The Engineering Leader

Past Issues

15 Apr 26 In periods of volatility, the instinct is to act fast and decisively. But the more strategic move is often just to exercise restraint. As China carefully balances its relationships with Iran and the United States during the present Gulf conflict, it demonstrates a powerful principle: no...

by Steve Strange — Apr 16, 2026 newsletter

#105 - The endless climb...am I enough!

8 Apr 26 Ambition can be a brilliant engine. It pushes you forward, helps you grow, and opens doors you once only dreamed about. But if you’re someone who’s always reaching for the next step, you’ve probably noticed a pattern: as soon as you land the role you were striving for, your focus jumps s...

by Steve Strange — Apr 10, 2026 newsletter

#104 - When organised meets chaos!

1 Apr 26 You can be the most organised person in the room. You can have a world-class personal system, tight routines and immaculate discipline. But your effectiveness is ultimately shaped by your ability to operate within, and around, the disorganisation of others. Chaos is not just an obstacle,...

by Steve Strange — Apr 02, 2026 newsletter

#103 - The loneliness of Command!

25 Mar 26 Leadership is often described as a people-centred profession...and it is! But effective leadership also requires a level of professional distance. Consistency matters, fairness matters and so does perception just as much as intent. Leaders who shift standards, play favourites, or blur b...

by Steve Strange — Mar 25, 2026 newsletter

#102 - Hubris, power and nemesis!

18 Mar 26 Leadership and success are closely linked. But so too are leadership and hubris. History repeatedly shows a pattern: success breeds confidence, confidence becomes overconfidence, and overconfidence blinds leaders to risk, dissent and reality itself. In classical terms, this trajectory l...

by Steve Strange — Mar 18, 2026 newsletter

#101 - The moments that shape how you lead!

11 Mar 26 Every career has defining moments. Some are obvious at the time; major decisions, big promotions or difficult failures. Others only reveal their significance years later. Over time, these moments shape how we work. They influence how we make decisions, how we deal with pressure, how we ...

by Steve Strange — Mar 13, 2026 newsletter

#100 - Leadership is a privilege!

4 Mar 26 This is the 100th edition of the Springboard Spotlight! That milestone is worth pausing for. Not just because reaching three digits requires consistency and commitment, but because it offers a moment to reflect on the deeper reason these insights exist in the first place. Leadership! Spe...

by Steve Strange — Mar 06, 2026 newsletter

#99 - Valuable real estate!

25 Feb 26 Good governance is often talked about in abstract terms; frameworks, committees, policies. But when things go wrong, governance becomes very concrete, very quickly. Regulators, courts, and investigators do not ask whether governance felt proportionate. They ask whether it can be demonst...

by Steve Strange — Feb 25, 2026 newsletter

#98 - Credit fraud!

18 Feb 26 Most organisations have clear rules about financial fraud. Far fewer recognise, or challenge, credit fraud. Credit fraud occurs when a leader systematically claims ownership of work they did not do, while suppressing the visibility, contribution, or advancement of the people who actuall...

by Steve Strange — Feb 18, 2026 newsletter

#97 - Accidental leaders!

12 Feb 26 Most organisations do not set out to appoint the wrong leaders. Yet many find themselves led by individuals who have become accidental leaders. These are people who arrive in senior roles without ever being deliberately prepared for the reality of leadership at that level. These leaders...

by Steve Strange — Feb 12, 2026 newsletter

#96 - Mind your own business!

4 Feb 26 Leadership does not operate in a vacuum. Every decision a leader makes; about people, priorities or performance has commercial consequences. Leaders who lack a working understanding of how their organisation creates value, manages costs, and generates profit are at risk of making well-in...

by Steve Strange — Feb 04, 2026 newsletter

#95 - Beware 'sunshine reporting'!

28 Jan 26 Delivery areas that consistently report only good news should immediately trigger concern. Not because success is implausible, but because complex delivery environments always generate friction, trade-offs and risk. When none of that is visible, leaders are likely seeing a filtered vers...

by Steve Strange — Jan 29, 2026 newsletter

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