Delivering a leadership development program for emerging female leaders.
The Brief
In 2018, a national women’s leadership organisation partnered with Future Leadership to co-design and deliver a leadership development program called LEAD that addressed the specific needs of women in professional and executive roles. The LEAD for Women program focused on strengthening self-awareness, role clarity, confidence, and strategic leadership capability in a supportive, all-women environment. The design of the program was informed by a survey Future Leadership conducted of the partner community in which we heard from over 2700+ participants regarding the leadership skills they wanted to develop.
Improvement in Performance
Studies show that executives who receive coaching report a 70% improvement in work performance, according to the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
Lower Turnover Rate
Organisations with effective leadership development programs have a 30% lower turnover rate among employees, as leadership development fosters employee engagement and loyalty.
Reference: Harvard Business Review, "The Impact of Leadership Development on Employee Engagement" (2017)
Companies report Enhanced Leadership Skills
85% of companies report an improvement in leadership capabilities as a direct result of implementing leadership development programs, leading to better decision-making and team management.
Reference: Deloitte, "Global Human Capital Trends" (2019)
Higher Return on Investment (ROI)
Leadership development programs yield an average return on investment (ROI) of 6 times the cost of the program, reflecting the significant value they add to the organization.
Reference: Korn Ferry, "The Real ROI of Leadership Development" (2018)
The Process
Future Leadership implemented a high-impact learning journey through the LEAD program:
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Diagnostics and insight development: Delivered psychometric profiling into leadership styles and values.
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Personalised coaching: Provided virtual 1:1 coaching sessions tailored to individual leadership goals.
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Peer-based learning: Facilitated online coaching circles to support shared learning and reflection.
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Masterclasses: Conducted virtual leadership labs focused on confidence, impact, and leading in uncertainty.
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Online delivery model: Enabled national reach and participation in a flexible, inclusive format.
The Advisory Team's Impact Across Clients Through Survey Feedback
32% Increase in Self Awareness
Individuals’ awareness of motives, values, strengths and development needs
21% Increase in Motivation
Individuals’ motivation to apply learning, insight and further develop
27% Increase in Confidence
Individuals’ confidence in their abilities and impact as a leader
30% Increase in Role Clarity
Individuals’ clarity around success factors associated with their role
The Outcome
Since its launch, the LEAD program has supported over 150 women leaders with measurable outcomes:
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+38% increase in self-awareness
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+30% increase in motivation
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+47% increase in role clarity
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+44% increase in confidence
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91% overall satisfaction rate
Participants described the program as transformational, reporting stronger leadership identity, increased resilience, and a deeper connection with a network of like-minded leader
Our facilitators were flawless, bringing warmth, professional insight and connection to the room which helped our group discuss the un-discussables much more quickly. The program helped me reflect on my own leadership style and challenged me to face difficulties. I’d been experiencing with burnout and boundary management with my team.”
The content was so easy to digest, tough topics were broken down. I can’t stop talking about how much I gained from the experience. Thank you to all.”
It’s the best Leadership Development program I think I’ve ever done. Bringing it back to you as a leader, and working on how you can build your strengths rather than trying to change who and what you are was really refreshing."
