After 37 years of military leadership, Nick Robson is ready for a new kind of challenge. His transition from the forces to a civilian career isn’t about leaving leadership behind – it is about translating it into a new language.
Today, as a Certified Non-Executive Director through Actuate Global’s ELCAS-approved programme, Nick shares what he’s learned about adapting, listening, and leading in a whole new arena.
“I’m proud to have achieved Certified Non-Executive Director (NED) status with Actuate Global - a programme that sharpens boardroom excellence through mastery of governance, legal and financial responsibilities, risk oversight, and ethical decision-making.”
“An opportunity to ratify 37 years of leadership”
When asked what inspired him to join the Certified NED Programme, Nick doesn’t hesitate.
“It was an opportunity to ratify 37 years of successful military leadership and management — and make me a credible and highly desirable NED across a variety of sectors.”
Like many senior service leavers, Nick had a wealth of leadership and operational experience, but little exposure to the commercial and corporate vocabulary that defines civilian organisations. The Actuate Global programme, accredited by City & Guilds, offered both recognition and translation — helping experienced leaders like Nick demonstrate their value in a new context.
“I wanted to make sure that the experience I had could be recognised outside the military environment,” he says. “That’s what the course gave me — a bridge into a new world.”
Translating skills into boardroom language
Nick’s reflection touches on a challenge shared by many veterans: the struggle to articulate what their experience means in civilian terms.
“A career in the military gives you lots of transferable skills,” he explains. “The NED Training Course enabled me to translate my skills into a language others outside the military can understand.”
That translation goes beyond vocabulary. It’s about shifting perspective — understanding how leadership, accountability, and decision-making operate in a boardroom rather than a command structure.
“The skills that come naturally to us in the military — situational awareness, the ability to plan and adapt, the calmness in chaos — are exactly what organisations look for. The difference is, now I can describe them in a way that connects.”
Learning to listen differently
When asked how the programme changed his approach as a Non-Executive Director, Nick smiles.
“It reminded me that humans have two ears — and they can be used in that order.”
It’s a small statement with a big impact. The course, he explains, encouraged him to pause, reflect, and listen more deliberately — a skill that’s essential in governance and advisory roles, where influence often matters more than instruction.
“As military leaders, we’re trained to act decisively and give direction. But in the boardroom, leadership looks different. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is listen – and let others reach their own insight.”
Coaching as a natural evolution
One of the highlights of the Certified NED Programme for Nick was discovering how coaching connects military and corporate leadership.
“The module on coaching was really interesting,” he says. “It helped me realise that military leaders coach instinctively — they just don’t call it that. Coaching allows people to solve problems and make decisions through their own thinking, with a guiding hand from the leader.”
That insight transformed how Nick now engages with the teams and organisations he advises.
“It’s about trust and empowerment — helping others use their own intellect and initiative to find solutions. Coaching is leadership in its purest form.”
A message to fellow service leavers
As someone who’s successfully made the transition, Nick is clear in his advice to others preparing for life after service.
“Anybody leaving a successful military career has all the skills needed to be a highly successful leader,” he says. “What Actuate Global gives you is the language – and the certification – to prove it.”
The structure, challenge, and accountability that define a military career don’t disappear with the uniform; they evolve. Programmes like Actuate Global’s Certified NED and Certified Coach help channel that experience into roles where those skills continue to make a difference.
“It’s not about starting again,” Nick adds. “It’s about showing the world what you already bring – just in a way they understand.”
Turning experience into opportunity
For Nick, the journey from military command to corporate leadership wasn’t about changing who he was — it was about refining how he communicates what he knows.
Through Actuate Global’s ELCAS-approved programmes, he found the recognition, confidence, and community that allowed him to take the next step in his career with clarity and purpose.
“Leadership is leadership,” he reflects. “Whether it’s on the battlefield or in the boardroom — it’s about people, purpose, and performance.”
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