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Life Styles Inventory (LSI) Explained

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Life Styles Inventory (LSI) Explained

The LSI Explained

There are a variety of performance assessment tools that can be used to identify the strengths of an organisation as well as areas for development. The Life Styles Inventory, or LSI, is an organisational tool that provides these insights for leaders by utilising self-assessment and feedback from colleagues and employees. It is based around the Human Synergistics Circumplex, describing constructive, passive/defensive and aggressive/defensive behaviours. It is a type of 360 Degree Feedback that aims to provide the individual with a full-picture understanding of how they perceive themselves, as well as how they are perceived by others. In this article, we take a closer look at how the Life Styles Inventory works to achieve this and what benefits it can have on individual performance and the organisation as a whole. 

How it Works

There are three components to the LSI that are used to make the assessment:

1. LSI 1 (self-assessment): this tool is specifically designed to help you understand the thoughts and attitudes that motivate your behaviour, how you relate to others, and how you solve problems and make decisions.

The LSI is a survey of 240 inventory items that the individual is first asked to assess themselves in. The answers provided to these items measure how you view yourself on 12 key thinking patterns as being either effective or ineffective.

2. LSI 2 (other’s description): this tool provides objective feedback on an individual’s behaviour as they are interpreted by others.

Eight trusted associates are selected by the individual to answer the 240 items and their results are combined, forming a composite profile that provides insight into how the individual is collectively perceived.

3. The results of each assessment are compared to identify the individual’s areas of strength, as well as those in which they can improve. 

Features of the LSI

When the results of the Life Styles Inventory ar compiled, they form a circumplex (or ‘clock’) to provide a visual representation of how you think you behave in each of the 12 styles. These styles are further broken up into three broader categories – constructive, passive/defensive, and aggressive/defensive. This provides a clear visual representation of the individual’s leadership behaviours.

Benefits

The LSI 1 is part of the Life Styles System that allows the individual the opportunity to take an introspective look at the image they hold of themselves. Unlike many other self-assessment tools, the LSI 1 provides a quantifiable measurement of strengths and weaknesses. This means that there is a concrete starting place for targeting areas of improvement. Results from over 240,000 organisations indicate that there are significant connections between LSI 1 scores and the development of leadership effectiveness, an increased ability to facilitate change, the achievement of self-set goals, and improved relationships with others. 

When used in conjunction with LSI 1, the LSI 2 will provide further objective feedback on the individual’s leadership behaviours in a way that is confidential, reliable, and presented in a nonthreatening manner. Re-testing packs of each assessment also enable individuals to monitor their growth at 3, 6, and/or 12 months after completing their initial assessment. Not only is this a great benefit for the individual, but the organisation is also able to measure the effectiveness of LSI development. 

 

Performance assessment tools such as the Life Styles Inventory can be useful in providing insight into the full scope of an individual’s leadership behaviours. The LSI is one of many different leadership assessment and personality profiling tools that The Leadership Sphere use to assist organisations in identifying key leadership characteristics and behaviours. Each organisation, and each leader, will have different goals they hope to achieve through the implementation of any leadership development program. For this reason, it is important that you are using the right tool for the right job. 

For more information about the Life Styles Inventory (LSI) and how The Leadership Sphere can help you unlock performance through leadership, by supporting your leaders at every level of the organisation with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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Life Styles Inventory (LSI) Explained

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5 Benefits of Executive Coaching

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5 Benefits of Executive Coaching

Executive coaching is an important tool of leadership development because it allows those in positions of leadership the opportunity to become responsible for their own learning and development. It differs from other leadership development programs in that it can be a much more collaborative experience between participant and coach. Executive coaching provides an individually tailored approach to helping leaders understand their strengths, how they are perceived by others, as well as creating a safe space for them to grow and work through new ideas. All of this is crucial for leaders who may benefit from the presence of a trustworthy environment in which they can be supported. It also provides a safe place for leaders to take time out and reflect on past, present and future events and that helps minimise risk and maximise opportunities for the leader and the teams they are responsible for.

Navigate Change

Change is constant in all areas of life, but particularly in business. Organisational change can be difficult to implement without the skills to do so. Executive coaching can be a beneficial resource during times of change or transition to aid managers in leading their teams through it. 

Objective Support and Feedback

Executive positions come with the expectation that they will hold the answers to questions posed by their teams. What tends to happen far too often is that the higher a position a leader holds within an organisation, the more difficult it is to receive support. This support can be given by executive coaches who take on a mentor role for leaders. They provide a confidential space that allows leaders to work through issues, new ideas, and make decisions. The objectivity of executive coaching means they can provide constructive feedback free from any potential agenda. Their feedback may stem from their own observations of the organisation or executive coaching programs like the Hogan 360 Report.

Customised Leadership Development

The benefits of coaching encompass the development of critical leadership skills and qualities with time and space dedicated to providing leaders with the opportunity. While there are countless leadership development options available, not all of them will be beneficial to all organisations or indeed, all leaders. Executive coaching programs focus on providing tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of the individual and their position. By customising the executive coaching program to the individual, leaders can achieve their goals and have an easier time incorporating their learning into the workplace. 

While there are countless leadership development options available, not all of them will be beneficial to all organisations or indeed, all leaders.

Improved Productivity to Achieve Results

A main objective of leadership is to ensure that you and your team achieve results. Coaching programs help to enhance goal management and achievement by strengthening skills in performance, support and productivity. Productivity is particularly important for achieving results. There has been a prevalent culture in business of working later and longer in order to ‘prove’ our dedication and commitment; when often all this does is overwork us, create stress, lead to poorer quality work, and in fact, decrease productivity. Executive coaching provides refreshed solutions to bettering work-life balance and productivity that directly leads to achieving results. 

