Desert Island

Leadership Development

Helping you close the gap between the leaders you have today and the leaders you’ll need for tomorrow.
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How can we help?

There’s no cookie-cutter here. We start by understanding what you’re seeking to change. Then we build what’s needed to help your people become the leaders you need. 

The result is an approach that’s:

  • Created for you and your people and culture
  • Engaging and practical
  • Informed by decades of work in leadership development
  • Based on the psychology of leadership, adult learning and behavioural change
  • Proven to make a real, sustainable difference

What does it look and feel like?

Every solution is different. All are immersive and focused on lasting, practical learning. Most include a series of touchpoints, because our clients are seeking significant, sustained change and not just a pep talk or flash in the pan. Some are 6-12 month programmes with a dozen or hundreds of people. 

Some involve work one-on-one; most include leaders coaching their fellow participants, so they learn from each other and not just from us. Some use 360s or psychometrics; some challenge participants right to their core. Some are built off your organisation’s models of leadership; others on approaches we’ve created ourselves.

Sometimes we build these programmes with you; sometimes you ask us to do it alone. Sometimes we’re teaching skills or honing the ones that leaders already have. Sometimes we’re working on their ‘inner game’ – the things within them that are holding them back. And sometimes the aim is a more radical transformation: an insight that changes the way they look at themselves, the world and everything in it. 

As we said: every solution is different. So, feel free to get in touch to discuss the solution for you.

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How do we know it’ll work?

Participants frequently describe our programmes as “the best training I’ve ever had” – not just at the end, but ten years later. 

We’ve measured a return on investment of 14:1 and earned a place at the Training Journal Awards. You’ll find some case studies below.

Since we started in 2008, almost all of our work has come through recommendations and people who call on our help, again and again.

We have countless stories of leaders from six continents who are better at leading through change, creating a vision, inspiring others, building teams, making decisions, fostering trust and securing commitment. Leaders who are more inclusive, empowering and resilient. Leaders who can dig deep, when necessary, and still bring a lightness of touch.

“
You have taken time to understand the culture and structure of Siemens … the solutions offered have been aligned totally to the business requirements, and continuously reviewed and developed to change with the business.
Teresa Frost, Head of Talent Management, Siemens
“
You have an incredible ability to listen and to understand how we are trying to impact our business. You are methodical in your thinking … think creatively … and your enthusiasm is delightful to work with … I thoroughly enjoy working with you and would highly recommend you.
Karen Lombardo, Executive Vice President of Global HR, Gucci Group
“
I just wanted to send a note of personal thanks to you for your part in what has been a long road since the ARC programme. It was a game changer for me, and set me up on a path of self improvement and being able to find strength I didn’t know I had. I still look back fondly.
Senior manager, professional services firm
“
The programme is an invitation to be unconventional, to test one’s boundaries, to be oneself. The air of mystery surrounding the programme and its content is closely guarded by the programme’s alumni. This has created a buzz of excitement, and a sense of the programme being a ‘must have’ at the Senior Manager level – not just a slot on the management curriculum or a box that needs to be ticked.
Head of Firm-wide Learning, professional services firm
“
Our Global HR and Learning Team gave the programme a resounding endorsement, praising its simplicity, relevance and level of challenge. The participants themselves found the programme very powerful: immediate, highly refreshing, thought provoking and practical. They also appreciated the down-to-earth way it helped them examine the complexities of their working environments.
Group Head of Change Management, global FMCG Manufacturer
“
I’ve worked with LeaderSpace’s MD Richard Boston on a couple of large-scale leadership/talent development programmes and found him to be exceptionally talented and precise. He shows a genuine passion for the technical and ethical aspects of the solutions, together with strong customer insights about how to position them to very challenging organisational stakeholders. He’s also a great coach with remarkable patience and tolerance. I’ve worked alongside many business psychologists and he’s certainly top of my list when new opportunities arise to work together – soon again I hope!
Graham Watson, Talent Development/Learning and Development Manager (interim at British Library, DEFRA, BOC Gases, CIPD)

Check out our case studies, below

Creating a cultural shift globally with Gucci Group

Creating a cultural shift globally with Gucci Group

Read Case Study
ARC: unconventional ‘must have’ leadership development for a professional services firm

ARC: unconventional ‘must have’ leadership development for a professional services firm

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Taking Southampton Football Club’s leadership team to the next level

Taking Southampton Football Club’s leadership team to the next level

How we worked together
A ‘leading change’ programme for a global FMCG manufacturer

A ‘leading change’ programme for a global FMCG manufacturer

Read more