Today’s organizations, and external stakeholders, increasingly expect a Performance Paradox when it comes to its leaders’ current and future capabilities. They need leaders who can: think globally and act locally; execute in the short term, while planning for the long term; always lead, but manage only when needed; attract and leverage, and effectively exit, the right talent; act quickly but avoid risk; build for the future but reduce current costs; lead transparently but don’t be a transparent leader; among others. Without a doubt, today’s leadership role is a real tightrope act. You must strike and continually maintain an effective balance between often opposing objectives and views. It is not a role for the faint of heart, and it’s not a role that everyone is suited for. However, much of what leadership requires can be learned. It’s not a genetic quality you are born with, or some magical quality you discover.It is an essential skill in modern business – and a skill that can be developed or strengthened in most people.

What Organizations are Looking for in their Leaders  

 • What is the profile of the 21st century leader?

 • Understand the growing involvement of Boards in leadership capabilities and succession

• Recognize the need for leaders who can manage and managers who can lead

• Identify the top ten derailers of executive success

• Determine your status on the Transition Leadership Maturity Model

 Setting Direction  

• Recognize and address the Five Myths of Strategy

 • Navigate through the mission, vision, values and core competency maze • Identify, connect and leverage your internal and external brands

• Understand what buy-in and consensus building really means and how to use them

• Create the linkage between strategy and individual goals

Managing Performance and Results  

• Understand the importance of and key to setting effective goals

• Learn and practice using the Peak Performance model for improving performance

 
• Five tough conversations most leaders hate

• Establishing your own system for managing results

• Situational Leadership – style assessment and interpretation of results  

 Talent Management – An Enabler or Disabler  

 • Understand your employee segments and the 80–20 Rule

• Barriers and keys to identifying, attracting and retaining top talent and future potential

• Capitalize on the economic difference between employee satisfaction and employee engagement

• Understand the benefits, risks and techniques of using “pay-for-performance”

• Talent management metrics that matter    

Building a Performance Culture  

 • High-Performance Culture: assessment, interpretation and implications

 • Steps for building and leveraging a learning organization

• Recognize and address the pitfalls of silos, layers and filters

 
• Using the Influence Model and Trust Indicator to increase your impact

• Leading in all directions (down, up, over and out)  

 Change Leadership  

• Steps for building your organization’s capacity for change

• Identify the three types and three levels of organizational change

• Know the characteristics of and ways to lead the five “personalities” involved with change

 • Lessons learned from business leaders of change

 • Learn how to use a proven change management model

Communicating with Impact

• How leaders communicate and the factors that frustrate

 
• Recognizing and working with the four main communication styles

• Avoiding the four fables of executive communications

 • Leveraging the lost art and science of listening

 • Ten keys to effective executive presentations

 
Selected Issues in Leading Others

 • Case study: Build vs. Buy (your talent) or,

 • Case study: A Super-star Performer Resigns or,

 • Group discussion of top issues or challenges in leading others (participants submit topics in advance)  

• Understand what organizations are looking for in modern leaders

• Recognize your leadership style and objectives and how they both influence and require others to help you succeed

• Build your confidence and ability as a leader - Gain skills, create networks, discuss tough issues and best practices that enable you to lead and inspire others

• Understand key drivers and derailers of effective leaders – Gain insight into key management/leadership tools, approaches and processes

• Strike a more effective balance between your short term and long term perspectives and objectives – and the role culture and change management plays in connecting the two

• Recognize and capitalize on the difference between increasing productivity and optimizing performance

• Establish and build a strong, reliable team that supports you and delivers results

• Learn how to drive performance and communicate effectively in a fast-changing environment – Be an authentic and credible champion of the company’s vision, mission and/or values

 • Develop your ability to contribute effectively to discussions and decisions relating to the future threats and opportunities of your organization – Be first with your winning leadership approach and techniques