Builds Confidence

No matter who we are, or what position we hold within our organisation, we are all prone to self-doubt every now and then. As leaders, we often feel as though we aren’t ‘allowed’ to be anything less than completely confident at all times. When we don’t, we may begin to overthink or second guess our skills as a leader. Executive coaching provides the opportunity for you to strengthen your existing skills in a way that encourages you to take ownership of your development and become confident in utilising your abilities in the workplace. Coaches can also help leaders to remain balanced over time and deal with the ups and downs that are all part of being a leader!

The benefits of coaching are far reaching not only for the participants, but the teams they lead. Great leaders can not begin or continue to serve their teams without also attaining support themselves. When leaders have the confidence to realise their full potential, they can better navigate challenges and assist their team in reaching goals. For this reason, The Leadership Sphere understands the importance of creating customised programs that are based on leveraging strengths and addressing capability gaps identified using the assessment tool that best suits your situation. 

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can help you unlock performance through leadership, by supporting your leaders at every level of the organisation with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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How to Develop and Sustain a High Performance Team

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How to Develop and Sustain a High Performance Team

High performance teams are ones that we all strive to create or become a part of. Why is this? The great appeal of such teams lays beyond their ability to consistently achieve results. In most cases of high performance teams, there is a strong willingness for individuals to go above and beyond in their efforts to contribute to the success of the team. They are motivated to perform at their best because there is an understanding of the inherent value of each person’s role. As a team, they are focused on a common goal and support each other to achieve it. In this article, we will be taking a closer look at some of the factors that make high performance teams possible, and why you should consider incorporating them into your development.

Keep Size in Mind

If you’ve ever tried to speak up in a large group, you understand how difficult it can be to have your voice heard. For this reason, it is important when building high performance teams not to oversaturate them with too many people. However, you must not sacrifice skilled team members for the sake of keeping numbers low. Instead, consider the logistics of coordinating teams and communicating effectively among a larger group. Teams with fewer than 10 members provide a more manageable balance that allows for each voice to be heard. This leads to quicker (and better) decision making as well as greater productivity. 

Inspiring Leaders

For teams to sustain high performance, they most often are led by those who are able to inspire motivation and enthusiasm. These are not the kinds of leaders who simply assign the work and expect it to meet high standards. Rather, inspiring leaders encourage passion from their team that creates a level of dedication that will naturally produce excellence. When we feel that our work has value and that it is important to us, we are more driven to make it the very best that we can. When building high performance teams, consider whether the person calling the shots is capable of this. Not just as a leader, but also when facilitating the volume of each individual member. Remember, the best leaders support and bring out the best in their people, and provide a safe place for people to speak up and have equal say is an important part of this. 

Communication

A team that is given a clear direction is predisposed to high performance. This is of course not limited to assigning tasks at the beginning of a project. Great communication should be rooted in giving and receiving feedback and regular check-ins with individuals that foster strong relationships. The adage “clear is kind…unclear is unkind” is a significant focal point of the Dare to Lead Program that encourages leaders to communicate effectively without being misconstrued or coming across as rude. High performance team leaders keep people focused, informed and on-track. They encourage people to voice their thoughts, and to do so in an honest, clear and deliberate way. After all, there is a real efficiency in clear communication that helps a team get to where they want to in a shorter time, whilst not unnecessarily wasting energy in the process.

Adaptability

To sustain high performance over the long term, your team must be able to quickly adapt to sudden changes. The advantage of adaptability means that there is no stagnation in work processes. The team can identify potential problems early and adapt their processes to overcome these challenges. Adaptable teams can find multiple solutions to every problem, giving you options for each new project. This means that there will always be other ideas to implement if the occasion calls for it. With adaptability also comes the mindset of a champion team, and that is to enjoy the journey as much as the destination!

Trust in Leadership

Finally, the mainstay of each of the qualities discussed above is trust. Specifically, trust in leadership. A leader that is not trusted cannot be inspiring, will be doubted, and won’t be looked to when guidance is needed. Building and maintaining trust within teams should be a top priority. This is something that we cover extensively throughout our Dare to Lead Program and other leadership development and high performance team programs. Trust is the foundation of all healthy relationships, both personal and professional. Leaders who encourage openness and honesty in their teams, must exemplify these qualities themselves. This kind of transparency in leadership shows that you have nothing to hide and builds your team’s trust in you. Trust is also the one element that cannot be falsely manufactured, and that is what makes it so powerful, because when it comes to leadership, people are motivated most by the authentic you, the vulnerable leader who deals with issues with integrity and courage, and helps others to do the same.

When working with organisations to develop their leadership talent, The Leadership Sphere helps to make strategic intent clear for leaders and the people they support, develop capability in leaders to better connect people to the strategy, and enable leaders to contribute in a way that unlocks performance and helps others be the best they can be. To build and sustain high performance teams, you need to keep these factors in mind. As previously discussed, clarity is the key to open communication and vision. Capability is needed in every member, and each member must be able to contribute effectively when challenges arise.  The most important contribution of the leader is to invoke trust and motivation within their teams to reach their highest potential. 

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can support your leaders with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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How to Develop and Sustain a High Performance Team

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5 Reasons Why Leadership Development is Important

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5 Reasons Why Leadership Development is Important

Now more than ever, we are seeing the continued importance of conducting leadership development training. As industries, tools, and technologies continue to revolutionise, organisations must have the staff and leaders in place with the skills to implement the strategies needed to face these changes. Strong leaders are essential for growth and success and taking the time to invest in their development is an important step towards improved culture and productivity. As leaders often fill the vital role of role-models within an organisation, the importance of providing leadership capability development is paramount. Below are five reasons why we believe in the importance of leadership development.


