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Great leadership doesn’t just change an organization. It changes people’s lives. And it can change the world. When you work with us, you’ll learn real skills that give you the power to transform your organization from top to bottom. You’ll get your people “unstuck.” You’ll re-energize your team. You’ll help your team reinvent itself and turn your organization into a place where people feel good about their work, create the results they intend and are just plain happy to be. There’s no better investment you can make. For 18 years, our team has been at the forefront of experiential leadership development. We’ve worked all over the world—from San Francisco to Sydney—delivering our unique and results driven brand of training and coaching. We thrive on practical, action-oriented programs. You’re in good hands with us.
- Why us
Working with the best – We have the honor of supporting the best and brightest to improve their leadership capabilities so they can make the difference they desire. Global leadership experience Our programs integrate global best practices from our work with leading universities such as Stanford University, Fortune 1000 companies, start-ups and green businesses. Accelerated and experiential learning Our leadership programs incorporate proven action-based learning techniques so participants can create sustainable behavior change. Understanding client needs We design and deliver customized training and coaching that is relevant to our clients’ exact needs so they can easily apply their learning to their roles and projects. Cross-cultural and cross-generational expertise We factor in all issues associated with diverse work environments and are responsive to multiple learning styles and backgrounds. Leveraging technology We seamlessly integrate technology into our program delivery to extend the impact of the learning, build a learning community and generate a strong ROI for participants. A total solution We bring a complete solution to our client programs – from on-site and online training methodologies to action plans and coaching follow-up – to ensure a full learning experience and the best return on their investment.
- How we do things
Working with us We work with you to understand your goals and vision, then we introduce the resources, tools and leadership practices to support you fully. Through our work together, you’ll learn to: Significantly increase your leadership skills, capacity and opportunities Achieve greater performance, focus and satisfaction in every endeavor Inspire and engage others to greater levels of achievement Build more sustainable teams, organizations and communities More effectively collaborate and communicate with others Gain greater leadership focus and save time, money and effort Results delivered. Increased profitability Improved productivity Enhanced employee engagement Strengthened customer satisfaction Accelerated performance and results Impeccable strategic implementation Resilient and agile leadership Revitalized organizational culture
- Our commitments
commitment to our clients We are absolutely committed to delivering world-class programs for our clients We seek to understand their strategy, goals and views of the world We deeply listen to our clients and respond mindfully We challenge our clients to fully realize their vision commitment to creating a world of leaders We are fully committed to seeing many more leaders in the world We take action every day to support leaders at all levels – employees, managers and executives We foster the spirit of leadership among all the people we meet We believe in the power of good leadership to change the world commitment to making a difference in the world We are committed to being present, awake and compassionate in all our interactions We seek to bring benefit to all those that work with us We look for ways on a daily basis to contribute and make a difference We contribute to our local and global community through our philanthropic work We understand our words and actions matter commitment to producing tangible results We are committed to delivering results through our training and coaching programs We employ the “action learning” process to ensure accountability and results…
- The Leaders Studio team
Athena Williams-Atwood | CEO | Speaker, Trainer and Coach Athena Williams-Atwood, CEO of Amplify Leadership Ltd., brings passion and commitment to leadership development with over 18 years experience working with leaders, managers, employees, educators and entrepreneurs across diverse fields including financial services, high-tech, government, law and non-profit. Athena assists her clients to engage in the right actions to generate long-term impact for their own organizations as well as their community and society as a whole. Learn more Eric Atwood | Director, Client Services Eric brings 20 years experience in the area of client services and communications to his role with Amplify Leadership. Eric works closely with clients to manage the delivery of leadership programs – both on-site and virtually – in Australasia and North America. He oversees the research and design of Amplify’s training programs and communicates the company’s proprietary research and leadership training globally. Learn more Alli Brook | Program Manager Alli works closely with Amplify’s team of consultants to manage the organization and delivery of our retreats and training programs – onsite and online. She brings over 10 years of experience in office and event management to our clients. She contributes big-picture project planning all the way down to…
