Leadership and Management Programme
Case Study
I was invited to design and deliver a management and leadership workshop for a group of managers and heads of department who had recently stepped into leadership roles. Each participant had been promoted because they were highly capable operationally and technically, however many were finding that managing people required a very different skill set.
This organisation recognised that while their managers knew what needed to be done, they needed greater confidence in how to lead others, particularly in areas such as communication, motivation, performance (and sometimes difficult) conversations and managing different personalities.
The modular workshop was practical and tailored to the real challenges participants were facing day to day. We explored the shift from “doing” to “leading”, helping managers understand their role in setting direction, creating clarity and enabling others to succeed. Through discussion, reflection and practical activities – as well as a work-based project - participants built their people-management capability alongside their existing technical expertise.
A strong emphasis was placed on self-awareness, leadership style and the impact managers have on their teams. Participants left with simple, actionable approaches they could apply immediately, from holding more effective one-to-ones to addressing issues and giving feedback with confidence and empathy.
Feedback from the group and their managers highlighted increased confidence in their leadership role, a clearer understanding of expectations as a manager, and greater consistency in how they approach people management across departments.
At OPUS professional development, we are Trusted to Develop and Driven to Deliver in everything we do
We are driven by our core values:
EQUITY & FAIRNESS is at our core
We are AUTHENTIC & TRANSPARENT in our communication
We demonstrate and build TRUST & RESPECT
We value and CELEBRATE DIVERSITY
There is genuine CARE & PROFESSIONALISM in our approach.
Coaching Testimonials
“(sic) The coaching sessions made me think with clarity and methodologically about what is challenging me and preventing me from progression. I thought about what the next steps should be between the bigger milestones. In the sessions, I made decisions and “commitments” to myself about the next steps I need to take and what should be done by me or others for things to progress. I believe that the actions taken following these sessions were done faster because of the work done together.”
- Former Client
“We have seen a change of behaviour that impacts the general running of the department, adjustments to their approach, to the team members’ benefit, and organisational benefit, but we need to be careful not to fall back into the old habits. There is great trust in Clare’s ability and her integrity. Clare checks in before the coaching sessions to check any observations.”
- Stakeholder-Client
“Clare has demonstrated a highly methodical and emotionally intelligent way of working throughout each of these interactions and has left me in little doubt of the positive footprint she will leave on the candidates she coaches, both in their professional and personal lives. Clare has great listening skills, strong empathy and can speak confidently on many subjects to relate to different circumstances. I have taken the liberty of approaching some of the candidates to whom Clare has coached in recent weeks, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and they feel confident they will be able to take some of the learnings and really apply them in a meaningful way moving forward, rather than just words which don’t carry a practical meaning later.”
- Stakeholder-Client
Learning and Development Testimonials
“Clare has delivered over a decade of training with us at Hotel Café Royal, most notably the Management 1st programme, which has played a key role in developing our managers into confident leaders. Her approach is practical, engaging, and grounded in a strong understanding of the hospitality environment. The programme has been very well received and has helped set the tone for how we approach the development of talent within the hotel.”
- Eugene Leonard, Managing Director, Hotel Café Royal