top of page

Meet James Powell: Certified Leadership Coach, Business Coach + Consultant

Leadership is Personal.  So Is This Work.

I’m James Powell, founder of humanKIND, and I spent over 25 years building leaders, creating high-performance teams, and working with some of the world’s top brands. On paper, I had it all figured out. But inside, I realized something was missing.

 

For years, I played the role I thought I was supposed to: the high-achieving leader, the fix-it-all manager, the guy with all the answers. But the more boxes I checked, the more I struggled with the same questions:

​

  • Why doesn’t success feel good?

  • Does the constant drive, panic, and pressure ever stop?

  • Is this really what I want my life to look like?

 

It wasn’t until I hit rock bottom that I realized I had been living someone else’s version of success. That’s when I started doing the real work—the messy, uncomfortable, deeply personal work of figuring out who I was, what I wanted, and how I wanted to lead.

 

And that’s what humanKIND is all about.

 

We’re here to help leaders like you stop chasing what doesn’t feel right and start building a life and leadership style that’s honest, sustainable, and uniquely yours. This work is raw, real, and transformative—and it’s worth every step.

Executive Coach James Powell wearing a black polo

James Powell - Leadership Coach, Business Coach + Consultant: Experience, Certifications, Qualifications

Experience​

James has 30+ years of leadership experience working in branding, marketing, product development, and HR consulting on both the client and agency sides.  Since starting his leadership coaching practice in 2010 he’s​ coached and worked with over 350 executives, leaders, entrepreneurs, and thought influencers from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, United States and South Africa.

​

James obtained his coach training from the top ICF (International Coaching Federation) recognized programs and graduated from Coach U's Leadership Coaching program in 2010 and went on to receive his CPCC (Certified Professional Co-Active Coach) coaching certification from CTI (Coaches Training Institute) in 2012.

​

In 2014 James chosen to be a TEDx speaker's coach to envision, curate, and work with other conference leaders to bring one of the most respected TEDx conferences to life in Toronto. As a speakers coach, James worked directly with numerous TEDx speakers to identify their talk thesis, build their talk, and develop strong performance skills to deliver an impactful and meaningful TED talk.

​

In 2021, James became an accredited enneagram practitioner with Integrative Enneagram Solutions and in 2022 was trained to deliver their organizational team development & growth solutions.

​

James specializes in partnering with leaders, executives, founders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers who refuse to settle for the status quo.  James and these leaders both share an inner yearning to be more and create more in their own lives, their relationships, communities, workplaces, and world.

​

Certifications​

​

Qualifications

  • Coached and worked with over 350 executives, leaders, entrepreneurs, and thought influencers from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, UK, USA, and South Africa.

  • 30+ years of leadership experience working in branding, marketing, product development, HR consulting (client/agency/for profit/NFP)
  • Agri-food business founder
  • HBA in International Business from University of Toronto and University of Hong Kong
  • 12 Step Recovery Sponsor​​

​

Leaders partner with James to define strategies, create action plans, and see authentic growth in areas like:​

Leadership Coach Specialization:

  • career growth

  • career transition

  • leadership performance & resilience

  • finding purpose at work

  • finding balance

  • job downsizing, layoffs, restructuring

  • getting 'unstuck'

  • returning from maternity leave

  • returning from sick leave

  • burnout + addiction recovery

​

Team Coach Specialization

  • team performance

  • team purpose and shared vision

  • role clarity, responsibilities, and expectations

  • new team formation

  • team norms and agreements

  • building trust and psychological safety

  • effective communication and active listening

  • conflict resolution and healthy debate

  • navigating difficult conversations

  • managing up, down, and across

  • understanding leadership styles across the team

  • leading through change and uncertainty

  • decision making frameworks (RACI, DACI)

  • goal setting and alignment (OKRs, KPIs, SMART goals)

  • understanding team strengths, motivations and work styles (MBTI, DISC, CliftonStrengths, Enneagram)

  • retrospective analysis

  • strength & weakness mapping

  • team health check surveys

  • visioning & long-term planning

​

Business Coaching + Consulting

  • organizational vision, mission, values

  • brand, advertising & marketing strategy and implementation

  • operational planning

  • operational excellence

  • product development

  • product marketing

  • cause marketing

  • fundraising

  • employer brand strategy

  • employer brand implementation

  • business opportunity scoping

  • annual planning

  • strategic planning

  • culture analysis

  • new business start-ups

  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
CTI - CPCC Certified Co-Active Coach Logo
Coach U core essentials certification
iEQ9 Enneagram Accredited Practictioner logo

Home

About

James Powell

Values

Contact

Services

Leadership Coaching

Team Coaching

Business Coaching

Business Consulting

Resources

Career Growth

Career Transition

Downsized, Laid Off

Founders, Start-ups, Entrepreneurs

Team Leadership

Team Performance

Burnout Recovery

Nothing Makes Sense

Finding Purpose

Blog

FAQ

Contact

Leadership Insights Delivered

humanKIND Leadership Practice: Rethinking How We Lead

The future of leadership is human. Subscribe now for leadership updates to your inbox and be part of the change

About humanKIND

At humanKIND, we believe leadership is personal. Founded by James Powell, we specialize in leadership coaching, team coaching, and business consulting to help leaders, teams, and organizations achieve courageous growth. We work with leaders, executives, founders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers who are tired of the grind and ready to lead with truth, ownership, and connection. Whether that means redefining your leadership style, rebuilding after a setback, or simply finding space to breathe, we meet you where you are and help you create a path forward that feels as good as it works. Our approach is rooted in authenticity, connection, and sustainable success—at work, at home, and in the world.

Our Services

Leadership Coaching: Personalized 1:1 coaching to help leaders deepen self-awareness, build confidence, and achieve high-performance outcomes.

  • Leadership Coaching Specialization: career growth, career transition, leadership performance & resilience, finding purpose at work, finding balance, job downsizing, layoffs, restructuring, returning from maternity leave, returning from sick leave, burnout recovery, mental health in the workplace,

Team Coaching: Foster connection, collaboration, and empathy to build thriving, high-performance teams.

  • Team Coaching Specialization: team performance, team purpose and shared vision, role clarity, responsibilities, and expectations, new team formation, team norms and agreements, building trust and psychological safety, effective communication and active listening, conflict resolution and healthy debate, navigating difficult conversations, managing up, down, and across, understanding leadership styles across the team, leading through change and uncertainty, decision making frameworks (RACI, DACI), goal setting and alignment (OKRs, KPIs, SMART goals), understanding team strengths, motivations and work styles (MBTI, DISC, CliftonStrengths, Enneagram), retrospective analysis, strength & weakness mapping, team health check surveys, visioning & long-term planning

Business Coaching & Consulting: Transform your organization with strategies for growth, culture, and operational excellence.

  • Business Coaching & Consulting Specialization: Organizational vision, mission, values, brand, advertising & marketing strategy and implementation, operational planning, operational excellence, product development, product marketing, cause marketing, fundraising, employer brand strategy, employer brand implementation, business opportunity scoping, annual planning, strategic planning, culture analysis, new business start-ups.

Locations we serve

Based in Toronto, Quinte West, and Prince Edward County, we proudly support leaders and organizations across Canada and globally through virtual coaching and consulting.

© 2025 by humanKIND - Leadership Coaching. All rights reserved.

bottom of page