LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT workshops FOR TEAMS

Aspire workshops and retreats or off-sites are always created in collaboration with the team leader and one or two representative team members.  Planning begins with an exploration of what the team leader wants to achieve.  Planning interviews put a spotlight on the current organizational culture and reality that the leader is seeking to shift productively.  Sometimes the planning stage also includes speaking to various team members to understand their experience and their aspirations for the organization and for themselves. And, at times, we combine the team development work with individual coaching for one or more team members while working with the team also as a whole.   

Workshops or facilitated conversations always include self-reflection, interactive exercises, and clear movement toward the goals established in the planning.

LEVERAGING YOUR SELF AS LEADER:  YOU ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP ASSET

This workshop assists participants to name their leadership strengths and to create a leadership plan. Participants then describe to one another their insights and plans.  This workshop is a tried and true way for participants to name how and what they want to lead and to become more aware of what others in the organization are doing.  It creates a collaborative and knowledgeable team.

 

ACCOUNTABILITY CONVERSATIONS

This is a skill building workshop in which participants learn new ways to give positive feedback as well as feedback about what is not going well.

 

SEE IT!

This workshop highlights the many ways people can hear and process team plans differently. It is a skill building workshop so that people can explore others’ points of view and ensure that everyone is “on the same page” when setting out together on a collaborative project.

 

CREATING A CULTURE WHERE WORKERS THRIVE

This workshop is designed for clients who want to change the culture of their organization.  Participants reflect upon and build strategies that will create a culture in which workers feel a clear sense of ownership and meaning and more of a connection to the ways they each and all contribute to the mission, vision and values of the organization.

 

FACILITATED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MISSION, VISION AND VALUES

When a company has already developed a Mission, Vision and Values statement, this workshop is designed to help participants become more aware of how they do currently engage in activities that embody the Mission, Vision and Values.  And, the workshop provides opportunities to name practices that would further enhance the culture and the familiarity with the stated Mission, Vision and Values.

When a company has not yet named their Mission, Vision and Values or they want to revise those statements, this workshop provides a series of reflective and interactive conversations that help people create the statement for the future.

 

NETWORKING

This is a skill building workshop for participants to learn and to practice skills that include describing what they do in a distinct and compelling manner.  Skill development also includes ways to set up systems that will expand their networks to increase opportunities for new referrals and clients.

LEADERSHIP COACHING

Leadership Coaching is designed to fit the needs of the client. Most Aspire coaching clients come as part of an agreement with their boss, HR leader, or other stakeholders.  This work is most often contracted and paid for by the business organization.  Most often, there is an agreement regarding the coaching goals that is shared by the coaching client, the stakeholder and the coach. Usually, coaching engagements are on a six-month agreement with regular meetings to set aspirations and explore strategies for making those aspirations come to life. Typically, client meetings are every three weeks for a 90 minute session.  Recommended readings, reflective exercises and planned conversations with colleagues generally occur between sessions.  Consults by phone or email between sessions are also common.

 

Coaching often includes conversations between the coach and the client’s stakeholders––the people within their organization interested in seeing them grow in their leadership skills. While maintaining the confidentiality of both client and stakeholders, the coach learns as much as possible about how growth and enhanced personal skills might help the client achieve his or her goals and the goals of the organization. These goals can be difficult to measure and are often subjective. Coach and client work together to translate the larger aspirations into manageable, observable and achievable behavioral goals with timing benchmarks.

 

Within an asset based framework, the coach works with clients to see their strengths and determine how to create new ways to leverage those strengths in their work and in their collegial relationships. Additionally, the coach helps them identify one or two areas where improvements would significantly help them leverage those strengths.

Reasons Clients Seek Coaching

  • Sometimes clients and their organizations are seeking to build on a foundation of strong success to grow significantly in responsibility and impact.

  • Perhaps they have just taken a new, big role.  They want to be purposeful about setting their strategy and leadership agendas.

  • After several years of success in their role, they are seeking to create new leadership perspective and skills to make them even better at what they do.

  • Their boss or human resources person wants them to seek coaching to broaden their horizons and learn skills they will need for the next higher level role.

  • Some clients come when they are on the verge of a transition, and they want to think with a coach about how to make that successful.

  • Some leaders are looking for ways to initiate a culture change in their team or organization or feel a need to undertake a change-management strategy.

  • At times, a boss or human resources professional want them to seek coaching to learn skills they will need for the next higher-level role.

  • Some clients come when they are struggling:

    • with the challenges of a particular job or colleague relationship.

    • when they have been given feedback that they are not meeting expectations.

    • when they have a serious and ongoing conflict with a leader or team member.

Wherever you are on the leadership ladder, we can help you see new possibilities and develop the skills to get where you want to go professionally.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN BUSINESS OR COMMUNITY SETTINGS

Aspire has developed a process, in collaboration with Judith Dubin at The Cramer Institute, that evolves from her 1997 work with Beth Page called Courageous Conversations. This conflict resolution model is ideal for people in organizations who are stuck in an unproductive and often distracting conflict that they wish to resolve.  This conflict resolution process gives participants the tools and the facilitated conversation practice to address these conflictual issues with an ABT framework.