For an organization is to achieve its goals it must rely on strong leaders who can meet inevitable changes, challenges and crossroads with agility, resilience and mentorship. — KAREN LELAND AND KEITH BAILEY

Leadership Excellence:
Agility, Resilience and MentorshipCritical Competencies for a Changing Workplace

Good managers know when to delegate, when to enforce work rules and when to solve problems. Excellent leaders go beyond this to shape the work environment and influence the people around them. For an organization to achieve its goals it must rely on strong leaders who can meet inevitable changes, challenges and crossroads with agility, resilience and mentorship.

Download one-page course description (PDF 400KB)

Over the past twenty years Sterling Consulting Group surveyed over 20,000 executives, managers and staff around the world to determine what qualities are at the heart of leadership excellence. In this two-day highly interactive program participants will acquire an accurate picture of their current skill level, begin to build critical competencies and gain greater mastery in the daily practice of leadership.

COURSE PRE WORK:

LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE INVENTORY –
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND STAFF EVALUATION

The first step to leadership excellence is knowing your current strengths and weaknesses and what needs attention. As you make improvements you can look back to where you started and see the progress you have made. The course pre-work provides a means for each participant to evaluate the three critical competencies of leadership excellence – Agility, Resilience and Mentorship. To accomplish this, prior to the program, a leadership excellence evaluation will be provided to each manager and a selected group of their staff. The instrument will be administered by SCG and results will be made available during the workshop to each manager in a confidential report. In addition, a short web-based questionnaire designed to capture the various circumstances, needs, and goals of your organization will be made available. This information helps us streamline the workshop and focus on the modules of greatest interest and concern to the participants.

CRITICAL COMPETENCY #1:

AN AGILE APPROACH THAT ADAPTS TO CHANGING SITUATIONS, NEEDS AND CONDITIONS

Every situation is different. A strategy that is effective in one circumstance may be disastrous in another. Moreover, misguided and ill-considered strategies can be time consuming and expensive, both in dollar and emotional cost. By developing the ability to quickly adjust their strategic approach, leaders become more agile and able to respond powerfully and appropriately to any given situation. Additionally, by recognizing, respecting and understanding individual differences, agile leaders can intentionally choose a communication and working style that empowers participation and positive outcomes.

Understand your “default” leadership strategy
Identify core thinking patterns for successful outcomes
Learn to communicate across diverse working styles
Skillfully assert your ideas and opinions without overpowering others or creating unnecessary conflict

CRITICAL COMPETENCY #2:

MENTORSHIP - FACILITATING GROWTH, LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Leaders who provide their teams with ongoing feedback and keep them involved in, and engaged with, the company’s goals and direction, maximize the success of any company initiative. For long-term and consistently high levels of performance staff need mentoring, support, coaching and opportunities to reach beyond their current competencies to new levels of excellence and achievement.

Assess their individual staff member’s learning patterns
Determine how to develop a coaching agenda customized to each individual
Set mutually agreed upon development goals and objectives
Guide progress through productive feedback rather than disempowering criticism

CRITICAL COMPETENCY #3:

RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF BREAKDOWN, FAILURE AND CHANGE

Resilient leaders demonstrate a pattern of attitudes, skills and practices that helps keep them going through tough times. Among other things, they accept that constant change and ambiguity is inevitable. They have learned how to go beyond their own emotional responses to failure and breakdowns and view them as a source of information, feedback and an opportunity for growth. Resilient leaders look past the obvious circumstances and find the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats around them. Above all they seek to fix the problems they encounter, not the blame.

Learn to generate commitment in yourself and others rather when facing adversity
Develop the six attitudes of resilient leaders
Transform the stress of breakdown and change into an opportunity for learning and development
Identify and expand the network of resources that can provide help and support during times of crisis, change and challenge.

METHODS

Research indicates that most individuals learn and retain information more effectively if the learning setting is designed to encourage maximum participation. With this in mind a strong emphasis is placed on the participants practicing what they are learning both during the course and after.

THE METHODS USED DURING THIS COURSE INCLUDE:

Facilitation style imparting of information
Small group discussion and exercises
Written exercises
Course workbook/materials for after course, on-the-job implementation
Role playing and simulation exercises
Self evaluation instruments

WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING

"I am searching through an electronic Thesaurus trying to identify the adjectives that describe your presentation. Words like professional, experienced, sensational, stimulating, dynamic and inspiring come to mind."

Joe Meldrum, Marketing Manager
APPLE COMPUTER, INC

"Thank you so much for the terrific job you did in meeting the objectives for our program. Your session was fast-paced, fun and interactive. We have received great feedback and as you know we have a tough group to please."

Andrew Campbell, Director of Training
KINKO'S

"Your presentation was the most highly rated by our attendees. It exceeded expectations and provide practical information that could be utilized immediately."

Al Ionson, Vice President General Business
IBM

"Our membership gained 'take home' value from your presentation. The comments I received from our members included dynamic, interactive, very knowledgeable, energetic and immediately usable."

Bill Williams, Education Chairman
YOUNG PRESIDENTS' ORGANIZATION

"Your message was "right on" and your delivery was captivating."

Lawrence Gudis, Senior Vice President
UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX

"The work you have done over the last couple of years has really made a significant difference in our organization and our ability to meet our mission'

Larry Minden, Chief Executive Officer
JANE PHILLIPS MEDICAL CENTER

"I am sure it will be no surprise that the comment from the group after your workshop were all extremely positive. Everyone gained valuable insights and we will be addressing specific areas drawn to our attention during the program.'

Bruce Wilke, Vice President
MARY KAY COSMETICS

"Your training has had a dramatic effect on our organizational performance. Your work possesses that rare combination of brilliance and drive that helps the learner shift his/her thinking. It raises awareness, guides thought and builds commitment."

Earl Hinton, Director Professional Development
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS

"You have been working with our company for several years now and the evidence of the powerfully positive changes that have occurred during that time are constantly in view. I applaud your engaging, dynamic and knowledgeable programs."

Magali Akle, Director of communication
AVIS

SCG'S PRESENTATIONS ARE:

Based on surveys of over 20,000 executives, managers and staff from around the globe
Packed with practical information and real world application that attendees can use immediately both at work and at home
Designed to engage the audience through humor, interactive exercises and real world examples
Customized through the use of a client specific web survey to reflect the industry and needs of the audience
Appropriate for a wide variety of audiences from front line supervisors to individual contributors
Available in reduced half-day or extended two-day formats