Balance Seeking

A strong indicator of successful leadership is having the ability to quickly and continually adjust their approach in order to manage their team as well as company procedures. Both should be considered as priorities as they are equally important to the overall success of the organisation.   Leaders must also learn how to strike the balance between their role as instructors as well as role-models. Being too much the former risks forming a reliance on instruction and leaves less room for autonomy in completing goals. By providing regular opportunities for leadership capability development, individuals can improve their methods and add proficiency to their existing leadership, organisational, and efficiency skills.

Skill Gaps

Effective leadership is the key to creating and supporting any successful team. In order to do this, it can be helpful to identify the differences between what management requires and what individuals are actually capable of. In some cases, it is a lack of  soft skills such as communication and time management that are preventing them from reaching their full potential as a leader. For some leaders, it is in slightly less obvious areas such as empathy and trust building skills. By investing time for leaders to develop these skills is important for the betterment of their team, as well as the organisation as a whole.

Role Clarity

Role clarity isn’t often brought up in discussions about leadership development, but its importance can not be denied. Not only does role clarity ensure that individuals know what their exact position within the organisation is; it also allows them to see how they and their work fit into the big picture. As leaders, the importance of role clarity is closely linked to accountability. It is an important part of the performance equation and one that is the responsibility of the organisation. For example, one might say that aptitude and motivation are somewhat up to the individual, role clarity is something we as leaders are responsible for and that have an impact on motivation, accountability and therefore performance. A lack of role clarity can be cause for avoidable frustration for individuals or conflict within teams. By reducing job overlap caused by any confusion, leaders can manage and delegate tasks to their teams more effectively.


Employee Satisfaction

On an individual level, employee satisfaction is often measured by the view they hold of how effective the leadership is. Attitudes and productivity are often seen to improve when there is an outward display of trust and mutual respect between employees and management. It is by learning how to foster these positive personal relationships that lead to increased motivation in employees. When the distance between employees and management is shortened on a personal level, team engagement is strengthened in such a way as to allow for an environment of collaboration to flourish. It has also been shown that employee satisfaction has a direct effect upon employee retention. Many surveys have shown that one of the most significant factors in an individual’s decision to exit their role is an absence of loyalty they feel towards their leaders. Simply by learning to engage more personally, we build this loyalty and trust that keeps individuals passionate about their role.

Strategic Problem-Solving

The ability to analyse a problem down to its root cause is one of the most important skills a leader should possess. The hard skill component is problem solving, the soft skill component is how you engage others in the process. Great leaders can exercise the soft skill component by calling upon the knowledge and talents of their team in order to find the best  solution. There is a competitive advantage to developing the problem-solving skills of leaders. In an unpredictable business environment, this kind of problem-solving is a key trait that should not be overlooked. It also helps to build high trust relationships and high trust organisations.

Why this is Important to Company Success

When the five above elements come together in cohesion, the effects benefit everyone. A company’s success can (and should) be measured by more than just the bottom line. Leadership development programs help leaders to bring out the best performance within themselves and their teams in ways that result in the overall success of the organisation. True leadership is more than just managerial skills; it enables you to inspire others to become more dedicated to their role, their team, and company as a whole. 

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can help you unlock performance through leadership, by supporting your leaders at every level of the organisation with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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5 Reasons Why Leadership Development is Important

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Making The Move To Online Learning For Leadership Development

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Making The Move To Online Learning For Leadership Development

The way we connect, learn, and work has undergone a significant overhaul since the Coronavirus pandemic reached a global scale at the beginning of the year. As we approach the final weeks of 2020, let us reflect on the impact that this shift in operations has had and what lasting effects we may take into 2021 and beyond. Online learning has been one of the most discussed and debated issues to arise in the wake of this continual change. Though the focus has largely been on schools, it is worth investigating how we might approach the topic as it relates to online leadership development. Incorporating virtual leadership programs into your learning and development benefits not just the participants, but the whole organisation. Delivering this kind of training online, participants can take ownership of their own learning. Interesting though is the varied perceptions of what online learning is, and we should note that online learning may be self paced online learning, or a virtual classroom (which is an adapted version of face to face, for learning and development activities such as leadership development, which has best impact when delivered by an expert facilitator, live).

Advantages of Online Learning


Flexibility

Often, face-to-face training programs are run over the course of one or two days thus limiting the amount of time participants and facilitators must dig deeply into the material. When participants are given control over how and when they interact with their program means that they can take the time they need to truly immerse themselves in the learning. It also allows for the learning to take place around a potentially busy schedule rather than interrupting several days work on other commitments. This kind of self paced leadership training makes it possible to revisit topics of interest or misunderstanding as much as is needed. 

Saves on Resources

Just as online leadership programs provide a flexible option for participants, they are also a flexible option for organisations. This is because online training can be delivered at a fraction of the strain on resources as classroom style programs. Several of the costs associated with face-to-face programs can be eliminated – space, time, and distance often being the biggest obstacles. The greatest benefit of this approach is that it may allow for more people to be offered the opportunity to participate as these added restrictions are no longer a factor. As a result, team members would not have to miss out on reaching their highest potential as leaders or developing vital skills.

Progressive Learning

Though virtual programs were popular prior to the outbreak of Coronavirus, the pandemic forced many who weren’t already using the available technology to adapt quite quickly or risk falling far behind. The globalisation of most industries means that in order to be forerunners in the field, you must be embracing of innovation. The switch to remote learning and operations is something that has been occurring more and more over the last decade, even for areas beyond compliance, such as leadership development programs, development of high performance teams, executive coaching and other leadership initiatives. What might have taken another few years to become ‘the norm’ happened rapidly over a few short months. By adopting the use of new technologies as early as possible, the more prepared your leaders (and organisation) can be for the future of learning and development.

