Inspired Nonprofit Leadership

Perfection Is Crushing Your Confidence with Crispin Thompson

Crispin Thompson · October 15, 2026

Executive Coach · Leadership · Artificial Intelligencein

Interview with Crispin Thompson

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Podcast: Inspired Nonprofit Leadership

October 15, 2026 · 41 min

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Perfection Is Crushing Your Confidence with Crispin Thompson

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Key topicsStalled — Why Strong Managers Stop Rising After the PromotionCrispin Thompson has watched strong managers get promoted and then quietly stop rising, across 25 years running large international teams at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, TaskUs, and QSC. Companies assume the promotion proves the person is ready; he argues it is the moment they are most exposed, handed a bigger room with no work done on how they show up in it. Through The Leadership Studio he coaches leaders past the perfectionism and self-doubt that keep them quiet, using his own missteps as the raw material. Listeners leave able to spot the newly promoted people going silent on their teams, and what to do before a good manager becomes a lost one.Why Global Companies Fail When Leadership Stays LocalToo many multinationals treat overseas managers as tokens rather than true leaders-and the damage shows up in disengagement, attrition, and stalled growth. Crispin has seen this firsthand leading teams in Mexico, Poland, Romania, and across Europe: when talent outside headquarters isn’t developed and trusted, companies lose both loyalty and productivity. He explains why leadership pipelines must extend beyond the home office, and how investing in cultural nuance turns potential friction into an advantage. With practical strategies for spotting emerging leaders globally and making promotions meaningful, Crispin shows how companies can move past tokenism to build cultures where people everywhere feel seen, valued, and ready to lead. Token Gesture — Why Your Best People Abroad Stop Raising Their HandsCrispin Thompson has led teams in Mexico, Poland, Romania and across wider Europe, and he keeps seeing the same pattern: overseas managers promoted for appearances while the real decisions stay at headquarters. The cost shows up later as disengagement, attrition and stalled growth in the markets a company most needs to win. He walks through how to spot emerging leaders far from the home office, make their promotions mean something, and turn cultural nuance from friction into an edge. Listeners leave knowing why their strongest people abroad have gone quiet, and what to change before they leave.View all topics →

About Crispin Thompson

Global Leadership Coach Helping Professionals Get Heard and Take Ownership

25+ years Leadership experience5 countries Multicultural teams ledFortune 100 Former technology executivePublished author The Human Advantage

Crispin Thompson has spent more than twenty-five years shaping how people lead, communicate, and grow. In senior roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, TaskUs, and QSC, he managed large international teams and drove major transformation programs—experiences that revealed how easily careers stall when strong managers are promoted without the confidence or presence to step fully into leadership.

That observation became the foundation for The Leadership Studio, where Crispin helps leaders bridge the gap between how they see themselves and how others experience them. His coaching focuses on practical shifts that carry real weight in the room: learning to project calm under pressure, making decisions when information is incomplete, and moving past the perfectionism that undermines confidence. He often draws on his own missteps or on vivid historical examples, turning abstract ideas into stories and exercises that leave a lasting mark.

Leading multicultural teams across Mexico, Poland, Romania, India and the U.S. also shaped his perspective. He saw firsthand how cultural nuance can either unlock connection or create disconnection, and how organizations that neglect leadership development outside headquarters risk losing trust and talent. That global view continues to inform his work, alongside his service on the Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas Governing Board, which deepened his belief that leadership is ultimately about service.

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About this episode

When you expect yourself to get every word right, a small mistake can shake your confidence. Learning to stay comfortable when something goes wrong gives you room to keep communicating and connecting with the people in front of you.

Sarah talks withCrispin Thompson, a leadership coach with more than 25 years of experience leading teams and helping people grow. They explore how to build confidence through practice, recover from mistakes, and use AI while taking responsibility for what you say.

In This Episode, You'll Learn

Why Crispin sees perfectionism as a barrier to confidence and presence.

How he slowed his nervous speaking by deliberately lowering his voice.

What Sarah means by staying comfortable when she doesn't know the answer.

How to use AI for feedback while taking responsibility for the final message.

Why Crispin chose calm problem-solving when encouraged to show more anger.

Who This Episode Is For

Nonprofit leaders who want to feel more comfortable speaking to staff, boards, or donors.

Leaders who want to recover from mistakes without losing their confidence.

Anyone looking to use AI while keeping their communication accurate and personal.

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