(E11) Nick Atkin: custodian of culture

Jan 22

Today’s guest is one of the best communicating CEOs I’ve seen for some time. He’s accessible whilst clear about his boundaries, he lives his values, his pride for his county shines through, he recognises the role he plays as a champion and challenger for his sector. And he does it with a humility and good humour. I could have chatted to him all day.

In this episode, I’m delighted to talk with Nick Atkin, CEO of Yorkshire Housing. Nick is a disrupter in his industry and regularly cited as a top influencer for the housing sector.

We talk about:

building culture, breaking down hierarchy
what it's like working in the housing sector
recruiting and testing for values
what he looks for in his senior team
building the right infrastructure to work in the best way
how to get the best out of his team and treating people like adults
communicating with colleagues and how it's changed since the pandemic
working on quarterly achievable instead of annual targets and how he got the Board aligned with that approach
the elements of a good Board
why it's important to be visible online
influencing and shaping policy
developing your voice
what inspires transformation
advocating for people they support in areas outside of their control
boundary-setting, managing expectations and being present
advice for aspiring senior leaders