Improved Virtual Communication & Collaboration

In addition to gaining the technical skills to keep up with new learning tools as they are developed, participants of online training programs also gain the advantage of discovering how to work with others in a virtual environment. This is an unquestionable advantage in the face of globalising industries. The far reaching access to online training allows participants to take part from anywhere in the world. This provides the opportunity to discuss ideas and network with people with a broader range of past experiences and perspectives, expanding your own cross-cultural understanding. Leaders have adjusted the way they manage teams because of remote settings, and how we coach and mentor in new ways that make staff feel that they are supported, albeit from a different physical location.

It was for these reasons above that The Leadership Sphere made the decision to move the extremely successful Dare to Lead Program from being an in person workshop to an online facilitator-led course. In doing this, we have been able to continue to provide this service in a way that allows leaders in different states and  even countries to come together to share in their learning. In a global environment that is constantly shifting and evolving in new ways, we must prepare ourselves with the skills needed to evolve with it. By making the move to online learning for leadership development we can remove some of the obstacles that may hold us back and instead, allow ourselves the advantage of learning from those with whom we may not have otherwise had the opportunity. 

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can support your leaders with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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Making The Move To Online Learning For Leadership Development

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Do You Have The Right Leadership In Place to Survive Coronavirus?

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Do You Have The Right Leadership In Place to Survive Coronavirus?

As COVID-19 continues to disrupt the daily workings of all businesses, directly and indirectly, depending on the type of business you are in, we must stop to consider all of the ways in which it has forced us to become innovators. Without the convenience of having our co-workers and clients nearby we’ve become even more reliant on email, phone calls and web conferencing to stay in touch with each other and conduct networking and maintain personal and professional relationships. With many of us working from home rather than in the office, it is more important than ever before that our leaders are well equipped to propel us forward in times of sustained uncertainty. Corporate leadership programs offer businesses the opportunity to provide their leaders with fundamental skills that will allow them to not only survive turbulent times (not only during this pandemic), but to thrive.

Here are three key leadership skills to getting through times of uncertainty:

Accountability

It can be difficult to remain self-motivated when you’re constantly surrounded by distractions and aren’t confined to a formal office environment. Even if you’re an incredibly dedicated person, everyone has their limits. This is where it becomes important for leaders to provide their teams with a level of accountability beyond a mere deadline. Deadlines might ensure that the work gets done, but accountability serves as a greater motivator to produce excellence. Through regular check-ins with teams and individuals, employees are encouraged to assess their own progress and ability to deliver.

Clear Expectations

While we might have resolved the issue of how we communicate with our teams by incorporating a greater use of technology in our work lives, what and when we are communicating can at times be infrequent. Strong communication goes far beyond setting a list of tasks for employees to complete and leaving them to it. Providing clear expectations and understanding of individual tasks, as well as team and company goals, is vital to ensuring those expectations are met.

Resilience

Resilience is a vital skill (yes….. it is a skill!) that leaders and organisations have always had to have but now it has become critical because operating under unpredictable circumstances has now become business as usual. Since the coronavirus pandemic reached its peak in March 2020, the resilience of our leaders has been tested in unprecedented ways. Even great teams will face difficulties at some point. It is how we deal with these difficulties that determine whether we succumb to the pressure or bounce-back stronger. Targeted leadership capability development should include a focus on resilience and creative problem solving.


Knowing what the right leadership capability skills you need can be a confusing proposition, as there are many and varied opinions on what is the right investment. Interestingly, there has been a direct correlation between those organisations that are continuing to invest in leadership development and those who are finding new ways to thrive during these uncertain times. The Leadership Sphere tailors targeted programs to the needs of individual businesses as there can be no one size fits all approach when it comes to executive leadership development. Though there are several skills that prove to be integral to high performance leadership time and again. Without considering the benefits of creating accountability and setting clear expectations, during normal times and in the middle of a pandemic, we can not hope to build resilient leaders.

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can support your leaders with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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Do You Have The Right Leadership In Place to Survive Coronavirus?

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The Results Are Life Changing When You Dare To Lead

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The Results Are Life Changing When You Dare To Lead

In a constantly changing global business environment, it can be a challenge to create certainty for those we lead. While an admiral goal, absolution is not possible due to the inherent imperfections of the world we live in and as a result of human behaviour – we’re all prone to misreading situations and to making mistakes. What can unite us though, and help us lean into our own limitations is embracing the willingness to be vulnerable as leaders. This is exactly what participants are encouraged to do in our Dare to Lead Program. The Dare to Lead Program is based on the work of Brene Brown and focuses on being a more authentic version of ourselves and presents a refreshing way to look at the idea of vulnerability in leadership. A significant amount of time is spent, discussing and dissecting the importance of vulnerability and how closely tied it is to courage. Simply put, we reconnect with the vulnerability as a strength rather than a limitation. Though the course is designed for leadership development, there is a deeply personal aspect of each of the lessons that many find confronting. The biggest take away that participants have had is that they found they were challenged in unexpected ways. It has helped them become better leaders at work and a much better version of themselves on the home front. 

Be brave in ways you have never been before

It’s not often that we get the chance to explore what it means to be brave both as an individual and as a leader. Participants who undertake this opportunity in the Dare to Lead program gain a deeper understanding about harnessing brave leadership as a willingness to act during times of uncertainty. We can not lead bravely without the risk of falling short, because in order to do so we must be willing to do what is right over what is easy. In order to foster an environment of trust, leaders should allow themselves to be perceived as vulnerable. One of the ways this is explored is by thinking about what prevents us from being open and honest in front of others. We are given the tools to learn to recognise these moments when they occur and how to step back and prevent them from overcoming us.