- Social responsibility
Giving back Our main goal at Amplify Leadership is to make a difference through our work and our relationships. We are a green company committed to social responsibility, sustainability and a better world for all. We are always looking for ways to contribute to our local communities and to support the global community. One of the ways we do this is by donating a percentage of our profits to organizations making a difference, including Kiva, Vittana and Yoga Gives Back. Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website empowering individuals to lend directly to entrepreneurs in the developing world. By combining microfinance with the internet, Kiva is creating a global community of people connected through lending. Learn more. Vittana partners with local microfinance organizations worldwide to build student loan programs for young people in developing countries. Offering youth the chance to seek higher education allows them to learn, develop their skills and change their circumstances for the better. Learn more. Yoga Gives Back is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and funds to help alleviate poverty in India. They support micro-credit programs in India, lending money to people without access to capital and thus freeing them from an unending cycle of…
- Our logo
Our logo, illustrated by three ‘waves of leadership’, represents this idea as a rippling effect. The first wave denotes people leading themselves. By taking control of their lives, their careers and their organizations, they can see themselves as powerful leaders in their own right. The second wave signifies the idea of leading others effectively and creating a positive environment. As we become leaders ourselves, we are fully capable of leading others. The third wave symbolises our ability to lead larger communities. As we master the ability to lead ourselves and others, we can take greater responsibility for our surroundings. Ultimately, by taking on a great leadership role, we can more effectively manage the issues – no matter how small or large – faced by communities, countries and the world as a whole. Indeed, effective leaders have the power to change not just people and communities, but the world as we know it.
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- Leadership amplified™ learning program
You are passionate about getting results. You know the value that comes from strong relationships and collaborations. You want to find your authentic leadership voice and inspire others. But the everyday challenges of doing business can keep you from reaching your full leadership potential to make these things happen. We can change that. Our cutting-edge, action-focused programs will enhance your leadership skills by teaching you not just how to act like a leader, but also how to think like a leader. When you work with us, you’ll build a rock-solid foundation for long-term leadership success that will help you get the results you want. Why you need Amplify leadership training Great leadership is the “lever” that generates high performance for you and your organization. Once you build your leadership capabilities, you’ll experience huge shifts in your ability to help those around you reach their goals. How our training will create change for you and your team Each of our experiential programs will give you both the vision of a new way to lead as well as a detailed roadmap for how to get there. When you emerge from our training, you will: Understand your leadership strengths and be able to…
- Coaching amplified™ learning program
You’ve likely seen this problem in your team or organization: Though people try to do their best, they are not operating at 100% capacity. You know they’re talented. You know they can do better. But what you may not know is that with great coaching, your people will grow and thrive. That’s why building your own coaching skills is one of the most powerful things you can do to enhance the work you do with your people to create sustainable success. Why you need Amplify coaching training When you learn how to coach effectively, you’ll be able to have the important conversations with your employees that create higher performance, better results and more innovative solutions for your customers. You’ll see the results of this positive change throughout your organization. This is truly some of the most profound work we do. How our training will create change for you and your people When you fully embrace your coaching role, growth is inevitable and you move beyond offering “quick fixes” to generating permanent, long-term results. The coaching conversations you have will open up the opportunity for honest dialogue that generates engagement, trust and accountability. When you emerge from our training, you will:…
- Resilience amplified™ learning program
Budget cuts. Downsizing. Organizational uncertainty. Unending change. Navigating the chaos of business today is more challenging than ever. It requires a unique ability to stand firm and focused during times of change while at the same time being flexible enough to create solutions for your new—and evolving—reality. This resilience is the linchpin for leaders in organizations that want to grow revenue, build their client base and increase market share while also creating a positive work environment where people thrive. Our experiential program gives you all the tools you need to develop organizational and individual resilience. Through our teaching, you’ll develop a deep capacity to work under pressured, unpredictable conditions so you can respond quickly, decisively and intuitively. Why you need Resilience Amplified Most of us aren’t prepared for the pace of change in business or our world today. In this environment, it’s not enough to know how to be a good contributor. You need to learn how to bounce back — and, in fact, move forward — with speed, precision and ease. How our program will create change for you and your team Our program will assess your current ability to handle change and teach you specific and immediately actionable…
