Why Leadership Training Needs the 'Why'
The Power of Context in Leadership Development
Context matters. It helps teams connect with the task at hand and truly "buy in" to the process. Think back to your school days—remember asking, "Why do I need to learn this?" when faced with long division or the Pythagorean theorem? Leadership learning is no different. Without understanding the "why," team-building efforts often fail to change the current culture. If you want your team to grow and sharpen its leadership skills, an experienced facilitator can provide the necessary context to ensure they’re invested in the journey.
On September 18th, 2024, I was honored to be recognized at JCI Canada's National Convention as the recipient of the "Best Opportunity of the Year" and "Conference of the Year" for this program.
Tailoring Leadership Programs to Unique Teams
Before I develop any leadership program, I collaborate with the group’s leader to understand their specific goals for the team. Whether it’s conflict resolution, accountability, trust-building, or navigating difficult conversations, every team is unique. That’s why I tailor each program to address their specific needs and objectives.
One of my recent projects involved a group of professionals spread across multiple cities in Alberta and BC. They asked me to design a weekend program that would challenge them to step outside their comfort zones, grow both individually and as a team, and—here’s the fun part—make it Hawaiian-themed. Challenge accepted!
Their weekend consisted of building the highest Tiki to appease Kane (the highest of the four major gods.) Several challenges on the low ropes course where they had to bring their Canadian "goods" from their ships to Hawaii to share their cultural gifts while narrowly avoiding shipwrecks, power outages and emergency sea craft failures, and last but not least, a human volcano sacrifice to the Goddess of Hula, Laka in fully formal grass skirt attire that each team member had to retrieve from the top of the active volcanos to dress their sacrifice for their final leap of faith.
The Power of Debriefing
After each challenge, I lead the team through a debrief session. We reflect on what happened, explore what they’re thinking as they approach their next challenge, and discuss how they can apply these learnings to their everyday work. Finally, we create an actionable plan to turn those insights into tangible results.
Comments