Find courage when things get tough

One of the first exercises of the Dare to Lead program is Container Building where every participant comes together to discuss what behaviours will be required to create a safe environment for everyone to feel comfortable opening up with potential strangers. This encourages the building of courageous cultures that enable us and others around us to be brave. A large part of what it means to have courageous cultures is that it eases some of the difficulty of having tough conversations. In her book, Dare to Lead, Brown writes about the paradox of avoiding these tough conversations in an effort to be polite or kind – an idea that is wholeheartedly rejected. Instead, both she and the course teach us that “CLEAR IS KIND. UNCLEAR IS UNKIND.” All this means is that having the courage to be honest, even when telling hard truths, is ultimately a much kinder act than being ‘nice’ about it. As we reflect on the massive uptake in the Dare to Lead program we can see that the notion of “clear is kind” has always been a big part of leadership development programs and the development of high performing teams, however, said so simply and eloquently and enabling people to build stories around “clear is kind” and the opposite of ‘unclear is unkind” just makes it so much more powerful!

Integrate your unique values into day to day life

The Dare to Lead Program challenges participants to work on themselves and explore what is most important to them as a person as well as a leader.  Our values aren’t always something that we act on consciously in our everyday lives (though of course they can be). In fact, it is when we evaluate our behaviours that we find out that our values are. In doing this, we may realise that the beliefs we hold aren’t as frequently called upon as we thought. Such an exercise can be an eye opening experience for some, taken as an opportunity to refocus our ideals and begin to integrate those we wish to see more of.

Values based leadership is about living and leading with values that motivate others to do their best and that inspires everyone to contribute to the greater good. Some participants have followed the Dare to Lead Program with ongoing conversations via a ‘buddy system’ that is encouraged on the program, and others have taken on coaching from The Leadership Sphere expert coaches, in all cases the impacts have been even more significant, as the ongoing reflection allows the embedment of the core leadership development take aways from the program.

Re-establish trust with yourself and others

It takes quite a bit of due diligence to truly understand what causes us to feel angry or begin to shut down, as well as to understand the connection with feelings of worry, guilt, and shame. We may not always realise that when we react to certain situations with anger or dismissal, we may be experiencing something deeper (like fear or shame). By acknowledging this we can connect with what it takes to build an environment of trust where we can confidently rely on ourselves and others to do the right thing. 

Relearn the importance of self compassion and empathy

It is often much easier to extend compassion and empathy to others when they open up to us, but we don’t always extend these same courtesies to ourselves. What we view as bravery in others can feel like weakness in ourselves. This could not be further from reality. Dare to Lead teaches valuable techniques that help us to be more understanding of ourselves and others as we realise that everyone is doing the best they can. In an interview with certified Dare to Lead facilitator, Phillip Ralph, course alumnus Simone Wright put it another way: “hearing other people’s experiences, while they’re different, are similar.” 

Simone also said of her experience that “there’s an emotional journey in this course that is very strong” – a sentiment shared by many alumni of the course in a way that they found was unexpected. At the heart of the course is the coming together of the personal with the professional. It’s about humanising the workplace. Every person’s journey will be unique as it forces us to do a great deal of introspection about the things we value, feel, and experience. Not only have participants reported seeing a benefit in their leadership roles professionally, but personally as well. The Dare to Lead Program is designed to encourage participants to explore ideas in great detail and allow them to gain a deeper understanding of themselves.

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can support your leaders with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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The Results Are Life Changing When You Dare To Lead

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Five Reasons Why Executive Coaching Is Critical During Turbulent Times

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Five Reasons Why Executive Coaching Is Critical During Turbulent Times

Executive coaching has been used as an important tool for leadership and business growth. Prior to COVID-19 lockdowns leadership coaching was seen as something important for those on the C-Level journey. However, with COVID-19 restrictions on many businesses, we have seen significant changes to working conditions, with working from home top of that list. With change becomes even more reason to deploy leadership coaching and support for senior executives and for management teams. With quarantine, isolation, and social distancing having significant impacts on daily operations it is unsurprising that we aren’t feeling as connected to each other as we once were. Interestingly, the sense of being ‘connected’ with others is an ongoing theme in coaching and mentoring conversations during business as usual settings, and it is no surprise that this is the number one reason why companies are reaching out to organisations such as The Leadership Sphere to provide structured and supportive coaching services as a way to help people better understand the change process and adapt to new ways of living and working. In this way, corporate coaching programs can have far reaching benefits for individuals and teams and let’s take a closer look at the five reason why executive coaching is critical during turbulent times.

Gain Greater Self-Awareness

Having self-awareness is often overlooked as being a skill because it seems fairly simple. However, we are all the main character of our own lives and the majority of us tend to overlook (or are simply unaware of) our faults or the deeper emotions behind our reactions to certain situations. Coaching programs for managers can help to develop a stronger emotional intelligence that will allow them to become better at understanding where their strengths lay and where there is room for growth.

Become More Empathetic

Learning to truly understand the emotions of other people will lead to stronger relationships with colleagues and teams. This builds trust between leaders and their teams. In particularly turbulent times, trust between leaders and teams could not be more important. When issues arise, they are likely to be solved sooner when an individual knows that their concerns will be met with kindness. There is no hesitation in bringing it to the manager’s attention. The Dare to Lead Program that is run by The Leadership Sphere helps leaders to connect with the mantra of ‘Clear Is Kind’ and provides good counsel around how to apply this to your own life and approach to leadership.

Improve Emotional Intelligence

While self-awareness and empathy are aspects of emotional intelligence, the importance of developing our overall emotional intelligence should not be forgotten. Self-regulation, motivation, and social interaction are also key pillars of a person’s emotional intelligence. It is important to have a strong understanding of each of them. In times of uncertainty they serve us well in terms of building relationships and connecting with each other. When we understand our limits, we know when to reach out for help. Knowing how we react to situations and recognizing our own feelings and being able to observe first before drawing conclusions are all skills that can be developed when provided with the right coach to prompt us to reflect and consider the world through the view of what others are experiencing, rather than simply the goals and objectives that we have in front of us. 

