About Niven

Hi! I’m Niven – a pioneering, hands on, creative and experienced leader who has an unshaken belief in human potential, a singular ability to connect with all manner of people and a healthy, often irreverent, sense of humour.

I am South African by birth, African by choice and global in outlook and impact. Although I love hitting the open road (preferably in a campervan) and hiking to – and through – mountains, my passion is partnering with leaders to (re)ignite the discretionary energy of people and teams, build an enabling culture and develop meaningful strategies with clients in diverse industries.

I’ve held executive positions since I was 29, in a career that has spanned multiple sectors and roles. Before starting up my own consultancy and embarking on my PhD in Organisational Behaviour, my positions included: CEO of the Businesswomen’s Association, Head of the South African Reserve Bank Academy and Head of Leadership and Culture for the Standard Bank Group (the largest bank by assets in Africa).

Having started my career as a strategy consultant, I now coach global executive teams in industries as diverse as financial and professional services, retail, media, transport and manufacturing, to build what I call “Whole System Leadership” and so doing, fundamentally transform how they are able to work together and what they are able to achieve.

I’m the author of If you don’t do Politics, Politics will do you, a contributor to Harvard Business Review and Inc., a part time tutor at Cambridge University’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and have been a guest lecturer at Stanford University. I have a LinkedIn learning course that teaches people how to navigate the politics inherent in being a senior manager and my expertise has been profiled in various forums, including the FT. I’m an expert facilitator on women’s leadership development programmes around the world and serve as the Chairman of the Board of Cotlands, an NGO that for 87 years has done cutting edge work in the Early Childhood Development sector in South Africa and beyond.

My keynotes on organisational politics, leadership, culture and women’s leadership have been delivered to audiences of up to 60,000 people.
I live in Johannesburg with my partner and get to be the proud and happy aunt to 6 niblings in South Africa, Kenya and New Zealand.

If you need the official version of my bio, please click here.

I LOVE connecting with people and teaching them things that make a difference in how they think, work and live.
I LOVE sharing my story, my insights, my experience and my advice and hearing those of others.
I LOVE seeing people have what are sometimes life changing ‘lightbulb’ moments when I do so.

I’m Niven Postma and I’m on a mission to show people around the world, at all levels of their careers, get to grips with workplace politics so that they not only grow THEIR careers but they help their teams thrive and succeed. My whole life has always been about leaving no-one behind, and through the experiences and insights of my 20 year executive career, I give people ‘lightbulb’ moments that build their political intelligence, give them the will and skill to build their influence, networks, authority and reputation and in the process, develop political capital that they can use for good.

To teach people to navigate workplace politics effectively so that they can unlock their full potential, drive their team’s success and build strong and healthy organisations.

I see a world where individuals embrace workplace politics, excel at them, and play them in a way that organisations are able to become more effective and employees and teams more fulfilled.