Leadership Development Program Workshop - Values, Standards and Strengths

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬

In my limited exposure to the world of leadership development, I see primarily four types of leadership development training programs in the market. 

Type 1️⃣ programs

Primary focus on improving leadership skills. Mainly cognitive in nature with frameworks and concepts. The emphasis is on skills and knowledge. This is probably the category with the widest range of products. Examples of such programs include strategic thinking, stakeholder management or performance management. This is often the territory of Corporate Trainers. 

Type 2️⃣ Programs

Primary focus on improving self awareness for leadership effectiveness. There is also quite a range of products in this area. Some are designed from people development, coaching or behavioral science frameworks. Some are designed based on profiling assessments such as Lego Serious Play, CliftonStrengths or Hogan. Others might be designed on mindfulness, somatics etc. This is the space where practitioners are often both trainers and facilitators and have hybrid skill sets. 

Type 3️⃣ Programs

Primary focus on integrating type 1️⃣ and 2️⃣ programs for personal leadership effectiveness. Many of these type 3️⃣ programs are experiential in design. Such programs employ the use of simulations, competitions, environmental constructs or leadership labs to trigger real time behaviors for participants to gain self-awareness. These programs are usually delivered by skillful facilitators who are comfortable working with emerging data and responding to unpredictable situations. 

Type 4️⃣ Programs 

Primary focus on integrating type 3️⃣ programs with organizational values, leadership standards and expectations. The distinction is the intense focus on aligning with Corporate Value. These are highly customized programs and least common in the market. The expectation is on facilitators learning, internalizing and modeling the organizational values and leadership behaviors on top of facilitating the content and context. 

P.s All four types can be designed with “post” workshop follow ups that include project work, community of practice, coaching sessions, micro learnings etc. Many believe the follow ups are just as critical to the success of the leadership programs. That is a separate topic. 

📸: This was a type 4️⃣ program I got to facilitate. It was one of the toughest in terms of my onboarding  and learning as a facilitator due to the complexity and expectations. 

What others might you have experienced that are not within the four types? I’m curious!

#leadershipdevelopment #peopledevelopment #learninganddevelopment 

Victor Seet • World & Singapore's 1st Gold Awarded Gallup CliftonStrengths Coach • Newfield Certified Ontological Coach • ICF Coach (ACTC, PCC)

CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Team Building Workshop Program - Tax and Payments

This was a CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) team building workshop program for the Tax and Payments Team from a Singapore based Real Estate Portfolio company. This was the fourth run of the CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) program for this company.

At the start, the participants were towards the quiet side. By the end of the workshop program, the whole room had come alive. Grateful that I could have an opportunity to facilitate this workshop to help the team increase their level of self-awareness so that there can be more effective communication and collaboration.

Victor Seet • World & Singapore's 1st Gold Awarded Gallup CliftonStrengths Coach • Newfield Certified Ontological Coach • ICF Coach (ACTC, PCC)

Leadership Development Workshop Program - Strengths, Trust and Communication

Finished Part 2 of the leadership development workshop program together with Ann Tan and June Ho.

We integrated strengths, trust and communication into the program to make the content practical for the participants. It was a great practice for me to co-facilitate the session with Ann. Love our partnership as we leverage our unique CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) themes to facilitate and bring out the best in each other.

Victor Seet • World & Singapore's 1st Gold Awarded Gallup CliftonStrengths Coach • Newfield Certified Ontological Coach • ICF Coach (ACTC, PCC)

CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Team Workshop - Integrated Leadership Development Program

𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎

For coaches who are self-employed, working to deliver as a team is not necessary a regular affair. 

So it was a very enjoyable experience co-facilitating with Ann Tan June Ho and Heng Yang Tan in a leadership program. The program covered two parts and this was part one. 

As a team, there were much to coordinate and ensure we were in alignment, not just in the hashtag#content but in the hashtag#context of how we are going to do it together. 

Most leaders pay attention to content. “Content” in this context is the roles and responsibilities for each member, how the slides flow, learning activities, time allocation for each activity etc.

Context is HOW we are performing together. It includes aligning the spirit behind what we do, the trust we have with each other, the psychological safety to give each other feedback etc.

The reality for many is that it is often much easier to do things alone which is highly efficient. There are lesser worries on managing context (which is hidden in nature).

A team, however, generates a certain type of energy that a single individual can’t do. A team can do so much more. 

We facilitated cliftonstrengths as part of the building block in part 1 of the program. Looking forward to part 2 and dive into integrating strengths, trust and communication.

Victor Seet • World & Singapore's 1st Gold Awarded Gallup CliftonStrengths Coach • Newfield Certified Ontological Coach • ICF Coach (ACTC, PCC)

CliftonStrengths Team Building Workshop Program - NUS

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧?

▶ From my perspective as an Ontological Team Coach, the goal of a team building workshop is to shift the observer (the team) by creating a new emotional context (or container). 

▶ The new context (through the team building element) provides a space (away from the busyness and work) for team members to have guided conversations. That can help build deeper connections. 

▶ The emotions experienced in the workshop are closely connected to our ability to learn. When an individual enters into an environment that allows for new emotions to be experienced (joy, gratitude, curiosity, wonder etc), new learnings can take place. 

📸: Recently, I facilitated another Strengths-based Team Building session. 

At the start of the session, one participant remarked “I can’t believe I have Positivity in my top 5, I am quite negative usually.”

By the end of the workshop, after the different conversations and activities, the same individual came to me with her face glowing. She shared with the class that she was grateful for the validation and feedback. Her colleagues appreciated how her Positivity theme has impacted them.

I’ve consistently experienced shifts such as the one told in the story. 

And such stories continue to inspire me to do what I do.

P.s If you are looking for help to create a shift within your team, I’m happy to share more and explore different options with you.

Victor Seet • World & Singapore's 1st Gold Awarded Gallup CliftonStrengths Coach • Newfield Certified Ontological Coach • ICF Coach (ACTC, PCC)

CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Leadership Team Coaching and Workshop

Some teams are highly dysfunctional while others are in the learning zone.

In a learning zone, some key observables include members seeking feedback, embracing discomfort (for example displaying vulnerability to others), disagreeing and voicing the counter perspectives respectfully etc.

Last week, I had the privilege of doing a session for a leadership team in an intimate off site setting.

Started the session with some CliftonStrengths facilitation work and at the same time, I was paying attention to the team dynamics

I observed the interactions between team members, listened to the different conversations taking place and experienced the team dynamics that was being generated.

After 2 hours of facilitation, I assessed the team was ready for some deeper work.

Switching to team coaching mode, we contracted and opened up a space for the team to have a deeper conversation on trust.

I won’t share details but I love watching how things unfold. I saw different shifts taking place. Some shifts were immediate - shifting of the posture to listen attentively, shifting of energy to be more invested. Other shifts include choosing courage and acknowledging vulnerability, choosing to dream and see future possibilities.

Just watching how the team interact post session during dinner was fascinating for me.

Leadership teams can be functionally effective but seldom tight in their interpersonal dynamics.

This leadership team gives off a different vibe. It had a different spirit and soul.

May God bless this group of human beings to continue flourishing together.

Victor Seet • World & Singapore's 1st Gold Awarded Gallup CliftonStrengths Coach • Newfield Certified Ontological Coach • ICF Coach (ACTC, PCC)