As someone who takes a daily walk around his business, Nick Colledge says curiosity and connecting with his team are fundamental aspects of his leadership style. He values empowerment, trust and hands-on engagement to align teams and drive performance.
You originally studied automotive design & manufacturing but your career has been heavily sales-focused. Can you walk me through your career journey, including where your interest in automotive design came from, and the pivotal moments that led you to your current role as CEO of Envisage?
I woke up one morning with my university results in one hand and my bank statement in the other and thought, ‘Wow, I’ve got a lot of student debt’. I needed a job, so I became a car salesman. Love it or loathe it, it was a baptism of fire learning both the hard edge of sales and the psychology behind it. Much of what has happened since has been happenstance, but I’m grateful – and I’ve worked hard. I certainly didn’t plan to go from car sales person to CEO, but here I am.
Those early days taught me about people, products and presentation. I pushed myself to stand out, I started with funding – understanding static and revolving rates, calculating payments and learning the mechanics of finance. That grew into a full-time role, then sales manager for new cars, which expanded to used cars and eventually multi-site operations. Later, I switched from cars to bikes and, over time, I have worked across several modes of transport.
Then Harley-Davidson approached me. I thought I was doing well running multi-site operations but suddenly I was influencing former competitors. Moving into aftersales was new, and a later role in the Middle East was transformative. I spent three incredible years there, learning that nodding doesn’t always mean understanding or agreement. I built friendships and collaborative relationships that made work a joy.
I returned to take on a larger Harley-Davidson role covering emerging markets, then moved to LEVC with some consultancy work in between, and ultimately to where I am today. Looking back, early weekends in retail taught me that just turning up wasn’t enough. I needed drive. Saying yes to unexpected opportunities, like Harley-Davidson, has shaped my journey. If I had to sum it up, my career has been a mix of happenstance and a desire to experience life, which brought me to where I am today.
So, would you say reaching the top of the boardroom requires a sense of adventure and proactivity, or is it possible to succeed by simply going with the flow?
I think the right word here is pragmatic. You need to make mistakes because, if you don’t, you lose the opportunities to grow. Some decisions I’ve made were, in hindsight, horrific. Things didn’t work out as planned, there was emotional turmoil and empty promises. But each of those experiences taught me something, and the number one lesson is resilience.
At any given moment, you can’t change the past, and the future is still unwritten. What you can do is focus on the present, knuckle down, make the most of what’s in front of you and move forward with what you have. That’s how you turn setbacks into stepping stones.
You’ve worked across global OEMs, retail and supply chain. How have your responsibilities varied across the vehicle lifecycle, and how have regional and cultural differences influenced your leadership style and progression to senior roles?
It all goes back to the start. I never anticipated getting here, and I don’t believe I could have without the breadth of experience I’ve had. I have gained a deeper understanding of human nature, performance and how to extract the positives from every challenge while persevering through adversity. Harley-Davidson, in particular, was a massive eye-opener. Customer engagement there was about much more than just the motorcycle. It was about a lifestyle. At the other end of the scale, I’ve worked with vans and taxis – essentially commodity purchases or tools for people to earn a living and double as an office. Experiencing that range, combined with exposure to different cultures, has been instrumental in shaping both where I am today and the journey ahead.
I try to balance listening and speaking proportionately – two ears, one mouth. There’s often apprehension and fear of the unknown. Walking into a business as a tall northerner that nobody quite understood was challenging. People had heard of London, but Sheffield seemed far off to someone in downtown Jebel. For me, it was about listening, understanding and putting in the effort. I’ve always taken pride in learning a little about the people I work with and making the effort to say ‘good morning’, ‘thank you’, or ‘please’ in the local language. Courtesy matters, and those small gestures go a long way in building trust and rapport.
You mention on LinkedIn your ‘daily walk around the business’ and championing your team. How do these behaviours as CEO shape culture and performance, and how do you encourage the same in your senior leadership team?
I didn’t read about this. It just felt like the right thing to do. I take leadership lessons from all areas of life. My daily walk helps me stay informed, connect with the team and keep learning. I believe it’s better to ask a stupid question in the moment than remain ignorant for a lifetime. For example, if I see the team working on a highly technical, dimensional property, I might ask, ‘Why are you doing this and that?’ They appreciate the intent, I learn a little and it helps me understand more detail of their contribution. Leadership comes down to these fine details. True understanding requires caring about the team.
