Leadership through Experience

Open Programme Reference: LtE

An intensive and practical leadership experience for directors, senior and middle managers.

Leadership development courses that focus on specific elements of leadership and deal solely with macro-leadership topics such as vision, strategy or change; delivered through 'expert knowledge', case study and discussion can fail to address the skills, attitudes and behaviours associated with leading and influencing the teams and stakeholders that the course participants actually work with and among. In an intensive and highly practical five-days experience, the LtE Programme is designed to enable each participant to identify, develop and demonstrate the leadership capabilities needed to meet their specific personal and organisational needs. In a safe and supportive environment, among peers from a diverse range of professional and cultural backgrounds, the course deliberately invites participants to operate outside their 'comfort zones', enabling them to experience leadership and followership 'hands on' with the support of our highly experienced course directing team whose prime objective is to provide a stimulating, enjoyable and memorable experience for each participant that can be transferred back into the workplace in the form of enhanced leadership skills and behaviours.

The Learning Methodology:

"Tell me and I will listen. Show me and I will see. Let me experience and I will learn."

Lao Tse: Circa 550 B.C.

The course uses a range of original, practical and theoretical learning methods to help participants experience leadership by 'doing, feeling and understanding' leadership and effective team behaviour. A series of simulated and practical leadership challenges, performance reviews, feedback, and central plenary sessions creates the environment to practise the key elements of effective leadership. Through the use of Modus©, LtEI's proprietary psychometric tool, one's preferred leadership style is explored, with the additional input from peer feedback. Within a safe and supportive learning environment, participants are encouraged to test themselves and learn both from success and failure. Giving, receiving and accepting open, honest and constructive feedback and acting upon it, are essential components of the course.

The Overall Objectives: To enable participants to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours required by their organisation, the course;

• supports each participant in identifying and developing their personal leadership skills and style
• provides a clear understanding of how each participant's 'leadership' and 'followership' behaviours impact upon others
• provides the basis of an on-going personal development plan that will enable the more effective leadership of individuals and teams back in the workplace
• creates a platform for 'one-to-one' and team coaching on individual and team leadership effectiveness that can be built upon and supported further in the workplace.

Outcomes and Benefits to the Individual and organisation: The course supports each participant's development by covering the following themes;

• leading by personal example, through influence, clarity and action
• roles and responsibilities
• giving, receiving and acting upon honest and constructive feedback
• encouraging initiative and creativity
• building mutual trust, respect and support
• personal resilience and mental toughness
• achieving tasks more effectively by harnessing different but complimentary talents and skills
• building teamwork and co-operation to create the right team atmosphere
• handling conflict and dealing with success and failure
• communication and active listening
• motivation
• improved strategic thinking

The Course Outline:

Day One: Objectives and Outcomes

A series of practical challenges designed to develop the understanding and setting of objectives and strategy within teams. The immediate post-project reviews focus on the key learning around managing time and resources. Theoretical models focus on the appropriate leadership behaviours required in achieving tasks and effective communication. Group work focuses each participant on sharing their own personal learning objectives from the course.

The outcomes of day one are the development of a higher level of communication, how to 'think' as well as 'act' as leaders and a set of personal objectives that the course will expose each participant to during the week.

Day Two: Objectives and Outcomes

The 'Activities' element of LtE invites participants to accept the practical challenge of caving or climbing under close one-to-one coaching from our specialist instructors. More psychological that physically structured, it aligns each participant with the challenge of confronting the fears and anxieties so restrictive to effective personal leadership. For many participants, this element breaks through the self-imposed psychological barriers that can hold us all back, and strengthens the self-confidence that effective leaders require. Day Two concludes before dinner with the opportunity for each participant to reflect upon the psychological challenge of their respective activities among group members. The evening is free thereafter or for personal 1-2-1 time with the course directing team.

Day Three: Objectives and Outcomes

Day Three focuses participants on a series of business oriented projects that expose them to the rapidity of change, competition, ambiguity, cooperation and influence. Defining roles and responsibilities are key elements within the projects with performance reviews connecting the 'knowing with the doing'. Plenary sessions address the importance of facilitating team performance as a leader and the characteristics of high performing teams.

The outcomes of Day Three are the understanding of what it takes to build teams and the personal commitments of participants to their respective groups.

Day Four: Objectives and Outcomes

The morning of day four provides two major projects designed to confront 'change' by bringing together the key learning points captured, discussed and implemented at a group and individual level during the previous three days. The afternoon effects a 'sea change' in the course with the central focus moving from team performance towards individual and personal attributes and behaviours through a 'deep dive' session on personal motivation. Still using practical and 'experiential learning', the group work focuses on personal leadership styles and the importance of self-motivation and personal responsibility in leadership development. The outcome of Day Four gives each participant a clear understanding of the impact of their own personal leadership style.

Day Five: Objectives and Outcomes

The final day begins with a project capturing the iterative development of the group work and key learning points at a group and personal level. LtEI's 'Change Curve'© enables each participant to understand their emotional and behavioural states during various stages of the project to understand how best to maintain self-control, positivity and resilience when under pressure. The day (and the course) culminates in each participant 'chairing' their own personal feedback session on 'personal influence' through a formalised 90 degree feedback structure.

The Course concludes with dinner on the final evening and the opportunity to form post-course peer-support networks.

Departure follows breakfast on the Saturday morning.

Duration: Five days (residential). Provision is made for a recommended, although informal, Sunday arrival as the course will commence in full at 9:30 AM on Day One.

Evening Group work is a key part of the course, as is the opportunity to choose either the climbing or caving activity during the second day. Run by our internationally experienced and qualified instructors and as an integral part of the course, these challenges are designed to suit each participant so that no-one need feel excluded irrespective of any physical or technical limitations. The emphasis lies in mutual support and confronting a different personal challenge through the support of the team.

Dates and locations:
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Programme costs + VAT (where applicable):
Course costs available on request. Please email: enquiries@leadershipthroughexp.com.