Lee Houghton is a leadership coach, speaker, and co-founder of Get Knowledge, a company committed to creating people-first organizations by helping leaders think, act, and lead differently. His journey is deeply shaped by personal loss, human connection, and a powerful mission to make workplaces more compassionate, intentional, and high-performing.
Humans of Fuzia is featuring Lee because his story embodies what our global 5-million–strong community stands for—humanity, empathy, and the belief that change begins with people. His perspective aligns beautifully with our mission of supporting women, uplifting changemakers, and championing both HeForShe and SheForShe values.
Q: Lee, what inspired you to become a coach and work in the world of leadership and change?
Lee: It began with a very personal story. Growing up, my dad was my hero—he was a DJ, and seeing people rush to the dance floor when he played music gave me this incredible feeling inside. Years later, I realized I feel that same feeling when I’m coaching leaders and they recognize their own power to create change.
I’ve worked in change since 2006. It’s the best job when you’re supported and enabling others—but it can also be the loneliest job when you’re pushing a boulder uphill alone. I never wanted others to feel that loneliness.
The biggest turning point came in 2018 when I lost my best friend, Chris, to cancer at 39. Before he passed, he shared three life lessons that changed everything for me:
- Always be yourself.
- Make good friends.
- Time is limited—act now.
These three lessons fuel everything I do today. I’ve spent the last seven years weaving them into my work because they represent what real leadership and human-centered change is all about.
Q: Tell us about Get Knowledge and who you primarily help.
Lee: I co-founded Get Knowledge in 2018–2019 with my business partner, Jason. We hold one core belief: people are the greatest asset in any organization.
We work mostly with senior leaders in medium to large organizations—places where silos exist, communication gets lost, and actions don’t always align with the message.
What we do includes:
- Leadership coaching
- High-performing team development
- Training sessions
- Talks that inspire action
- Facilitation to help organizations adopt better habits and behaviors
Our motto is simple: you must think and do different to achieve different results.
In every session, our goal is to spark new thoughts that lead to new actions—and ultimately, better outcomes.
Q: You created something called the BEST Model. Can you tell us more about it?
Lee: Yes—the BEST Model (B-E-S-T) emerged from observing what truly drives organizational success.
Most people focus only on the “T”—business targets. But the path to targets runs deeper:
- Customer satisfaction (became big 15 years ago)
- Employee well-being and engagement (became essential 10 years ago)
But beneath all of that is the behavior of leaders.
Leadership behavior influences employee engagement, which influences customer satisfaction, which drives targets.
That’s why Get Knowledge focuses not just on outcomes but on the human behaviors that create those outcomes.
Q: Do you deliver your programs online as well as offline?
Lee: Absolutely. We began with face-to-face delivery, but during COVID we adapted. Now we deliver virtually and in person.
The medium doesn’t matter as much as the message—what matters is creating emotion, engagement, and meaningful experiences for people, wherever they are.
Q: What are your thoughts on AI and how it fits into the future of work?
Lee: AI is incredible—powerful, helpful, and full of potential. But it can’t replicate human relationships.
The problem is that some people jump straight to “collaboration” with AI without doing the human work first—without connecting, conversing, or understanding how it fits into their purpose.
I believe in the four C’s of human relationships:
- Connect
- Converse
- Collaborate
- Celebrate
AI should support these—not replace them.
In fact, I talk about a new definition of AI: Actual Intention.
If we start with actual intention—what we want to achieve, where we are now, where we want to be—then AI becomes a powerful partner in helping us get there.
Q: Since this story will be featured in our HeForShe series, what are your thoughts on women empowerment?
Lee: I believe deeply in accepting all humans for who they are. Society often puts people into categories—gender, age, religion, ethnicity—and generalizes their experiences.
Women have faced experiences that aren’t always positive, and we must acknowledge and understand that. As men, we need to do the work to understand what women face and what they come up against.
If we truly connect, converse openly, collaborate respectfully, and celebrate each person’s uniqueness, we can create safe, fair, empowering environments for everyone.
It all comes back to humanity first—people before labels.
“Always be yourself, make good friends, and remember—time is limited. Act now.”
These three lessons from Lee’s late friend Chris continue to guide his life and leadership, inspiring others to lead with intention and humanity.
Connect with Lee Houghton:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton
http://www.getknowledge.co.uk
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