Financial Services
Leadership Development Program
Sector: Financial Services (Australia and New Zealand)
Governance: Executive Leadership Development Initiative
Purpose: Strengthen leadership capability, strategic thinking, and behaviour change alignment
Scale: 338 participants across 34 cohorts
Context / Challenge
Following a period of strategic growth and regulatory pressure, the organisation sought to strengthen leadership capability across Australia and New Zealand.
The Executive Team wanted a consistent leadership model that connected performance, culture, and strategy, and equipped leaders to navigate both operational and behavioural complexity.
A key requirement was ensuring the leadership program directly aligned with the organisation’s behavioural competencies and strategic objectives — creating visible impact on both performance and culture.
Intervention / Approach
The program was co-designed through extensive consultation and data gathering, including:
Executive interviews to clarify leadership expectations and strategic priorities.
Focus group meetings with future participants to identify capability gaps and cultural aspirations.
Development of the Leadership Framework built around three archetypes:
Leader as Strategist – leading the organisation.
Leader as Synergist – leading others.
Leader as Enthusiast – leading self.
The program design featured:
Blended learning delivery: a three-day immersive program followed by digital webinars, post-program follow-ups, and six months of behavioural nudges to sustain application.
Experiential learning integrated into annual leadership conferences, reinforcing the program’s visibility and executive sponsorship.
EXCO leader participation through short, high-impact guest sessions to connect strategy with behaviour.
Performance alignment: every module mapped to the organisation’s behavioural competency framework and performance management system.
Coaching for top 50 participants, focusing on strategic thinking, dialogue, and constructive leadership.
Outcomes / Metrics
338 leaders across 34 cohorts completed the blended learning journey.
Created a shared Leadership Wheel linking strategic planning, judgement, collaboration, team inspiration, and results orientation.
Six months of post-program behaviour nudges supported measurable habit reinforcement.
Enhanced EXCO visibility and engagement — building credibility and strategic alignment.
Program became an anchor for leadership capability and culture change across the organisation.
Executive engagement at every level, from EXCO to frontline, built credibility and momentum for change.
Several alumni have since moved into CEO, EXCO and board positions across Australia and New Zealand, citing the program as a pivotal influence in their leadership journey.
Leadership Lift / What Changed
The program created a generation of leaders who think systemically, act decisively, and lead with emotional intelligence.
Years later, many participants continue to describe it as the moment their leadership practice shifted from managing complexity to navigating it.
“That program changed my life. It prepared me to lead with courage and clarity in times of uncertainty.” — Program alumnus, now CEO (Agri), KPMG NZ (SI)
Impact Pulse
From compliance to capability — creating a measurable leadership system that connected strategic intent, behavioural change, and performance impact.
Interested in designing measurable leadership programs that connect culture, capability, and strategy? [Book a Conversation here]