Strengthening Leadership in a Changing Higher Education Landscape

The Opportunity

Australia’s leading higher education provider was undergoing significant change, marked by organisational restructuring, leadership transitions, and broader industry disruptions. A group of 26 leaders, ranging from emerging to senior leadership, faced the challenge of navigating these shifts while maintaining strong team performance and driving institutional success. Given their diverse levels of experience, there was an opportunity to equip them with enhanced leadership capabilities tailored to their unique roles and challenges.

The Solution

To address these leadership development needs, a tailored six-month coaching program was implemented. Each leader participated in individual 90-minute coaching sessions designed to support their personal leadership journey while targeting six critical leadership capabilities. These included:

• Handling challenging conversations
• Identifying areas for personal growth
• Managing upwards effectively
• Providing ROI on business impact
• Delegation and empowerment
• Leading through change

In addition to one-on-one coaching, group sessions were conducted to explore topical challenges and opportunities. These sessions fostered collaboration and knowledge-sharing, helping leaders collectively strengthen their approach to effective ways of working.

Outcomes We Achieve & Results We Track

The coaching and group sessions led to measurable improvements in leadership effectiveness across targeted areas. Key outcomes included:

• Measurable confidence and competence in handling difficult conversations, leading to stronger team communication and conflict resolution.
• Enhanced self-awareness and clarity in personal development areas, allowing leaders to take ownership of their growth.
• Increased ability to manage upwards, leading to more productive relationships with senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Greater ability to articulate return on investment (ROI) and business impact, strengthening the commercial acumen of leaders.
• More effective delegation practices, resulting in increased team accountability and operational efficiency.
• Stronger change leadership skills, enabling leaders to guide their teams through uncertainty with resilience and strategic foresight.

Additionally, the program contributed to the creation of high-performance teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement across the organisation. Through this targeted development initiative, the institution built a more agile and capable leadership cohort, better prepared to lead through ongoing change and drive long-term success.