INTRODUCTION

Mid-level leaders are often the ‘meat in the sandwich’. A high focus on operations and execution, they often can’t find the time to take a step back and think strategically about their role, their people, strategy, and their own development and career next steps.

Fastlead Plus is a program that allows mid-level leaders to reflect on:

• what they already know;

• what they did know but have forgotten;

• what they know but are not deploying; and

• what they don’t know but need to know.

Designed for busy, under-pressure middle managers who can’t afford three days away from the battle front, our small group coaching design allows for a two-hour intensive session, with a highly qualified leadership coach, once a month.

The program is easy to organise, fits in with middle manager schedules, and has plenty of reflection time built in.

STRUCTURE

As a small group coaching design, Fastlead Plus consists of:

• A start-up meeting, coach and 3 participants;

• An optional Fastlead Plus 360-degree multi-rater survey, designed to align with Fastlead Plus topics (see below);

• Cycle of 6 Pod sessions, two hours each, typically once a month; one topic at a time, 10 topics to choose from (see below);

• Two 3-ways check-in meetings - one at the beginning and one at the end, comprising participant, manager, and coach;

• A one-to-one coaching session between each individual participant and the coach - mid-program;

Download our detailed Fastlead Plus Infographic.

FASTLEAD PLUS TOPICS

Fastlead Plus includes many of the same leadership development concepts and models as its front-line sibling - the I-GRROW Model, change curve, leader as coach, advanced questioning techniques, focus on purpose, emotional intelligence and so on.

But we have crafted topics that are far more relevant to, and resonate with, middle managers. WE conducted detailed research among mid-level leaders to gather these insights. See our brief overview of this research, Stuck in the Middle.

In Fastlead Plus, participants have a choice of 9 topics after completing the mandatory first topic, My Leadership Brand. These are:

• Translating Strategy - interpreting current and future strategy to in meaningful ways to the leaders they lead.

• Focus & Execution - Helping the leaders they lead set their teams up for performance success, and advanced methods of holding all players accountable.

• Delegating Through Coaching - the mid-level leader as coach - building capability and talent pipelines.

• High Performance Teams - exploring the attributes of high performing team and a mid-level leaders’ role in creating them.

• Stakeholder Engagement - one of the most popular topics, identifying critical stakeholders and being proactive in managing expectations, relationships, and outcomes.

• Decision Making - another highly popular topic, developing a highly effective and timely decision-making methodology that will serve both the mid-level leader and all those who report to them.

• Advanced Influencing Skills - exploring what makes influential people influential, and mastering their techniques to communicate confidently, with clarity, and with high impact.

Contact us for a more detailed deck.

FASTLEAD PLUS 360

Many clients have their own 360 surveys, and we’d encourage the use of these as an induction to the Fastlead Plus program. Illuminating how they are currently experienced as a leader is an important part of this process. However, if you don’t have your own, use ours. We have developed a 360-survey directly designed to reflect the challenges and responsibilities of middle managers..

Running a 360-survey as part of the program is not mandatory - but highly recommended.

MANAGERS ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED

As with all out Fastlead designs, small group coaching allows regular and highly effective involvement from participants’ managers. In addition to the two formal check-ins, every participants’ manager gets a managers toolkit after each session, briefing the mid-level leaders’ leader on the concept and models discussed, and offering suggestions for follow up conversations between the participant and their manager.

Managers get access to all of the materials the participants do.

LEARNING PORTAL

We have developed a digital learning portal for middle managers, and all participants - and their managers, get access to it.

SUMMARY

Fastlead Plus is a unique but highly effective tactical leadership development initiative that is easy to afford and implement. And surprisingly affordable.

Start a conversation with us today.

More research: Stuck in the Middle