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The Exceptional Sales Leader Podcast

Interview with Will Steel

Will Steel · February 6, 2026

Executive Coach · Leadership · Authorin

Interview with Will Steel

Interview with Will Steel

Podcast: The Exceptional Sales Leader Podcast

February 6, 2026 · 58 min

Listen to Will Steel on The Exceptional Sales Leader Podcast.

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Interview with Will Steel
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Key topicsSay what you actually want, then everything movesStaying vague keeps you “safe” from visible failure-but it also freezes momentum. The common belief is that clarity will arrive after enough research; in practice, clarity comes from declaring, then iterating. Will shares stories (including a would-be political leader who wouldn’t admit his goal) to show how articulation rewires attention, action, and results. You’re the lid on your company’s growthWhen the business plateaus, it’s tempting to blame markets, talent, or timing; the uncomfortable truth is that leadership beliefs set the ceiling. The common myth is that more strategy fixes everything-when it’s often your own identity constraints driving decisions. Will shows how “fixing you” changes hiring, risk tolerance, and execution speed, using cases from founders he’s coached to double growth while working fewer hours. Why step-by-step playbooks fail and ontological coaching worksReplication coaching (“do what I did”) rarely survives contact with your reality. The myth is that the right blueprint is enough. Will contrasts mentorship with true coaching-listening for what’s unsaid, revealing blind spots, and shifting being-so leaders act free from old constraints, not just with new tactics.  View all topics →

About Will Steel

Will Steel, podcast guest

Executive coach and ex-RAF pilot helping leaders align identity, integrity, and impact

90,000+ People reached through transformational programmes26 countries Global programme deliveryRAF Former Royal Air Force pilot & Leadership Trophy recipient20+ years Leading transformational programmes worldwide

Will Steel didn’t set out to be a coach. He set out to be a Royal Air Force pilot and nearly derailed that goal by trying to be who he thought he was “supposed” to be rather than his authentic self. When he finally showed up as himself, he graduated with a leadership trophy and went on to fly with the RAF and later commercial airlines. Then came a harder pivot: walking away from a top airline post to pursue work that truly lit him up—guiding people through deep, durable change.

Over the next two decades, Will led transformational programs around the world and discovered that identity, not strategy, is the true ceiling on performance, impact, and culture. His coaching is ontological, not motivational or advisory. It focuses on who you’re being rather than what you’re doing, driven by rigorous listening and the kind of questioning that reveals what’s actually running the show. He works exclusively with leaders who are genuinely willing to do the inner work—those motivated not just by performance but by legacy, integrity, and impact.

That philosophy shapes his book Free to Lead, which distils his method into two arcs: first, dismantle the limiting beliefs and personas that aren’t you; second, create leadership as an authentic expression of who you actually are.

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About this episode

In this riveting episode of the Exceptional Sales Leader podcast, I engage in a thoughtful conversation withWill Steel, a former RAF pilot turned High Performance Coach. Broadcasting from Bologna, Italy, Will shares his journey from piloting fast jets to guiding individuals and organisations towards authentic leadership. He discusses the pivotal moments in his career that led him from aspiring to fly Harriers to finding his true calling in personal development and coaching. Listeners are taken through Will’s exploration of ontology, the study of ‘being’ and its application in his coaching practice. The episode highlights the significance of understanding one’s perceived limitations and the profound impact of self-sabotage on one’s career and life goals. Throughout the conversation, Will offers insights rooted in his personal experiences, offering invaluable guidance to those looking to lead with authenticity. The discussion also covers the importance of establishing a vision and understanding the deeper motivations that drive successful leadership.

To connect with Will, to learn more about what he does, as well as to grab a copy of his new book “Free to Lead”, go to:

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-steel-business-coach-high-performance-transformation/

Website – https://willsteel.com/

Book – https://willsteel.com/freetolead.php

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/willsteelcoaching/

Guest: Will Steel

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