Meet James Powell
I didn’t come to this work because leadership theory interested me.
I came to it because I lived the cost of leading in ways that weren’t aligned.
For more than 25 years, I worked inside high-performance environments. I built leaders, shaped teams, and partnered with organizations to deliver results. On paper, things looked successful. I knew how to lead, how to deliver, how to stay capable and composed.
Over time, though, I began to notice a growing disconnect. Not failure. Not collapse. Just a persistent sense that something wasn’t lining up.
The more I succeeded within those systems, the more I questioned what that success was costing.
Why This Work Matters to Me
Like many leaders, I learned early how to adapt. How to be competent. How to meet expectations. How to succeed in systems that reward performance, control, and composure.
For years, I played the role I thought leadership required. The capable one. The fixer. The person with answers.
And it worked — until it didn’t.
What started to surface were questions I couldn’t ignore. Why doesn’t success feel grounding? Why does the pressure never actually ease? Is this really how I want to keep living and leading?
That questioning wasn’t dramatic. It was persistent. And it led to an honest realization: I had been living inside expectations that weren’t truly mine.
Letting go of that version of leadership wasn’t clean or comfortable. It required slowing down, taking responsibility, and doing the kind of internal work that doesn’t come with applause. But it changed everything.
humanKIND exists because I believe leadership doesn’t need to be performative to be effective. And it doesn’t need to be extractive to succeed.
This work is about helping leaders stop chasing what looks right and start building what actually fits — leadership that is honest, sustainable, and aligned with who they are.
How I Work With Leaders
I work with leaders, founders, executives, and teams who are capable, thoughtful, and often successful on paper — but who sense that something is off.
My role is not to tell you who to be or what to want. It’s to create space for honest reflection, clear thinking, and responsible action.
In our work together, we focus on:
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Seeing what’s actually happening, without judgment or performance
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Clarifying what truly fulfills you, beyond inherited expectations
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Supporting decisions and action that align with who you are and how you want to lead
This work integrates head and heart, strategy and humanity. It’s grounded, practical, and built to last.
My Background
I bring a mix of leadership coaching, organizational experience, and advisory work into this practice.
Since starting my leadership coaching practice in 2010, I’ve coached and partnered with more than 350 executives, leaders, entrepreneurs, and thought influencers across Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Africa.
In advisory and consulting engagements, I work as a fractional, hands-on partner, bringing my 30+ years of leadership experience in organizational development, branding, marketing, product development, and HR consulting to contribute directly to strategy, decision-making, and execution when a clear outcome is needed.
In coaching relationships, I focus on long-term development, alignment, and sustainable leadership growth.
Different forms. Same foundation.
What You Can Expect From Me
Clients often tell me they value a grounded presence, direct clarity without harshness, and an ability to hold complexity without oversimplifying.
I don’t believe in quick fixes or performative growth. I believe in responsibility, alignment, and action that reflects what you know to be true.
Experience & Credentials
(For those who want the details)
James brings over 30 years of leadership experience across branding, marketing, product development, and organizational consulting, working on both the client and agency sides.
He completed his coach training through top ICF-recognized programs, graduating from Coach U’s Leadership Coaching Program in 2010 and earning his CPCC (Certified Professional Co-Active Coach) designation from CTI in 2012.
In 2014, James was selected as a TEDx Speakers Coach, working with conference leaders and speakers to shape, refine, and deliver impactful TEDx talks in Toronto.
In 2021, James became an accredited Enneagram practitioner through Integrative Enneagram Solutions and, in 2022, completed advanced training in organizational team development and growth.
James also brings lived experience as an agri-food business founder and a long-standing recovery sponsor, grounding his work in responsibility, humility, and real-world leadership.
Certifications & Training
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Accredited Enneagram Practitioner for Leaders & Organizations (Integrative Enneagram Solutions)
Qualifications
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Coached and worked with over 350 executives, leaders, entrepreneurs, and thought influencers from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, UK, USA, and South Africa.
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30+ years of leadership experience working in branding, marketing, product development, HR consulting (client/agency/for profit/NFP)
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Agri-food business founder
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12 Step Recovery Sponsor
Education & Background
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HBA in International Business, University of Toronto & University of Hong Kong
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30+ years leadership experience across for-profit, non-profit, agency, and consulting environments
Outside the Work
I live in Prince Edward County with my partner and our dogs. Life outside of work matters to me — not as balance theatre, but as a reminder of what leadership is meant to serve.
Leadership is personal because life is personal.