- Leadership experience™ retreats
Leadership Experience™ Retreats San Francisco | Hawaii | New Zealand | Australia An Invitation to Retreat, Learn and Grow Welcome to Leadership Experience™ where you get the best of both worlds – a place of engaging, rich dialogue about leadership so you can move forward, as well as a place for quiet reflection and stillness to renew. It all happens over four days, in the most beautiful settings on earth. You’ll leave the retreat feeling alive, refreshed and inspired! At Amplify Leadership we offer retreats that provide participants with a holistic learning experience. Retreats are unlike any other learning experience you’ll ever have. From the healthy meals provided, to the spacious accommodations, to daily yoga and activities included in the program, to the teaching environment that we create, Leadership Experience™ will nourish you in every way. The tools you receive in the retreat workshops provide a clear direction for whatever leadership vision you have. Whether you’re taking on a new leadership role in an organization, or leading a new project, or starting a new business venture, the retreat will set you up for long-term success. And your learning doesn’t stop after the retreat is over. You’ll receive individual coaching and email support from the facilitators. You’ll have an…
- Private executive coaching
Your work life likely looks a lot different today than it did even a year ago. You’re facing more challenges than ever before, often with a lot fewer resources. You may have stepped into a new leadership role. Or maybe you’ve gotten feedback that you’re just not producing results. We’re here to help. Our Private Executive Coaching is the most powerful and intensive service we offer. Through personalized, one-on-one sessions with our staff, you’ll gain more ease and confidence in yourself as a leader and be empowered to achieve the results you want and deserve. How our coaching is different We use your own real-world challenges to teach you how to develop not just leadership capacity, but how to approach your entire life in new ways. That’s because we focus on the whole person—emotional, social, physical, mental—and work with you to create actionable strategies that will energize, support and ground you. Our work together will produce the type of sustainable change you’ve been looking for. What you’ll get from us A collaborative partner focused exclusively on your goals, development and agenda A clear set of outcomes from our work together Honest and solution-focused feedback A solid structure to plan, take…
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Getting change adopted in an organization can be very tricky and take a lot of time, simply because everyone has their own style and pace for responding to change. As you work to implement something new or different, one pitfall that can stall your efforts is to judge a person’s change competency based on how they respond to the change.
In the article “Leading Change — Creating an Organization that Lives Change,” Chris Musselwhite sums up it up well when he says ”Don’t confuse change style with change competency.” He introduces a change preference continuum that starts on the left with Conservers, who may appear cautious and inflexible about change. In the middle of the continuum are Pragmatists, who tend to appear practical, agreeable and flexible in the face of change. To the far right are the Originators who may appear unorganized, undisciplined, unconventional and spontaneous. Whatever style employees have, it’s important not to identify their style with their competence at change.
Is there someone in your organization who appears negative about change you are driving? If so, dive a little deeper into their motivations. They may actually be very good at change, and just have some concerns that need to be addressed.
On the other hand, if a team member is positive about a change, be aware that they may not know how to navigate that change. You should assess whether they have a plan for achieving the change, and understand what skills they need to acquire as well as what new relationships they need to build.
The saying “change is the only constant” seems like an understatement these days. Whether it’s due to economic pressures, corporate mergers, technological innovation, or natural disasters, most of us are increasingly faced with big change. If you are a leader today, you are probably looking at how you can build a resilient organization – one that has the capacity to successfully flow through any disruption and challenges that come your way. How can you develop a culture that sees change as an opportunity for growth?
I recently read the article “Building a Resilient Organizational Culture” by George S. Everly, Jr. PhD, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Everly discusses how organizations can develop a culture of resilience, just like individuals can learn to develop personal traits of resilience. It got me thinking about how important it is for leaders to model resilient behavior for their employees.
