Hi, I’m Digby -

coach, facilitator and speaker

For 25 years, I've helped thousands of leaders navigate this territory. What I've discovered, through my journey from burned-out executive to leadership specialist, is a better way to create impact while sustaining what matters most.

Young man in graduation gown and cap holding a diploma, smiling, standing against a textured gold background.

Chapter 1 - Playing by the rules

Like many leaders I work with, I started my career following the established script. As a chartered accountant auditing big public companies, I did everything "right." Yet I felt empty, restricted, and disconnected from any sense of purpose. Perhaps you've felt that tension too, succeeding by external metrics while questioning if this is really success.

A man smiling on a boat in a lake with a forested shoreline and a sailboat in the background.

Chapter 2 - The search for something more

That emptiness drove me to explore alternatives, running a ski shop, commercial fishing, teaching windsurfing, even busking with my guitar. I was seeking meaning, adventure, freedom. You might be navigating a similar search right now, not necessarily changing careers, but questioning how to bring more meaning into your leadership.

Man smiling while sitting on a beach with the ocean in the background.

Chapter 3 - The breaking point

As the National Manager for a multinational company, my ego was satisfied but my soul was not. Working across time zones, constantly traveling, always "on" I eventually burned out completely at age 30. Sound familiar? This is where many leaders find themselves today, caught in systems that demand everything while giving little back.

A man with gray hair and beard wearing sunglasses and a black t-shirt is taking a selfie outdoors in sunny weather, with trees and grass in the background.

Chapter 4 - Leading from what matters

I found my way back by defining success on my own terms, creating space to discover what truly matters and focusing my energy there. You're likely feeling that pull too, the desire to lead from a deeper place, one that aligns with your values. 

I suspect you might be seeking this too: the ability to create meaningful impact without sacrificing yourself in the process.

I'm in this for the long game
Are you?

Sustaining what matters:
You, your team, your impact

My journey taught me that effective leadership requires looking through three distinct lenses:

An infographic illustrating a three-part model for sustainable change, including sections on Sustained Self, Sustaining Others, and Sustained Future, with text on personal leadership, influence, and systems change.
A man with gray hair and a beard playing an acoustic guitar while sitting on a wooden bench outdoors with a scenic background of hills, water, and cloudy sky.

Walking the path together

My journey through burnout and rediscovery taught me something valuable: we don't have to choose between impact and sustainability. The most effective leaders create both.

Over 25 years of sitting alongside leaders in government, energy, and purpose-driven organizations, I've noticed something important: when you deliberately create space to explore the tensions you're facing and build practices that honor both your mission and your wellbeing, things shift. Not overnight, but meaningfully.

The shifts begin subtly—a more meaningful conversation here, a boundary honored there—but they ripple outward. Your team senses the difference. The organisation feels it. And you rediscover the sense of purpose that drew you to leadership in the first place.

This isn't about following someone else's blueprint. It's about finding your unique path to leadership that creates lasting impact while sustaining what matters most: your energy, your relationships, and your vision for what's possible.

That's what I want to see more of in the world. I reckon you do too.

What happens when the host becomes the guest?

In this special role-reversal episode of Dig Deeper, my friend Antonia Milkop turns the tables and interviews me about the journey behind the work.

We explore how burnout at 30 led to a complete reevaluation of life and leadership, the difference between being "nice" versus truly "kind," and why unhurried productivity is really about deliberate choices aligned with your values.

From learning to meet people where they're at to understanding that connection must come before content, this conversation offers a glimpse behind the curtain of how I've learned to create space for what truly matters, both personally and in my work with leaders.

Ready to lead differently?

Leadership that creates both impact and sustainability doesn't happen by accident. It requires intention, support, and practice.

Whether you're an individual leader seeking clarity, a team looking to work more effectively together, or an organisation aiming for systemic change, I'm here to help create the conditions where people can bring their best selves to work that matters

Let's connect and explore how we might work together.