Let's Talk About Executive Leadership Development with Samah Salih

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The Assembly

Assemble You

91 episodes

3 days ago

The Assembly: Where L&D Minds Assemble The future of workplace learning doesn’t live in theory — it lives in lived experience, fresh research, and honest conversations. That’s what The Assembly delivers. Hosted by Adam Lacey, Co-Founder of Assemble You and digital learning veteran, and Brigid McCormack, a newcomer to the world of L&D, this is your go-to space for rich, real talk on what’s driving L&D forward. In each episode, you’ll find: Richer insights that go beyond surface-level tips to unpack what really works in learning today Expert perspectives from leaders shaping the L&D landscape Access to new research on tech, methods, and innovations defining tomorrow’s learning culture Practical strategies you can use right now to build essential skills like leadership, communication, and adaptability Whether you’re designing programs, shaping strategy, or driving culture change — if learning is your thing, this is your podcast. Formally known as L&D Challenges.

Self-Improvement

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Self-Improvement

Education

Let's Talk About Executive Leadership Development with Samah Salih

The Assembly

50 minutes

1 month ago

Let's Talk About Executive Leadership Development with Samah Salih

In this excellent interview, Adam sits down with Samah Salih.

Samah is a strategic talent and learning leader with over 18 years of experience in FTSE 100 retail and corporate environments, including pivotal roles at Nestlé, BGA, River Island, and BT. She specialises in helping organisations build leadership pipelines and align people strategy with business goals to enable transformation at scale.

In this episode, Samah discusses the unique challenges of executive leadership development. She provides a candid look at why senior leaders often struggle to prioritise their own growth and offers a back-to-basics framework for building resilient, empathetic leadership teams, including:

The Executive Development Paradox: Samah explains why leaders are often "time-poor" and risk-averse, treating development as a secondary habit rather than a core responsibility.
"Fail Fast" vs. "Fail Well": Why the popular buzzword is often misunderstood, and how true growth comes from the pause, reflection, and accountability that follows a setback.
The Power of the Coaching Mindset: Why great leaders move from "telling" to "asking." Samah argues that coaching is a fundamental skill for life, driving accountability and clarity in a complex world.
Case Study in Success: A deep dive into a successful global leadership program at Nestlé, highlighting the importance of sponsorship, application processes, and applying frameworks to real-world business context.
AI and Human Skills: While AI can drive efficiency, Samah discusses why it cannot replace the human need for empathy, difficult conversations, and authentic connection.
Building Psychological Safety: How to foster trust through clarity, transparency, and consistency. Samah emphasises that trust should be given first, not just earned, and highlights the underrated power of kindness.

Samah offers a deeply human and practical perspective on what it takes to lead at the highest levels. If you are looking to understand how to support and develop your executive team effectively, this is a must-listen-to episode.

Connect with Samah on LinkedIn: Samah S.

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.