According to Dr. Everly, when a small number of high credibility individuals demonstrate the behaviors associated with resilience, they can change an entire culture of an organization as others replicate these resilient characteristics. Frontline leaders can serve as a catalyst to “tip” an organization in the direction of resilience by demonstrating optimism, decisiveness, integrity, and open communications.
I like Dr. Everly’s belief that optimism and self-efficacy can be learned in an organization if we:
- understand that people prosper from success
- remember that people learn while observing others
- provide encouragement, support, and even mentoring
- provide basic training in how to manage personal stress
Let’s remember to nourish and demonstrate our own flexibility, positive thinking, confidence and authenticity to help create resilience both within our organizations and in the world!
Yesterday, I was talking with a client about the power of our brain and how critical it is to be aware of where you put your attention when leading change. Our discussion reminded me of a related article on the neuroscience of why this is so. In “Organisational Change and the Neuroscience of Leadership, George Ambler does a nice job explaining how “focus is power”, and the act of paying attention creates both chemical and physical changes in the brain. He also points out that “expectation shapes reality.” What we focus on and what we expect play an important role in how we respond to a given situation.
That’s why it’s important to be very clear, about what you are focusing on and also your expectations – especially during times of change. When you focus on everything that’s not working and expect change to be hard, you are setting that expectation, and there is a good chance that your change efforts will fail. That’s not to say there isn’t a lot of work to do for change – however, putting your attention on opportunities and possibilities will put you on track to succeed versus fail.
How are you thinking about change? Are you focusing on moving forward, or looking back? Remember that where put your focus is where your brain/body will organize itself. Are you organizing around anxiety or possibility?
For more on using neuroscience to shift your focus, see my previous post on “Retraining Your Brain to Change.”
Over the years, I have learned that leadership programs need to be more than just theoretical and conceptual, or else desired behavior changes don’t last. If you want sustainable change, you need to include thinking about neuroscience, and consider how the brain operates. Then create programs that allow people to be as engaged and successful as possible.
In his article Neuroleadership –Making Change Happen, Tobias Kiefer from Booz & Company emphasizes the need to synchronize neuroscience with leadership behaviors, in what is called “neuroleadership”. Brain research tells us to get to the physical and emotional level and reinforce new behaviors in ways that allow them to become second nature to individuals.
That’s why leadership development must incorporate two pieces: brain-friendly training (taking the brain into account) and experiential training (action based, with scenarios and exercises that allow you to have a real-time experience behaving in a different way).
When you embark on your next leader development program, consider how neuroleadership can help you achieve more effective learning and sustainable change.
Successfully leading change requires resilience, and the ability to manage our own stress is a big factor.
Did you know that when we are under stress, our brains react predictably? Studies in neuroscience have shown that any perceived threat or danger activates an unconscious body-brain response based on fear, upset, grief, or other such emotions.
In his article “Resilience for the Rest of Us,” Daniel Goleman, a recognized expert in emotional intelligence, says neuroscience has found that distress causes heightened activity on the right side of the brain’s prefrontal area. Each of us has a characteristic level of left/right activity— if we’re tilted to the right, there more upsets; if to the left, quicker recovery from distress of all kinds.
The good news is that we can retrain our brains to shift to the left, and react in new patterns that promote resilience to change. By using mindfulness techniques, we can teach the brain to register anything happening in the present moment with full focus — but without reacting.
Try this simple mindfulness method offered by Goleman as a mental exercise:
- Find a quiet, private place where you can’t be distracted for a few minutes — for instance, close your office door and mute your phone.
- Sit comfortably, with your back straight but relaxed.
- Focus your awareness on your breath, staying attentive to the sensations of the inhalation and exhalation, and start again on the next breath.
- Do not judge your breathing or try to change it in any way.
- See anything else that comes to mind as a distraction — thoughts, sounds, whatever — let them go and return your attention to your breath.
I practice mindfulness daily and prescribe it to clients as they address change and chaos. With mindful leadership, you can become more resilient and better equipped to drive positive change for your organization.
Have you ever woken up in a bad mood that you couldn’t shake for the rest of the day?
