the passing of a decade not be a time for reflection? So rather than a midlife crisis, why not answer a simple question. A question that's come up lately both with my clients but also in parts of my life is, "What are you optimising for?"...

~ 1.5-minute read ~ Hi Reader “I think I’ve got a productivity problem. I really struggle to get things done.” That’s what a CEO I work with (let’s call him Alfie) told me during our first session. He was frustrated, drained, and looking for a better system to help him do more. I looked at him and said, “Of course you do.” I didn't say it because he was lazy. I said it because he was spending most of his time doing things he didn't enjoy, things that drained his energy, and things that didn't...

~2-minute read~ Hi Reader , There is a specific kind of professional pride that comes with a perfectly organized to-do list. We’ve all been there. The tags, the priorities, the sub-lists that capture every moving part of a complex organization. It’s the hallmark of a brilliant operator. It’s how we got to where we are. But for many of us, the very system that built our success eventually becomes the thing that holds us back. I had a client once, let’s call her Jane. Jane had the most...

Hi Reader You’ve probably seen the title “Chief of Staff” a lot lately. But what does a great Chief of Staff actually do? In this episode of The Modern CEO podcast, I sat down with Cat Shepherd, a powerhouse Chief of Staff shaping the role in the real world and Nick Langford of the Chief of Staff Association to unpack what really matters in the job. We covered: Why the best Chief of Staff are often invisible How to balance putting out fires and doing the long-term work Why saving your exec...

Hi Reader, Whether you're the CEO or the one everyone turns to, you’re likely carrying too much. And I get it. In the early days, you had to do everything! From product, hiring, operations, to customer support. But... You can’t lead if you’re still managing. You can’t think clearly if your days are jammed with tasks that belong to someone else. And no, it’s not a badge of honour to be “across everything.” The reality? As a CEO, your role is zero operations. You should be thinking...

Hi Reader What do martial arts and leadership have in common? More than you think. Episode 2 of The Modern CEO is now live. This one’s with Roan Lavery, CEO at FreeAgent, and yes, the episode is really called: “The CEO’s Guide to Being Punched in the Face.” Roan shares how martial arts shaped the way he handles pressure, tough calls, and business blows that would flatten most people. But here’s the thing, this isn’t just for CEOs. If you lead people, run teams, or even sit in the room where...

Leadership is subtle, not blunt. [2 min read] Hi Reader, If you think barking orders makes you look strong, you’re already losing the room. This might surprise you but the best leaders rarely shout. You rarely see them force anything. They don’t force, bark, or push every problem through brute strength. Blunt leadership is easy, but exhausting. You push, you drag, you force the outcome. Some days you can do it. Most days you shouldn’t have to. A CEO told me once: “My assistant made two...