leadership training courses - case studies
We think the best way to get a flavour of our approach to leadership training is to take a look at some of the courses we've run for our clients. A couple of examples (click each to read more) are:
We've also written extensively about leadership and what it really means, and the following articles may be of interest:
After taking a look at those, come back and read more about our general approach to leadership training programmes.
leadership training programmes - our principles
Our training courses in helping people and teams develop their leadership skills fall into two categories - courses for groups from a single company, and leadership development courses for individuals.
The common aspects of our work in delivering leadership skills training courses to teams are as follows:
- treating every member of the team, and the team as a whole, with the utmost respect. We never tell anyone the "right" way to do things
- creating a very honest, open, and caring environment where people feel free to share their concerns and perceived weaknesses with a supportive group of colleagues
- challenging people to imagine and experiment with new styles of leadership - trying them on for size
- giving everyone the opportunity to contribute, to feel good about themselves, and to understand their capacity for growth and development
- managing conflict, or potential conflict, in a way that diffuses the current situation but allows for exploration of the underlying causes
- ensuring that everyone is capable of leaving the course with new knowledge, skills and attitudes to dramatically improve their leadership
The way we cover leadership skills varies enormously, and depends heavily on a joint pre-courses assessment of what the needs are, and the flexibility during the course to change and adapt the approach as needed. As an indication of the areas we tend to get involved in, please take a look at the examples below:
leadership using Myers-Briggs
We've found that using Myers-Briggs (MBTI) profiling as part of creating an understanding and appreciation of differing leadership styles and approaches hugely valuable. As with all the management training tools we use, we don't "teach" MBTI as a subject in itself, but use it effectively to deliver the leadership training our clients need.
By looking not only at the individual dichotomies, but looking at specific combinations, we can access a rich resource of information about people's preferred leadership styles. This knowledge is then advanced to develop the skill to both adapt our own leadership styles as well as create a greater appreciation of the styles of others, enabling the individuals and the team as a whole to be much more flexible, resourceful and successful in their leadership.
As with all our courses, we introduce the theory, use real-world, practical, and usually outdoors experiential learning to flesh out and internalise the knowledge gained, and then focus on reviews to really capture the essence of what has been learnt and ensure that it is translated into practical benefits back at work.
leadership using the Authentic Leadership model
Authentic leadership means using a leadership style that is true to you. We studiously avoid imposing leadership techniques and systems, because, for us, leadership is about passion, enthusiam and natural energy, not systems and processes. What we actually do is to help people understand more about their natural abilities, how to refine these, and how to apply them wherever and whenever they want.
Great leaders appear to lead naturally and effortlessly. In some respects, that's true - because they are leading something that they genuinely believe in, and in a way that is theirs. But everyone can benefit from developing their leadership skills, and broadening the techniques they use to get the results they want.
As with all our courses, we introduce the theory, use real-world, practical, and usually outdoors experiential learning to flesh out and internalise the knowledge gained, and then focus on reviews to really capture the essence of what has been learnt and ensure that it is translated into practical benefits back at work.
embodied leadership
An emerging area, embodied leadership training is all about using interactive training methods that teach people how to lead authentically with presence, gravitas and charisma so that they get results. Emotional intelligence and personal impact are critical success factors, yet most training does not address leadership and the body. Our executive and management training consists of some simple physical non-athletic practices relating to posture, breathing and non-athletic movement, combined with linguistic, emotional and traditional training.
Click here to read more about this exciting, and rather different, approach to leadership.
leadership and coaching
Leadership and management are very different things, as are coaching and teaching. We see enormous parallels between leadership and coaching, as they are both much more long-term, fundamental aspects of personal development and growth. Great leaders coach and inspire others rather than manage them - people simply want to follow and learn from them. As a great leader, using coaching with your team can really help to engage and inspire them, and spread your passion and enthusiasm.
leadership using common sense
Sounds obvious, but common sense is missed far too often on training courses, overruled by the latest fancy theory and snazzy quotes from the "gurus". We don't miss this part, at all. By giving teams the opportunity to undertake challenges and tasks, and then simply reviewing with them what went well and what didn't, it's (no longer, to us!) astonishing what comes out.
Our skill here is in genuine, open facilitation, and in creating the environment for people to come up with their own answers - much, much more powerful than listening to a lecture.
please click on the images below to find out more about the training areas we focus on