Episode #9
Leading With Quite Confidence with Nisha Prajay Kagdadia
What changes when a leader stops carrying every problem and starts creating the space for others to think? In this episode of the Leaders Who Coach™ Podcast , Sehaam Cyrene speaks with Nisha Prajay Kagdadia , a financial services executive with more than 20 years of experience across Citi, HSBC and Lloyds. Today, Nisha leads strategic client partnerships at Publicis Sapient , working with major financial services and insurance organisations to turn transformation into meaningful commercial outcomes. Nisha is also a graduate of Sehaam’s customised Leading Through Change and Ambiguity programme and is passionate about supporting the next generation of leaders. In this open and reflective conversation, Nisha shares what changed when she began using coaching skills in her everyday leadership. At first, the conversations felt unfamiliar. She had to resist the urge to provide solutions, fill the silence and leave every meeting with another list of actions. Over time, however, asking more and solving less became a natural part of the way she leads. Together, Sehaam and Nisha explore: • Why coaching-style one-to-ones can feel awkward at first • How leaders can stop doing all the heavy lifting • Why direct reports often already hold the answers • How deeper listening helps you genuinely know your people • The time and energy leaders regain by creating more ownership • Why trust is built through consistent conversations • How to repair a conversation when your words land badly • Why small behaviours, including arriving late, can affect trust • How to challenge people through questions rather than judgement • Delegating with clearer expectations and agreed measures • Creating a culture where people raise risks early • What body language and silence reveal during stressful periods • Why humour can help teams navigate difficult moments • The importance of trusting your own leadership style • What it means to lead with quietness, consideration and genuine love Nisha also speaks honestly about letting go of the belief that leaders need to be loud, powerful or dominant. Her biggest growth has come from trusting herself and recognising that care, empathy and quietness are not weaknesses. They are part of how she leads. This is a thoughtful and practical conversation about trust, delegation, vulnerability and creating the conditions for people to grow without taking over their thinking. Listen & Follow Sehaam: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sehaam/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SehaamCyrene Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sehaam.cyrene/ Download the Leaders Who Coach™ App and complete the Foundation Module free. 00:00 – Why the answers often sit with your people 00:52 – Introduction to Nisha Kagdadia 03:40 – Why coaching conversations feel awkward at first 05:44 – Learning to ask rather than solve 10:58 – Helping people find their own answers 13:24 – Building trust through consistent conversations 20:23 – How small behaviours affect trust 23:46 – Delegating without removing ownership 30:41 – Reading body language and team energy 33:14 – Leading with quietness, consideration and love 36:43 – Final reflections #LeadersWhoCoach #NishaKagdadia #CoachLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #QuietLeadership #LeadingWithLove #PeopleLeadership #LeadershipConversations #ActiveListening #TrustAtWork #Delegation #LeadershipVulnerability #TeamCulture #LeadingThroughChange #CoachingSkills #HumanLeadership #LeadershipPodcast
