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Authentic Leadership

Our experiential programmes help you have impact, credibility and create an authentic connection. We focus on three main areas in our leadership programmes: presence, storytelling and influencing skills.

Leadership Presence

Participant profile

You are in a leadership position and need to act with confidence & authority. You need to be able to build effective relationships with clients and colleagues.

Overview

The programme is highly participative and explores the techniques that actors use to create a compelling presence, build relationships with an audience and convey messages more vividly.

We explore the elements of a dynamic presence, such as voice, body language, energy & intention and help you apply these skills to real work settings.

Learn how to feel comfortable taking centre stage and connect with your audience with openness and authenticity. 

Outcomes

As a result of attending this programme, participants will be able to:

  • deliver messages with maximum impact & credibility
  • be more comfortable with uncertainty and the need to improvise
  • understand their own leadership values and make use of them in their interactions
  • develop listening skills as a way of projecting empathy
  • connect with an audience through personal storytelling. 

Leader as a Storyteller

Participant profile

This programme is suitable for:

  • anyone who needs to improve their ability to connect with an audience and generate trust
  • change agents who need to engage on an emotional level
  • executives who need to bring variety and interest to factual presentations. 

Overview

In uncertain and volatile times, a reliance on analysis and factual presentation is not enough to motivate others. Leaders have to connect on an emotional as well as a rational level. Personal storytelling is a brilliant way of building rapport with an audience, sharing values and creating trust.  

Outcomes

Through this programme, participants will learn how to:

  • create a portfolio of stories based on their own life experiences
  • structure a story for maximum impact
  • use particular detail for memorability
  • use the voice & body for dramatic effect
  • extract the learning point from the story and make a connection to the business message. 

Storytelling in uncertain times

This is an opportunity to learn from two leading experts in their field. 

Participant profile

This programme is suitable for:

  • Senior executives with large teams and a broad strategic responsibility
  • Middle managers needing to motivate a departmental team
  • Business leaders who wish to evaluate their current leadership style and become more emotionally intelligent.

Overview

This is an opportunity to evaluate team attitudes and behaviours and apply storytelling skills in a volatile world. 

In 2009, at the age of 27, Brendan Hall became the youngest skipper to win the world’s most demanding sailing event – the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. In the first half of the programme, Brendan tells his own personal story of the challenges he faced, his disappointments & ultimate success with a mix of exciting narrative and facilitated discussion. The lessons he learned are immediately applicable to the challenges that leaders face in a volatile and uncertain world. 

The second half of the programme is an intensive workshop in storytelling skills for business, led by one of our storytelling specialists. 

Having listened to Brendan’s story, participants learn how to craft stories from their own life experiences to change attitudes, shape the organisational climate and show empathy in times of change. 

Outcomes

On conclusion of this programme, participants will have:

  • a better understanding of their own Emotional Intelligence – and how it is revealed under pressure
  • an understanding of what is required to create a no-blame, learning organisation mindset
  • a greater ability to gauge and build trust levels within their own team
  • a greater appreciation of the application of autonomy 
  • an understanding of the techniques needed for persuasive business storytelling
  • a framework for creating a personal story portfolio.

Influencing Skills

“Influencing is the essence of leadership.” Professor Gary Yuki, author of Leadership in Organizations.

Learn to influence key stakeholders and create successful working relationships.

Participant profile

Suitable for all executives who need to influence others to get buy-in and commitment to business objectives. 

Overview

This course includes an in-depth analysis of your current influencing style and helps you develop your skills to optimise the response of others.  

A practical and experiential programme which allows you to practise using a range of influencing approaches.

You will be able to discuss real-life work examples with your facilitator and fellow course members and put your ideas to the test in role-play simulations with actors.  

Outcomes

On completion of this programme, participants will:

  • understand their preferred influencing style – and its strengths and limitations
  • understand the range of possible alternative influencing approaches
  • be able to adjust an influencing strategy for maximum effectiveness 
  • have learned how to put theory into practice by working on real-life case scenarios.

 

" I loved the way we were all put on the path to development through supportive feedback. Brian is very perceptive and a great facilitator. We all took away our own ‘next steps’. What a wonderful way to spend a day! "
Programme participant, IMD Business School
" Brian is one of our most enduring and consistently reliable adjuncts. In his workshops on ‘Leadership presence’ he demonstrates huge skill and empathy with the group. "
Stefan Wills, Professor of Leadership Practice, Hult Ashridge Business School
" This was fantastic – 5 stars! Lots of practical advice and feedback on how to improve my presentation and communication skills. Great insights into techniques for inspiring a team and delivering on objectives. "
Head of Commercial Banking, SEB
" I got so much out of the work we did. This really struck a chord with me. I've got way more ideas now on how to make memorable presentations. I love telling stories, and now I understand better how to use images and props to make them real for people. Many thanks Jack for these fun and engaging sessions. "
Mark du Plessis, Senior Manager, Accenture
" Your training was very helpful and inspiring for me. I am now helping my boss build stories into her meetings! Very powerful indeed. "
G.Theaud, Operations Director, Société Générale
" The feedback from the group was completely positive. I saw a lot of smiling faces especially people I thought would struggle with this type of training. They really appreciated it. Very nice job! "
Sales Director, Evonik
" These were great sessions Jack. They helped me consolidate the concept of storytelling. I took your advice in a very tough meeting. The results were fantastic. I'm going to share the skills you showed me to my team, so we can all use them. I like your warmth and engaging style of bringing messages across. "
Eduardo Rojas-Pavez, Senior Manager, Accenture

authentic leadership

Experiential programmes to help you have impact, credibility and create authentic connection.
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virtual presence

Involve and motivate remote teams, and learn how to engage and have influence in the virtual world.
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executive coaching

Reach your full potential with one-to-one coaching.
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team building

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