Crispin Thompson
Global Leadership Coach Helping Professionals Get Heard and Take Ownership
About Crispin Thompson
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.
Alongside his coaching and speaking, Crispin has built AI-powered tools that extend the impact of his work. What began as a way to ease his own workload has evolved into apps that analyze résumés, support leadership assessments, and help clients reflect and prepare between sessions. They are designed with the same ethos that drives his coaching: strip away barriers, provide clarity, and keep the focus on what matters most—leaders showing up with confidence and authenticity.
As a podcast guest, Crispin brings candid stories and global insight into how leaders can communicate with presence, make decisions with confidence, and embrace new tools without losing sight of the human side of leadership.
Latest episodes
Key topics
Why Global Companies Fail When Leadership Stays Local
Too 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.
Why Indecision Is the Silent Killer of Leadership
When leaders hesitate, teams don’t just wait-they lose trust, focus, and momentum. In complex organizations, the temptation to delay or deflect is strong, but Crispin shows how indecision quietly spreads, leaving people disengaged and progress stalled. Drawing on decades of leading global teams and coaching executives, he explains why even imperfect choices, owned with clarity, build more confidence than endless analysis. Crispin teaches leaders how to spot when “waiting for more data” has become avoidance, how to align decisions with core values and available facts, and how to make choices visible so teams can rally. His approach replaces paralysis with momentum, helping leaders set a tone that progress matters more than perfection.
How to Harness AI in Leadership Without Needing to Be an Expert
Crispin approaches AI the way many leaders experience it-not as a specialist, but as someone who had to learn quickly while building his own practice. What began as experimenting to reduce his workload has grown into tools that now support client assessments, résumé reviews, and ongoing coaching. He can share how leaders can take the same approach: start small, use AI to strip away the repetitive work that drains focus, and then reinvest that time into the parts of leadership that can’t be automated-building trust, communicating clearly, and making decisions with confidence. His perspective makes the conversation accessible for audiences who may feel intimidated by AI, showing that it isn’t about becoming an expert, but about using technology thoughtfully so that human presence becomes more-not less-central to leadership.
View all topics →
Latest episodes
Key topics
Why Global Companies Fail When Leadership Stays Local
Too 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.
Why Indecision Is the Silent Killer of Leadership
When leaders hesitate, teams don’t just wait-they lose trust, focus, and momentum. In complex organizations, the temptation to delay or deflect is strong, but Crispin shows how indecision quietly spreads, leaving people disengaged and progress stalled. Drawing on decades of leading global teams and coaching executives, he explains why even imperfect choices, owned with clarity, build more confidence than endless analysis. Crispin teaches leaders how to spot when “waiting for more data” has become avoidance, how to align decisions with core values and available facts, and how to make choices visible so teams can rally. His approach replaces paralysis with momentum, helping leaders set a tone that progress matters more than perfection.
How to Harness AI in Leadership Without Needing to Be an Expert
Crispin approaches AI the way many leaders experience it-not as a specialist, but as someone who had to learn quickly while building his own practice. What began as experimenting to reduce his workload has grown into tools that now support client assessments, résumé reviews, and ongoing coaching. He can share how leaders can take the same approach: start small, use AI to strip away the repetitive work that drains focus, and then reinvest that time into the parts of leadership that can’t be automated-building trust, communicating clearly, and making decisions with confidence. His perspective makes the conversation accessible for audiences who may feel intimidated by AI, showing that it isn’t about becoming an expert, but about using technology thoughtfully so that human presence becomes more-not less-central to leadership.
View all topics →