David Williams MBE - Leading as an introvert and confronting your fears

Nottingham Business School Business Leaders

Respected lawyer David Williams spent almost three decades working his way up to the role of Chairman at of one of the country’s top 100 law firms Geldards.

But, as he tells the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders Podcast, he is constantly having to battle shyness – and force himself to confront his worries.

“If I've had success, it's come through challenging myself… putting myself in situations where I’m uncomfortable,” he says

“I'm now doing things I think would surprise people who knew me as a kid.

“And it's all been through just pushing myself to develop confidence – because confidence breeds confidence.

“Once you've done something and found you can do it, then you grow.”

David has been Chairman of Geldards for more than 15 years.

He is also deputy chairman of the D2N2 Local Economic Partnership – and one of the most recognisable and well-connected business leaders in the East Midlands.

In conversation with Honorary Visiting Professor Mike Sassi, he says he believes young, would-be leaders now have to work harder than ever to have their talents recognised.

“The expansion of access to higher education has created a challenge,” he says.

“When I emerged from university, I knew I was in the top four per cent of the population, in terms of my education.

“Therefore, employers would come and find us because they knew we were in that percentile. Now 25 per cent of young people go through higher education... it’s more difficult to stand out.”

David – a governor at Nottingham Trent University – is certain young people who don’t try to stand out, run the risk of never achieving their ambitions.

Offering advice to future leaders, he says: “If you hide, there’s a danger you’ll just disappear.

“I'm a big believer in recruiting for personality. You need to get people to like you for what you are, then develop a trust in you.

“And don’t ever be frightened to express an opinion. If you’re vanilla-flavoured you won’t be spotted.”

Episode 17 of the NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast is dominated by David’s belief that future leaders are the people who are willing to “climb out of the trenches” and push themselves forward.

He adds: “I've learned that despite being a shy person I've got to do things that are attention-grabbing, on a regular basis.

“I often think [to myself], this is the time you've bitten off too much… this is the time it's all going to go wrong and you're going to make a complete fool of yourself!

“But you keep going until you find you’ve survived… and sometimes succeeded.”