Teachers For Tanzania

Leadership often comes with an unspoken pressure: if you’re doing it right, it shouldn’t look hard. But Nick Millican, CEO of Greycoat Real Estate, would argue that this mindset is precisely what keeps executives from thriving. In his experience, real leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about knowing when to ask for help.

Millican has spent over a decade steering Greycoat’s success in the high-stakes world of central London commercial real estate. His days are filled with complexity: multi-million-pound transactions, asset strategies, tenant relationships, macroeconomic volatility. It’s a world that demands stamina—but also self-awareness. Nick Millican’s leadership ethos extends beyond the boardroom, showing up in his philanthropic commitments as well.

Workplace stress, he’s observed, doesn’t always arrive as a crisis. More often, it builds slowly—through constant decision fatigue, relentless schedules, and the weight of being “the one in charge.” And for many high-performing professionals, the instinct is to power through. Millican challenges that instinct.

He sees asking for help not as weakness, but as strategic delegation—a way to preserve clarity, momentum, and long-term performance. That might mean looping in a colleague on a tough negotiation, pausing to recalibrate team dynamics, or seeking external advice when the market shifts. It’s not about losing control—it’s about not losing perspective.

At Greycoat, Millican fosters a culture where support-seeking is normalized. Leaders are encouraged to admit when they’re maxed out, uncertain, or in need of a second opinion. In an industry where reputational capital is currency, this kind of honesty is rare. But Millican believes it’s also what builds trust—and resilience. HisLinkedIn profile highlights this balance of operational excellence and human-centered leadership.

He also links stress management back to structure. By setting clear decision frameworks, investing in operational systems, and building teams that complement one another’s strengths, he reduces the number of daily fires that land on his desk in the first place. “Stress often fills the space where structure is missing,” he’s noted. “If you design well, you don’t have to rescue as often.”

But even with the best systems in place, Nick Millican recognizes that leadership can be isolating. That’s why he advocates for peer networks and mentorship, especially in demanding fields. Sometimes the best support isn’t within your team—it’s outside it, from someone who understands the terrain without being entangled in your day-to-day.

His perspective is further illustrated in this Green Prophet article about Nick Millican and Greycoat’s carbon-conscious development model, where long-term resilience is also environmental.

Ultimately, Millican’s perspective is clear: the strongest leaders don’t go it alone. They know how to ask. And they know that by doing so, they’re not showing weakness—they’re safeguarding their capacity to lead well over time.

Because stress isn’t a signal to dig deeper. It’s often a sign to reach outward.