Increase Adaptability

Change is difficult. There’s no getting around that. But change is a necessary step towards fulfilling our potential. In some cases we have no choice but to dive in head first; executive coaching can help to prepare us for this by giving us the skills to adapt quickly. We may even already be capable of this, but don’t always realise it until forced to put it into action. When presented with the opportunity to adapt and grow, we must learn to turn away from the initial ‘stress response’ toward one of curiosity. As the rate of change increases, so too does our need to provide executive coaching services and support for our senior leaders and managers, not in isolation, but as part of a broader leadership development program that is focused on enabling clarity, capability and commitment at every level of an organisation.

Become a Better Leader

The most effective leaders are those who take the time to show their teams that they care about more than just the work itself. Great leaders display compassion and understanding towards those whom they lead. They have invested in themselves (and by extension their teams) by actively trying to develop and maintain trusting relationships with their team on individual levels. A coach plays an important role in challenging us to become a better leader, they ask questions to spark reflection and consider where we are strong and where we have limitations.

What coaching support do you have for your leaders and managers?

When facing times of uncertainty, it becomes more important than ever to ensure that our leaders and managers are well equipped in their understanding of themselves and their interpersonal relationships. In order to effectively lead through turbulent times, The Leadership Sphere places significant value on resolving crises, connecting, and building before returning to work in a new way. By providing leaders with the opportunity to undertake corporate coaching programs, you are giving them the skills they need to develop trust and become better leaders. 

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can support your leaders with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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Five Reasons Why Executive Coaching Is Critical During Turbulent Times

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How To Transform High Potential Talent Into Future Leaders

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How To Transform High Potential Talent Into Future Leaders

One of the defining characteristics of a great leader is their ability to recognise the talents of members in their team. In doing so, you are able to nurture those talents and provide people with the opportunity for growth and becoming a future leader. One way in which this might be achieved is through investing time in high potential talent programs. A major benefit of high potential talent programs is the focus on building on existing strengths, rather than addressing weaknesses. Other key factors to take into account when considering leadership development programs is determining who will take part, and in fact, how we decide this is significant too. We mustn’t assume that the familiar choices are also the right ones. In order for our future leaders to be part of a global community, they should also stem from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

Deciding Who Takes Part

When determining who within our teams displays high potential talent, it is vital that we make a conscious decision to remain as objective as possible. A true assessment of talent can not be made if managers are only nominating those to whom they feel personally connected. This is especially true if said managers have been directly involved in a person’s development up to this point. We must learn to look beyond the seemingly obvious choices and consider, without bias, the skills and potential of everyone. By remaining neutral and vetting everyone on an equal scale, we are able to avoid overlooking someone who might not yet be visible in the organisational hierarchy. 

High Potential Experience

On what basis should we now be deciding who we nominate for executive leadership training in order to create this unbiased and equal scale we’ve assigned ourselves? What you and your company require in your leaders will be specific to you, and will be reflected in what you consider to be high potential talent. But it is important that don’t limit this to any one particular skillset. Some individuals may be highly skilled in giving presentations but lack the ability to share what they gained from the experience at on a more significant level.

Focus on Strengths

Often leadership development programs are undertaken in order to solve existing problems or address particular weaknesses. While that is certainly necessary for improving shortcomings, it is a ‘reactive’ approach. In order to transform high potential talent into future leaders, the approach should be a ‘proactive’ one. Think about what your leaders do well already and how those skills might be built upon.  This provides them (and you) with the reassurance that should unexpected challenges arise, they are well equipped to face them. Focusing on strengths is a clear indicator to your team that you value their skills and are willing to invest in their potential. 

Ongoing Learning

How high performance team programs are delivered can be just as crucial to their success as the content within them. While an all encompassing intensive face to face program can excite and motivate participants in their jumping off point, it can also be overwhelming. The ability to connect and incorporate the learning to the daily schedules we operate under keeps it in the forefront of our minds. An example of a staged learning program is The Leadership Sphere’s Dare to Lead program is an 8 week virtual course that requires participants to engage with the material regularly outside of the weekly facilitator lead sessions. Unlike shorter programs, this allows participants to receive further support in their learning as they begin putting it into practice.

Creating a Shared Journey

The benefits of high potential talent programs have far greater reach when they have the support of not only course facilitators, but of their peers as well. By partaking in future leaders development as a team, you are creating a shared experience and a shared journey. The fostered sense of community and accountability produces a collective purpose that can be both inspiring and motivating. 

Becoming Part of  a Global Community

Truly effective development programs should encourage curiosity in having a greater worldview. In times where globalisation is increasing rapidly, having a global mindset could prove invaluable for the growth of any business. Our future leaders would be well served (and well serving) to be given the opportunity for boundary-less learning. Being equipped with an understanding of how international workplace cultures differ from our own, could be what sets your leaders above the crowd.

There are a number of benefits to high performance team programs, and The Leadership Sphere encapsulates many that have been looked at above. Investing in talent development leads to almost limitless growth potential over the long term. 

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can support your leaders with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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How To Transform High Potential Talent Into Future Leaders

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3 Reasons Why Setting Leadership Objectives Is Important

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3 Reasons Why Setting Leadership Objectives Is Important

When an organisation has clear goals and objectives, it provides everyone with a better understanding of what they, as an individual, and as part of a team, are aiming to achieve. That’s why so often we see a focus on mission statements and functional plans that align with the overarching strategic objectives of an organisation. This all looks good on paper, however these goals are not reached in practice unless every member of the team performs as they are expected to do. Of course, each position will require their own set of objectives in order to fully understand the role they play. This is particularly true where leadership comes into play, as we rely on our leaders to be able to make things clear and guide others along the path to reaching these goals. 

