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Nobody Taught You to Lead — Steve Riddle Knows Why That Matters

What happens when a high-performing employee gets promoted into leadership with no playbook, no mentor, and no preparation? According to leadership coach Steve Riddle, this is not the exception — it is the rule. On this week’s episode of A New Direction Live, I sat down with Steve to discuss his book Falling Into Leadership: How Leaders Emerge, Grow and Lead With Purpose, a coaching-driven narrative that pulls back the curtain on the messy, uncertain, deeply human experience of becoming a leader for the first time.

Steve Riddle brings over 30 years of leadership experience and more than 16 years of professional coaching through his firm CoachStation in Australia. His corporate career included senior roles at GE Capital and Toyota Finance Australia before he dedicated himself full-time to developing leaders. Co-written with his mother Kath Riddle, the book follows a fictional leader named Sally through eight coaching sessions that mirror real conversations Steve has had with hundreds of professionals navigating the gap between technical skill and people leadership.

What makes this book different from the typical leadership manual is its honesty. Steve doesn’t pretend that confidence comes with the title or that authority earns trust. Instead, he addresses the self-doubt, the emotional weight of decisions that affect other people’s lives, and the loneliness that new leaders rarely talk about. Each chapter ends with practical “Reflect & Act” exercises, making it a book you work through rather than simply read. During our conversation, Steve shared that the leaders who grow fastest are the ones willing to admit they don’t have all the answers — and that vulnerability is not weakness, it’s the starting point of real influence.

f you have ever been promoted into a role you didn’t feel ready for, or if you lead a team today and still wonder whether you’re doing it right, this interview will resonate. Steve Riddle‘s message is both simple and profound: leadership is not a destination you arrive at, it is something you fall into — and what matters most is what you do after the fall. Catch the full conversation on A New Direction, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you listen.

Steve Riddle’s book, “Falling Into Leadership: How Leaders Emerge, Grow and Lead With Purpose” is a play by play guide into coaching a new leader.  In his and Kath Riddle’s approach we are introduced to a new emerging leader in Sally who is open and willing to change as a leader, but is uncertain of the steps.  In 8 session Steve Riddle walks us through his process of coaching.

Steve Riddle has a very organized approach that starts with focusing on the leader’s own self-awareness.  His big push is if that self-awareness is only the beginning, but without it, you will never get to the next steps of growth.  His methodology of using questions to push the client are both refreshing and eye opening for all of us.

Behind the curtain he takes through the importance of emotional intelligence, communication, adaptability, resilience, and what true accountability looks like.  He emphasizes the importance of the leaders role of empowering, inspiring, and influencing those the leader leads, and helps us recognize that as a leader our responsibility is to leave a legacy of leaders in our employees.

Packed with tons of insights and thought provoking questions, the book, in my opinion is using the case of Sally to take a closer look at ourself.  Some of our dysfunctional mindsets, becoming more self-aware and becoming the leader we had always hoped we would become.

Get your copy by clicking “Falling Into Leadership“.

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Stop Performing. Start Dominating

You weren’t built to play it safe.

You already know what average looks like. You’ve watched it sit in meetings, nod along, and clock out at five. You’ve seen it settle for “good enough” and call it a career. And something inside you — maybe it’s quiet, maybe it’s screaming — refuses to accept that as your ceiling.

That’s not ambition. That’s your signal.

The distance between where you are and where you know you’re capable of being isn’t talent. It isn’t luck. It’s the space between knowing what to do and actually executing at the level your potential demands. And that gap? It doesn’t close on its own.

The Truth Nobody Tells High Performers

Here’s what the leadership books leave out: the strategies that got you here won’t get you there. The habits, the mindset, the way you manage your energy and your influence — all of it needs to evolve. Not because you’re broken. Because you’re ready for more.

Every elite athlete has a coach. Every world-class CEO has an advisor in their corner. Not because they’re weak — because they understand that the highest performers on the planet don’t go it alone.

What Changes When You Stop Going It Alone

Working with an executive performance coach isn’t about fixing problems. It’s about unlocking the version of you that operates with total clarity, relentless focus, and the kind of presence that shifts the energy in every room you walk into.

Imagine making decisions faster — and with more confidence. Leading teams that don’t just follow you, but run through walls for you. Waking up on Monday with the same fire you feel on Friday night when you’re planning your next move.

That’s not fantasy. That’s what happens when you get serious about your performance.

Your Move

You’ve read this far for a reason. That reason matters. Don’t let this be another article you agree with and forget by tomorrow.

Take the first step right now:

 Book a free discovery call — Let’s talk about where you are, where you want to be, and what’s standing in the way. Visit www.jayizso.com to schedule your session.

 Send me a direct message — Not ready for a call? No problem. Reach out at jay@thecoachjay.com and tell me what’s on your mind. Every conversation starts somewhere.

The only thing standing between you and your next level is the decision to stop waiting.

Make it today.

Jay Izso is an Executive Performance Coach who works with driven professionals ready to break through to their next level of leadership, influence, and impact. Learn more at www.jayizso.com.