This approach also provides feedback. There is noise, but also truth. Retention and engagement are best achieved through stimulating the senses. Touching, seeing, feeling and even smelling what’s happening leaves a lasting impression. I combine this with KPIs and team feedback. One thing I have learned is that I won’t base decisions solely on first impressions or conversely need a 100% solution; a balance that I can flex works well for me.
What was going through your mind as you prepared to step into the role of CEO? Did you have a moment where it really hit you that you were about to become fully responsible for the business?
I felt an enormous sense of responsibility to the team and to the shareholders. It was a moment of immense significance, not a moment of success, and one that made me think, ‘Wow, this is a tremendous opportunity as well as a huge task.’ I saw the potential of the business and wanted to do the very best for both the team and the shareholders.
In terms of preparation, passion is essential. Without it, there is no point. Passion brings energy, and energy drives results. Anyone can ride the crest of the wave but real progress is made in the hard yards, when you need to get back out there and try again. Someone once told me the CEO role is the loneliest in a business. To a degree, that’s true, but it’s also the greatest job I’ve ever had. I consider myself truly fortunate every day. It’s about gaining experience, recognising learning opportunities and never thinking, ‘I am at the pinnacle now.’ You can’t simply sit back. You have to keep pushing; finding ways to grow and improve your game, and ultimately that of the business.
It’s also about balance. I’ve learned the importance of sleep but remembering that we work to live and not live to work helps me stay grounded. I’m a different person with adequate rest and exercise, and that difference shows in how I interact with the team. Ultimately, it cascades into business performance.
With the rapid changes we’re seeing in mobility and design, what skills and mindsets will leaders need over the next decade? How will leadership evolve, and how can future leaders prepare for these challenges?
I’ve always said there is a difference between a leader and a manager. A leader looks left and right in adversity, and their team remains confident and steady. A manager cannot always convey that same assurance. Leadership is about providing direction when things are difficult and inspiring people to do the right thing, even when it doesn’t align perfectly with the balance sheet. People are the single greatest factor. They make the difference.
Even with AI and technology, I follow what I call the ‘big red bus’ philosophy. Unexpected events can happen at any time, and I expect my team to be prepared. The business continues and everyone has the potential to lead, not just first-line managers.
Empowerment and trust are key. Early on, I learned the concept of ‘freedom within fences’, which has become a mantra. There’s no point in having a team if you micromanage them. You need to give them space to excel. The greatest satisfaction as a leader is seeing someone exceed their own perceived limitations. That’s the most rewarding part of what I do.
On a practical level, does that mean you’re coaching people? How do you go about helping them develop within the organisation?
I think it’s a blend. Leadership develops through a combination of experience and of coaching and training, which are very different things in my mind. I also believe it’s important to allow people to fail. If you can let them make mistakes within a safe environment, that becomes one of the greatest opportunities to learn. At the end of the day, business still needs to be performed, but this is how you build a strong team. Allowing people to see you make difficult decisions also goes a long way. You can’t present the world as if everything is always rosy.
How do you stay ahead of emerging trends and technologies, such as AI, and identify opportunities across the different sectors you work in?
I think it’s about history and open-mindedness. At the ripe old age of 50, I feel it’s easy to feel daunted by AI. At the same time, some people have over-embraced the technology. There is a great deal to be learned from mistakes made in the past, whether in business or in other parts of life. For me, it’s about taking a blended approach – combining those lessons with input from your team, the people around you and your own outlook on life to make conscious, informed decisions.
Breaking into new sectors doesn’t happen by chance. Do you set aside time for learning, whether that’s reading in the evenings or other ways of keeping up?
I think it’s about seeing the beauty, opportunity and innovation in everyday life. I know I’m a bit behind the times, but I recently joined Facebook. While it’s a great source of information, I would dread to let it shape the way I think as an individual. Nevertheless, it is a fantastic resource when used thoughtfully. For me, it comes back to a blended approach – getting out there, observing the world and joining the dots.
How do you embed Envisage’s vision as a leading bespoke engineering services provider, keep teams aligned daily and ensure skills and diversity contribute to achieving it?
It’s about empowering your team to be leaders in their own right. That doesn’t mean letting everyone approve six-figure capex projects on their own, but enabling people to master their own area and how they implement and input in to the company’s destiny via their responsibilities. Empowerment, paired with a clear guiding light for where the business should head, gives the best of both worlds.