Goal setting set the leaders intentions

Goal setting is important because it is crucial to communicate to a team what the expected results should be and the time it will take to reach them. In other words, we are beginning with the end in mind, and that is the outcome. It is equally important to provide a roadmap for achieving those results and how that roadmap connects to the greater good of the team and the customers that your organisation serves. This is the important part that leaders play in goal setting and the reason why leadership development programs to support your senior managers need to spend equal time on clarity, capability and contribution. So often, the ‘clarity’ part is missed because we get straight into the detail of capability as a way to drive the contribution of individual team members. 

Key considerations when setting leadership objectives

Here are a few things to consider when setting leadership objectives:

  • Are your goals specific?
  • How relevant are your smaller goals to your overall objectives?
  • Do you have realistic expectations for achieving your goals?
  • Are your goals challenging?
  • Will you be able to achieve them within your chosen timeframe?
  • Do the goals align to the greater good of the organisation and those you serve?

Responsibilities of Leaders


#1 Driving Focus

When working on a large scale project it can sometimes be very easy to lose sight of the bigger picture if for instance it’s a long-running project or we hit a speed bump. Having leaders who are able to return the team’s focus to the end result can reignite productivity and prevents energy from being wasted on aimless tasks. By focusing on particular objectives we can mobilise our energy, leading to higher and more consistent effort overall. Having defined goals should trigger our behaviour. When we are reminded (or remind ourselves) of our reasons for what we are doing, we become much more motivated to put in the work.

#2 Measure of Progress

By having set and specific objectives we are trying to reach, it is possible to monitor the progress being made. This creates accountability when we might be falling short and motivation to continue when we can see how far we have come. A portion of the Dare to Lead™ Leadership Development Program offered by The Leadership Sphere includes a focus on participants creating and building a new habit. Through regular check-ins they are encouraged measure their own progress in implementing the habit they’ve chosen for themselves. A big part of leadership at the individual, team, or organisational level is having the capacity to deliver, in other words, to do the things that need to be done, even when you may not feel like doing them. Habits aid in getting people to deliver.

#3 Improved Communication

We’ve touched on the importance of clarity when it comes to setting leadership objectives; now let’s look at it a little more closely. We cannot gain clarity and understanding of team goals without effective communication. If our objectives aren’t clearly defined and communicated with us, we run the risk of misinterpreting what was said. This could easily lead to mistakes being made that cost us valuable time, effort and, resources if we have to redo tasks. It would also mean that it’s going to take us longer to achieve our goals which would potentially drive our motivation to complete them down. When we take the time to be as direct and focused as possible, this risk is lessened. By defining what our collective goals are with each other, we open the door for continued communication and collaboration to achieve them.

Setting leadership objectives is no easy feat and ultimately they can be quite subjective. Despite this, it should be important to all organisations and their leaders that their goals are made clear to everyone involved. Without this clarity it can be difficult to determine the progress of our success or give it the focus it deserves. 

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can support your leaders with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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3 Reasons Why Setting Leadership Objectives Is Important

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Considerations for Online Leadership Training

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Considerations for Online Leadership Training

As a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic we have all been forced to reassess the way we operate in our daily lives – both personally and professionally. During this time we have seen businesses make the switch to remote working and transition face to face learning and development programs to an online format. Whilst this has presented challenges as we adapt to new ways of communicating with one another, there have been many benefits, one of them being the way we deliver online leadership and development training. In this article we consider some of the key actions that need to be taken to establish the right virtual learning environment for leadership training.

Before selecting the method of delivery, it is always best to consider what outcomes you are looking to achieve with your leadership training program.

  • Why is this leadership training important?
  • What is your goal? 
  • Who will be involved?
  • What are the areas of leadership development that you want to focus on?
  • Who will be involved in the leadership training?

Once you have determined your reasons for taking on leadership development training, it then becomes possible to explore how that training may be delivered to your team. It then becomes a question of what is the right technology for the task at hand.

Now that we have our “why” there are a seemingly endless number of ways in which we might begin to explore the idea of technology driven leadership training. What is important to think about here is how we might best make use of the technology available to us. Remember that the technology format is not the solution to our leadership problems, but rather, a tool to assist us in achieving our learning objectives.

Technology Driven Learning

The effectiveness of integrating technology into leadership development programs is far reaching. Leadership development experts at The Leadership Sphere were able to move their highly sort after face to face Dare to Lead™ Program to a virtual format within weeks of COVID-19 lockdowns in Australia. Several virtual programs later it has shown that great value can be gained from running leadership development programs in a virtual format using technology platforms such as Zoom and simple functions such as breakout rooms and online collaboration tools to make traditional face to face workshops come alive online. This has shown the benefits of web hosted programs and how participants are able to quickly adapt to new formats without compromising learning. When we spoke with Phillip Ralph and the team at The Leadership Sphere we soon found out that technology considerations for leadership development programs was more than just setting up a simple zoom meeting format. Careful consideration was taken with adopting new program formats, having additional facilitator support for online breakout meetings, and establishing clear communication tools outside of the online workshops to allow pre-reading and other practical tasks to be completed between sessions. Recorded information and other online resources help participants who may have missed a session or needed a little extra help with the content. This all adds up to a fully integrated virtual leadership development program that enables the same (or in some cases more) learning than traditional face to face workshop.

