Customised Program

We know that most organisations, when looking at investing in a program for their leaders and/or teams, want a world class, research based and highly customised solution, not an off-the-shelf program, as it considers the intricacies, as well as the unique context, goals and challenges of their organisation. We believe in evidence based, practical and effective solutions, so we really take the time to understand each organisation we are working with, which enables us to design a program that is guaranteed to address their needs and achieve positive outcomes.

To help you understand what the customisation process looks like and entails, we have compiled a case study based on a program recently delivered for a client.

Case Study

Empowering the leadership team to set the cultural tone, drive strategic initiatives, and foster a high-performance culture.

Our team was approached by a multinational Information Technology company with a strategic initiative to enhance the leadership capabilities within their organisation. The vision was to create a tailored program aimed at empowering their leadership team (GLT) to set the cultural tone, drive strategic initiatives, and foster a high-performance culture.

PROGRAM TIMELINE

STEP 1

EXPLORATORY MEETINGS TO UNDERSTAND ORGANISATION’S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES


From these meetings, our understanding was that the organisation’s primary objective for the proposed program was to equip the GLT with the essential skills and mindsets necessary to cultivate a culture of excellence and achieve organisational success. The program aimed to develop the following key characteristics:

  • Place the collective good before their individual agenda

  • Engage in constructive conflict

  • Hold each other accountable

  • Sustain performance and avoid burnout

  • Articulate what they stand for and have clarity around how they function as a united team

  • Manage their environment to reduce interruptions so they can focus and work effectively

  • Exhibit vulnerability based trust

  • Feel safe to speak up and challenge the status quo

The program was to be meticulously crafted to address each of the identified characteristics mentioned above, through a combination of interactive workshops, personalised coaching sessions, experiential learning activities, and ongoing support mechanisms. 

STEP 2

SURVEY AND RESEARCH DESIGN

Recognising the importance of customisation in maximising program effectiveness, in collaboration with Dr John Molineux, a Senior Lecturer from Deakin University, we designed a specialised survey and diary study that would assist us in refining and tailoring the content for the program. Based on the organisation’s needs and areas of interest, we selected a series of validated constructs to be included in the survey. Some of the constructs measured for this group were: Work interdependence and communication, Work overload, Psychological safety, Recovery, Trust, Stress, Team cohesion and Adaptive performance.

STEP 3

PRE-PROGRAM RESEARCH

To gain deeper insights into the unique requirements and challenges faced by these leaders, we conducted a thorough pre-program survey assessment. So often, leaders of an organisation think they know what the issues being experienced are, but what we have found through our research, is that sometimes the actual root of the problem is completely different to what the organisation originally thought. The pre-program research offers us certainty and helps us understand the specific gaps and areas of improvement we need to focus on throughout the program. The pre-program research for this GLT group included:

  • Survey

  • Diary Study

  • 1-1 Interview

STEP 4

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Provided with valuable insights from the pre-program research, Dr Adam Fraser began the content development phase. He developed a comprehensive intervention tailored to address the identified needs and objectives of the leadership team. The main activities included in this phase were:

  • Review of pre-program research data to develop a greater understanding of the group.

  • Literature review to ensure content is up-to-date with the latest research in leadership.

  • Identification and development of the topics to be covered in the workshops, which covered essential leadership competencies such as positive conflict, burnout prevention, communication skills, strategic initiative driving, time management, among others.

  • Incorporation of case studies and real-world scenarios, as well as organisation specific examples and case studies which help bring content to life and make it relatable for the GLT.

  • Design of interactive and engaging learning activities to ensure retention and application. Activities and discussions are also customised to reflect the organisation's values and mission.

  • Creation of instructional materials, such as presentations, and workbooks.

  • Production of support multimedia resources, such as videos.

  • Adjustment of content delivery methods to suit the preferred learning styles of the leadership team.

By following these steps, the content development phase ensured that the program was well-aligned with the organisation's goals, addressed specific leadership challenges, and equipped leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to set the cultural tone, drive strategic initiatives, and foster a high-performance culture, as per the organisation’s brief.

STEP 5

DELIVERY OF WORKSHOPS

With the customised content and research-backed design in place, we started the intervention part of the program. Leveraging a blend of interactive workshops and practical exercises, Dr Adam facilitated an engaging learning journey for the GLT. For this group, we ran four full-day, face-to-face workshops across a 6-month period.

STEP 6

DIRECT REPORT SURVEYS

In between workshops, we surveyed the leaders’ direct reports. This survey aimed to gather feedback on whether or not each leader’s team felt like improvements had been made and observed. This part of the program also allowed us to ensure we created a personalised and impactful learning experience for each participant. Throughout the process, and based on feedback received, we were able to continuously refine and adjust the program to ensure alignment with evolving needs and expectations.

STEP 7

ONGOING EVALUATION AND SUPPORT

Our commitment to excellence extends beyond the workshops, as we established processes for ongoing evaluation and support.  

Hear from the participants themselves about the changes they witnessed as a result of the program.

Hear from Dr Adam Fraser, the facilitator and creator of the program.

Why don’t we have a chat?

If you’re a little special like us, we can work with you to create a customised program that meets your needs and gets results. We know that when it comes to leadership development, one size doesn't fit all. That's why we specialise in crafting customised programs tailored to organisation's unique requirement and objectives.