A collaboration between a manufacturing manager, lawyer and a training manager – all from Newcastle – has led to a new approach to leadership training that is being taken up by some of the region’s largest businesses, including the Australian RailTrack Corporation (ARTC), Origin Energy and Valley Longwall International.
Peter White, Sam Robinson and Terry Garrett formulated the training program after seeing a gap in the market for corporate training that yielded a strong financial return for businesses, and which focused on exacting a measurable improvement in performance from employees.
They also wanted to ensure their program was accredited and resulted in a recognised qualification for participants.
Leadership for Performance is a 5-tiered leadership program that includes a qualification (Certificate IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma level) pitched at different levels of an organisation’s leadership.
The program connects all assessment tasks to making tangible improvements back at the workplace.
Leadership for Performance is a program delivered by consultancy LKS Quaero in collaboration with Australian College of Mining (ACM), a registered training organisation.
Terry, Sam and Peter are proud of the return the program has delivered for companies – large and small – around Newcastle.
“One single participant has saved the organisation at least one and a half times the cost of the program already – and they’re not done yet,” Terry said.
“Another has saved over a million dollars for their organisation by improving a business practice that hadn’t been touched for years.”
But it is the turnaround in people’s behaviour that is most impressive.
“It’s about turning around people’s view of themselves from someone who is dictated to by everyone else, to taking charge themselves as a constructive and effective leader in their organisation,” Peter said.
Sam said corporate training tends to be a good excuse to put the feet up and get some rest.
“Out programs are anything but restful – but people really enjoy the challenge, and we are definitely opening eyes to the possibilities. You get excellent results if you give people the skills, the drive, and the discipline to put it all together.”
An event is being held at Newcastle’s Customs House on Thursday 12 October at 4.30pm to share practical and actionable advice to transform the performance of organisations in the Hunter using the content from the training.
IMAGE | The three Hunter leaders behind the Leadership for Performance Program.
