Every successful business, organisation, or movement has one thing in common: a high-performing team. But great teams don’t just happen—they are built through strong leadership, a positive culture, and a clear vision.

In a recent Zeducation Podcast interview, we sat down with Liam Brady, CEO of Planet Fitness New Zealand, to unpack his leadership journey. With experience leading teams across fitness, healthcare, hospitality, and retail, Liam shared valuable insights on what it takes to build and sustain high-performing teams.

Here are five key leadership lessons from our conversation that can help you strengthen your own leadership approach.

1. You Don’t Need to Have All the Answers

One of the biggest mistakes new leaders make is believing they need to know everything. Liam admitted that early in his career, he felt pressure to always have the right answers. However, he quickly realized that the best leaders surround themselves with people who have skills they don’t. Leadership is not about knowing everything—it’s about asking the right questions and empowering the experts around you.

✅ Practical Tip: Instead of trying to be the smartest person in the room, focus on hiring and developing people who complement your skill set. Then, trust them to do their job without micromanaging.

2. Communicate the Vision Clearly and Often

A strong team needs a shared vision, but simply stating it once isn’t enough. Leaders must constantly reinforce the "why" behind the work to keep people motivated and aligned. Liam emphasised that a vision should be developed together—not just handed down from leadership. When people feel like they’ve contributed to shaping the vision, they are more likely to commit to it.

✅ Practical Tip: When discussing goals with your team, explain not just what needs to be done, but why it matters. Repeat the message in different ways and check for understanding.

3. Build Trust Before Giving Feedback

Giving constructive feedback can be tough, but it becomes much easier when a foundation of trust is in place. Liam stressed that feedback—both positive and corrective—should be given in the moment rather than waiting for formal reviews. However, leaders need to first build strong relationships so that feedback is received as support rather than criticism.

✅ Practical Tip: Before giving corrective feedback, ask yourself:

"Have I built a strong enough relationship with this person?"

"Do they trust that my feedback is coming from a place of support?"

If not, work on strengthening that relationship first.

4. Don’t Mistake Busyness for Productivity

Many leaders fall into the trap of thinking that being constantly busy equals being effective. However, real leadership involves stepping back to think strategically. Liam shared that some of his best ideas come when he creates space to reflect rather than rushing through tasks.

✅ Practical Tip: Schedule "thinking time" into your calendar—whether it’s a walk, quiet reflection, or brainstorming with a trusted colleague. Protecting this time can lead to better decision-making and long-term success.

5. Culture Starts with Small, Daily Actions

A winning culture isn’t built overnight—it’s shaped by consistent, everyday behaviors. From celebrating wins to addressing concerns early, the small things a leader does daily determine whether a workplace is engaging or toxic.

Liam highlighted that recognition plays a huge role in motivation. He makes it a habit to respond to emails from staff—even those several levels below him—before tackling other work because a simple response could be the difference between someone staying or leaving the company.

✅ Practical Tip: Make recognition a habit. When you see someone doing great work, acknowledge it immediately. And when improvement is needed, provide feedback in the moment rather than waiting for a formal review.

Final Thoughts

Leadership isn’t about being perfect—it’s about continuously learning and improving how you support your team. By focusing on trust, vision, communication, and culture, leaders can create workplaces where people don’t just work, but thrive.

This episode of the Zeducation Podcast with Liam Brady was packed with valuable insights for anyone looking to improve their leadership skills.

🎧 Missed the episode? Listen to the full interview now and unlock more practical leadership strategies! Watch Full Episode here

🚀 Looking to develop leadership skills in your team? Zeducation can help you design a tailored training program or connect you with our expert facilitators to bring high-impact leadership training to your workplace. Click here to learn more