I think of it in terms of vectors. If two vectors of equal force pull in different directions, efforts are negated. Align them under the same vision, and their combined force propels the business forward more effectively. If everyone in the business is a force pulling in the same direction, the collective result is multiplied. My role is to provide the overarching vision, indicators for performance and the freedom, support, tools and resources to succeed. I also see it as an inverted triangle. My role supports the first line and their role is to support their teams, all the way through to the front line, delivering marginal gains everyday. That cascading support structure ultimately drives performance at every level.
How do you know your vision is understood and shared?
First of all, I always look at myself. Am I saying the right things? Am I being clear? Am I communicating in a way that makes it easy for people to understand? Do they have the tools they need around them? KPIs are a pivotal part of how I manage the business, and I often think of it almost like running an aftersales operation, where time and space are the core concepts.
From my side, I make sure people have the tools and the structure to succeed. Of course, there are tough decisions. Invariably, if you go into a business assuming everyone will stay and thrive, then that’s ideal. But the reality is you often need to make changes. You’ve got to look at your bench strength, because if a business is built around a single person, you create a single point of failure and increase the chance of things going wrong. That’s why my responsibility is to ensure the right team is in place with the tools, understanding, direction, inspiration and energy to deliver every day.
How do you prepare for tough decisions, and what advice do you give others aiming for top roles?
If you’re not prepared to make tough decisions, you’re in the wrong job. It might sound harsh, but it’s true. I remember the first time I had to make decisions affecting people’s livelihoods. It weighed heavily on me but I did it for the good of those who remained. When it isn’t right, change is essential, and it usually ends up better for everyone involved.
Sometimes having the wrong person is truly detrimental – not just to them but to the wellbeing of others. It’s a risky comment, but the reality is some organisations even have ‘terrorists’ within them. The key is knowing you’ve done your best to support someone. If you’ve given them the tools, opportunities and guidance to succeed and they still don’t deliver, it’s simply not the right fit. With the right process and organisational support, you make the change and sleep easy, knowing you acted responsibly.
How should leaders build trust and respect across cultures, like with Chinese partners?
Engaging with any different culture is always a delicate balance. First, if you’re truly unhappy, it’s within your power to make a change. Everyone’s situation and personality is different. For me, trust is key. You must demonstrate it as well as expect it, and avoid overburdening your team with personal preconceptions because that leads to failure. When in doubt, let the maths do the talking. Numbers don’t lie. Cultural differences and issues like time zones are inevitable, especially when managing global budgets, but transparency and performance go a long way. Ultimately, it all boils down to trust, clarity and measurable results.
Building that trust can feel daunting at the start. Do you have any guidance on how to approach it?
I used to think success relied on luck. You do need some, but as I’ve found and as Jerry Barber said, the harder you practise, the luckier you get. Understanding the pressures others face is key.
At Harley-Davidson, there was a programme in which everyone was encouraged to participate: ‘Walk a mile’ proverbially in a dealer’s shoes. That principle extends far beyond dealerships. We’re fortunate to live in a democracy. In other nations, leaders may act selfishly at the expense of their people. Perspective matters. Appreciating others’ perspectives gives insight into their decisions and helps assess your own. It comes back to hoping for the best but planning for the worst. You need contingency plans, and sometimes contingency plans for those plans. That flexibility – the ability to pivot – is what keeps you metaphorically alive.
Who influenced your career most, and what leadership lessons did you carry forward?
Early in my career, someone highlighted my potential when I thought I was destined to remain ‘just a car salesman’. On an early training course, I met Professor Jim Saker. He told me I could make a real difference in the industry and that confidence was transformative. Ever since, I’ve tried to pay that forward. Why limit anyone when there’s no inherent ceiling? Our individuality, perseverance and ability to inspire mean we can achieve far more than we initially believe. No-one truly knows their capability until they decide for themselves.
I do believe people are largely in control of their own destiny. You may lose a battle but what matters is what you learn from it. Take those lessons forward, and you’re better equipped for the next challenge. Thomas Edison’s team is a reminder. If they’d given up after 10 failed attempts at the lightbulb, we’d still be living by candlelight. Progress comes from perseverance and adapting your approach. It’s the same with modern technologies and differentiated success stories. Opportunities often come from people with passion and vision, who spot possibilities where others don’t. That combination of passion, experience and perspective can often change the markets and even establish new ones.