Leveraging Our Virtual World


One might say that over the past decade we have seen many traditional face to face training programs move online and the restrictions brought about by COVID-19 has accelerated that even further. Though there will always be times where conducting sessions in person will be preferable; it may not always be possible, not just because of a global pandemic, but for other reasons such as training budgets, physical locations of teams and other limitations. In these instances having the capability to participate online will ensure that companies and their employees are able to remain at the forefront of their industries. As e-learning continues to rise so to do the options for technology platforms to support it. Knowing what technologies are available can be advantageous even if you don’t adopt the use of all (or even many) of them. Like most things it is about knowing what to use and equally what not to use. Technology may be changing the way we get things done, but it is also allowing us the capability to grow in our professional development. Examples such as the Dare to Lead™ Program delivered by The Leadership Sphere pose benefits to virtual delivery in that a 2-day face to face workshop can now be delivered over a two-month period with short sharp check ins and the time to embed habits and undertake personal reflection through the process. The impacts have been overwhelming with many leaders reporting that they have removed some of the big rocks that were holding them back in their personal and professional lives and that were eradicated because they formed habits over the program and were given space to reflect on what was working and not working for them.

Advancements in technology are continual and can seem intimidating upon first encounter. But it is without such advancements that our learning and development ceases to progress. After all, where would we be if no one had thought to invent the wheel? As do many businesses, The Leadership Sphere implements the use of a variety of technological tools to ensure that we are operating at the most effective capacity. A blended approach to leadership development was always important, however, it seems that in 2020 and beyond it will now become a necessity.

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can support your leaders with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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Ten Features of World Class Development Programs

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Ten Features of World Class Development Programs

The times are changing but…

While our world is changing rapidly, it could be argued that our management practices have not kept pace with these changes. In fact, I think we’re trailing badly.

In reality not much has changed in 100 years. The training and development industry largely rehashes old theory and practices and makes the same mistakes. At the most fundamental level however, our overall quality of management and leadership is poor and is based on archaic notions based on the industrial age.

“We should stop trying to make people happy and instead make them better equipped to deal with the challenges of today’s organisations.”

While more than 75% of learners report high levels of satisfaction with learning programs, in our heart of hearts we know that there is no correlation between ‘happy sheets’ and the successful application of program learning and subsequent performance. We should stop trying to make people happy and instead make them better equipped to deal with the challenges of today’s organisations.

We think we’re driving a Ferrari but we’re really driving a vehicle from the 1900’s…

Our Top 10 Features / Practices

Our research and practice in learning and development over two decades has allowed us to assemble a ‘top 10’ list that all development programs should at least consider integrating. I’m not suggesting that programs should have all ten, although that goal is certainly achievable (see Actionable Conversations for example). Programs that manage to incorporate many of the practices are more likely to be effective, sustainable and cost-effective.

So here are our top 10….

1. Solid context

Ensure that programs are framed and positioned in a strong context that includes an assessment of the market / external environment, strategy, the customer and the organisation’s vision for the future. Only then can an organisation determine the type of leader it needs and therefore the type of program it should invest in. We should dispense with generic competency based models and generic programs that are not targeted.

2. Just-in-time & strategic

If point #1 is true (above), it also holds true that training should be more agile, responsive and ‘just-in-time’ to meet the specific development needs now and in the short-term. Too often organisations get caught in the trap of looking too far in to the future to try to determine leadership needs. A more pertinent question is to ask ‘What do we need right now and in the coming 12 months?’

3. Leader-led / expert-driven

Developing people should be led internally – harvesting every opportunity, everyday. This should be a blend of informal in-the-moment; semi-structured (e.g. monthly leader-led conversations around a mission critical theme); or more formal training provided by outside experts who can bring a perspective and skills sometimes not present internally.

“Developing people should be led internally – harvesting every opportunity, everyday.”

4. Real-world & practical

Please don’t read ‘real-world’ and practical as just being focused on skill building or superficial training that doesn’t challenge people around their mindsets and behaviours. The most effective development programs invite people to play at their edge. The best programs are transformational, where participants can never view themselves or the world in the same way again (the ANZ Breakout program was a good example of this where I was the head of program delivery between 2001 and 2007).

5. Transfer of learning is primary

Learning can suffer three fatal flaws: (1) it occurs in a vacuum; (2) is not linked to a learner’s role or business unit objectives or (3) learning remains in the classroom. Research tells us that the most important factor in program participants being able to apply their learning back in the workplace is their manager.

6. Supports both leader and learner

We tell our program participants that their 1-up manager should almost feel like they’re going through the program, such should be the level of communication, sharing and support that happens in that relationship. Unfortunately this is more aspirational than fact. Secondly, programs that are leader-led have the added benefit of developing both the team member as well as the leader running the session.

7. Mechanisms to support accountability

I like to call this the ‘scaffolding’ that helps support learners. Examples include regular development meetings with their manager; scheduling time for reflection on behaviours and approach; formal or informal coaching / mentoring; and perhaps most importantly, developing habits and practices (see # 9).

8. Doesn’t break the bank

This perhaps goes without saying, however if programs are going to be rolled out in large volume then they need to be cost-effective and provide a measurable return-on-investment.

9. Focuses on the pathway to get there

One observation I have made repeatedly is that we over-invest in goal setting and under-invest in the pathways to get there. In other words, you can set all the goals you want, but if you don’t have a plan to get there, the goals are useless. And the pathway to get there is through developing habits and practices that move you toward the goal everyday. Read my post on LinkedIn on Habits and Practices.

10. Reinforced & Rewarded

Accountability is an over-used word in organisations, however if you want people to do something different, there has to be accountability built in to development programs. Also, we are all human. In a world that is quick to criticize or cut-down, the basic human need of support and acceptance is enduring. Reward the right behaviours – and oh, don’t forget to reward the right intention and effort.

By at least considering all ten features in this list and how they might be incorporated in your development programs, you stand a very good chance of delivering what you set out to do in the first place, develop people in a way that makes a difference to them and to the organisation.

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Ten Features of World Class Development Programs