Lead To Grow

About Lead To Grow

Decoding how human success drives business performance with The People Principle. Hosted by Tommy Sim.

Publisher

Inject HR

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Dec 2025

Latest episode

28 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

22 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Why People Aren't Really Listening (And What Great Leaders Do Instead)

   Have you ever explained something clearly, only to discover later that the person completely missed the point? In this episode of Lead to Grow, Tommy Sim challenges a common leadership assumption: that poor listening is simply an attention problem. Instead, he argues that most people aren't failing to listen because they don't care, they're struggling because their mental capacity is already full. Tommy explains why employees often hear the task but miss the reason behind it, leading to misunderstandings, rework, frustrated clients, and unnecessary stress. More importantly, he shares practical techniques leaders can use to create clearer communication, reduce cognitive overload, and help their teams truly understand what matters most. If you've ever found yourself saying, "I already explained that," this episode offers a different perspective and a better way forward. In This Episode Why "they're not listening" is often the wrong diagnosis The hidden cost of missing the main point How mental capacity affects listening Why rework and communication breakdowns happen The difference between tasks and meaning How leaders unintentionally make communication harder Turning listening into a capacity conversation The "play the main thing back" technique Why preparation improves presence Three questions every leader should ask before blaming poor listening Chapters 00:00 Why Your Team Isn't Really Listening 02:28 The Hidden Cost of Missing the Main Point 03:31 Listening Is a Capacity Problem, Not an Attention Problem 04:55 First Step: Check If It's You 07:18 Have a Capacity Conversation 08:01 The "Play the Main Thing Back" Framework 08:52 Why Preparation Creates Better Listening 09:18 Three Questions Every Leader Should Ask About Lead to Grow Lead to Grow explores the people's principles behind high-performing businesses. Hosted by Tommy Sim, the podcast focuses on leadership, performance, culture and decision-making, with practical insights leaders can apply immediately. New episodes are released regularly. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or subscribe on YouTube for future episodes.

2. 

   14 Sept 2026

   The Onboarding Problem Nearly Every Manager Gets Wrong

   Have you ever hired someone who seemed great on paper, only to find yourself questioning the decision a few weeks into the job? Before deciding that a new hire isn't right for the role, Tommy Sim asks a more uncomfortable question: Have they failed the role, or have they failed your onboarding? In this episode of Lead to Grow, Tommy explores why good people can look average when the onboarding process is unclear. From vague expectations and inconsistent training to poor feedback and the classic “sink or swim” approach, he breaks down what managers can do to give new hires a genuine chance to succeed while getting much clearer evidence of their performance. You'll learn how to turn onboarding from an information dump into a practical process built around observable outcomes, context, practice, feedback and repetition. Because strong onboarding doesn't lower your standards. It makes accountability cleaner. In This Episode Why good people can look like bad hires The difference between role competency and contextual competency Why “sink or swim” isn't a high-performance strategy How to define what a new hire actually needs to demonstrate Why onboarding should work backwards from the evidence you need Teaching the context behind your business, not just the tasks The importance of identifying your “enemy customer” How simulations and role-play can build confidence before real stakes Using AI role-play to help new hires practise Why shadowing without a clear lens isn't enough Building feedback into the onboarding rhythm How inconsistent training from different team members creates confusion Tommy's five-part ramp-up test How better onboarding helps managers identify poor fits faster Why investing time upfront can save much more time later Chapters 00:00 The Onboarding Problem Nearly Every Manager Has 02:26 Why “Sink or Swim” Isn't a High-Performance Strategy 04:49 Stop Teaching Information and Start Building Evidence 07:16 Teach the Context Behind Performance 09:43 Build Practice Loops, Not Just Exposure 12:10 Use the Ramp-Up Test Before You Decide Someone Is Wrong 14:34 What Speed Did You Actually Build for Them? About Lead to Grow Lead to Grow explores the people's principles behind high-performing businesses. Hosted by Tommy Sim, the podcast focuses on leadership, performance, culture and decision-making, with practical insights leaders can apply immediately. New episodes are released regularly. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or subscribe on YouTube for future episodes.

3. 

   1 Sept 2026

   How Helpful Leaders Deliver Hard Messages Without Becoming Harsh

   Why is it so hard to say no, push back, or deliver a difficult message when you genuinely want to be a supportive leader? In this episode of Lead to Grow, Tommy Sim explores the “agreement reflex”, the tendency for supportive leaders to move too quickly from understanding someone’s position to agreeing with their request. Whether it’s an urgent client request, a demanding deadline, or a difficult conversation with your team, saying yes too quickly can create bigger problems later. The team gets stretched, quality suffers, expectations become harder to manage, and the business absorbs the cost. Tommy explains how leaders can keep their warmth and supportive nature without giving away their judgment. Instead of becoming tougher or more direct for the sake of it, the answer is to build a stronger pause between hearing pressure and making a commitment. The episode introduces the Helpful Leader Reset, a practical five-step approach to separating understanding from agreement, testing urgency, creating clearer expectations, delivering hard messages with warmth and clarity, and holding your position under pressure. Because being helpful doesn't always mean saying yes. Sometimes the most helpful thing a leader can do is slow the decision down. In This Episode Why supportive leaders can fall into the “agreement reflex” How saying yes too quickly can create problems for your team and business The difference between understanding someone and agreeing with them Why urgency should be tested before a commitment is made How to give people certainty without giving a premature yes The Helpful Leader Reset and its five practical moves How to create clear agreements before difficult conversations happen Why warmth is valuable, but vagueness is not How to deliver hard messages without becoming harsh Why slowing your pace can strengthen your authority Using “now, not yet, next” to handle pressure Five questions to ask yourself before a pressure conversation How to stay supportive without letting helpfulness outrun judgment Chapters 00:00 The Cost of Saying Yes When Your Team Is Already Stretched 01:08 Why Supportive Leaders Fall Into the “Agreement Reflex” 02:27 How to Stay Warm Without Giving Away Your Judgment 03:31 Pause, Test, Then Commit: A Better Way to Handle Pressure 04:51 The Helpful Leader Reset: Five Moves for Difficult Conversations 06:03 Test Urgency, Trade-Offs and Whether a Decision Is Really Needed 07:21 Create Handles Before the Hard Conversation Happens 08:42 Use Warmth With Clarity, Then Slow Down and Hold Your Position 10:52 The “Now, Not Yet, Next” Framework for Pressure Conversations 12:16 Five Questions to Ask Before You Agree to a Request 13:24 Why Supportive Leaders Need Clarity, Not a Tougher Personality About Lead to Grow Lead to Grow explores the people's principles behind high-performing businesses. Hosted by Tommy Sim, the podcast focuses on leadership, performance, culture and decision-making, with practical insights leaders can apply immediately. New episodes are released regularly. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or subscribe on YouTube for future episodes.