Often when people are in a negative mood, they think they don’t have the power to change it. However, recent studies in neuroscience and neuroplasticity show that we can indeed shift our mood. This is really exciting, because it puts us in the driver’s seat, rather than at the effect of our moods and thought patterns. It just takes some focused effort and ongoing practice.
In his article The Neuroscience of Change – Or How to Reset Your Brain, Matthew E. May describes a four-step approach that takes advantage of the mind’s ability to work for us. You can relabel and reattribute unwanted thought patterns, then refocus your brain, and revalue old patterns and behaviors.
This has great implications for leaders. As a leader, if you have a negative mindset, such as frustration or resignation, you bring that to everything you do – the decisions you make and your relationships. You can avoid this by being present and aware. Then quickly reattribute your thoughts and refocus them on desirable alternatives to shift to a more positive outcome.
The next time you find yourself frustrated, impatient or irritated, see if can you shift your mood. Spend some time to become aware, reattribute your thoughts and refocus your mind.
This week, I have been reading the book Flourish, by Martin Seligman. With a focus different from the traditional goal of psychology to relieve human suffering, Flourish shows how to get the most out of life for individuals, for communities, and for nations. Seligman asks: What is it that enables you to cultivate your talents, to build deep, lasting relationships with others, to feel pleasure, and to contribute meaningfully to the world?
He identifies several key factors that can help individuals thrive: positive emotion, meaning, engagement with what one is doing, a sense of accomplishment, and good relationships. With inspiring stories, he demonstrates these principles in action, including performance improvement along with employee well-being in corporations; military training in emotional resilience; and education in schools for fulfillment in life and not just for workplace success.
Reading Flourish reminds me that when we think about cultivating resilience in the workplace, it’s important to be really aware of how we think about ourselves in both our work and our daily lives. What if we focus more on flourishing instead of just getting by and dealing with our pain when faced with distress or challenge?
Instead of getting the message that change is difficult, or will be difficult, what if I got a message that I could flourish in change? Because of what we know about how the human brain is wired, we know that it is, in fact, possible and desirable for people to reorganize around a picture of flourishing, if that’s what’s presented.
If we refocus our conversations on hope, possibility, and flourishing, I believe organizations and the people in them can thrive, grow and achieve top performance during times of change.
A resilient organization adapts quickly to change. How do you become that kind of organization when faced by resistance that slows down change adoption?
It’s helpful to start by looking at some common reasons why people resist change. They range from a belief that the change is unnecessary or will make the situation worse, to a lack of trust in the people leading the change. Some people simply don’t like the way the change has been introduced, and others are not confident the change will succeed. Often, resistance stems from having had no input in planning and implementing the change.
In dealing with resistance, leaders often mistakenly label someone as “a problem employee” or “difficult” when, in fact, the employee simply needs more knowledge, skills or structure around their performance. If the person lacks knowledge or skills then you will want to provide them with education, training, or specific communication about the what, why, when and who of the change. You can also take steps to involve employees in the planning and decision making for change. For those who are unwilling even though they have the skills and knowledge, you can set goals measurements, provide coaching/feedback and give rewards to motivate them.
Here are some other proven ways to address resistance and gain support for change.
1. Encourage people to openly express their thoughts and feelings about the change in formal and informal meetings or check-ins.
2. When resistance occurs, listen carefully to gain an understanding of the concerns.
3. Treat resistance as a problem to solve, not a character flaw. Try to understand the person’s rationale and motivation.
4. Once you understand the nature of the concerns, bring people together to discuss and deal with the perceived problems, and possible solutions.
5. Communicate frequently and be willing to answer difficult questions.
For more thoughts on getting employees to support change, see my previous post on “Conversations to Engage Employees in Change”.
I am often approached by leaders who want to get their change initiatives on track and see rapid adoption of change behaviours. One of the first things I ask them is whether they are having conversations with their employees.
According to Ken Blanchard one of the top reasons why change efforts typically fail is that people leading the change think that announcing the change is the same as implementing it. They don’t take time to engage their people and provide them the opportunity to voice their concerns.
It’s easy to get caught up in the “business” side of change management – the planning, budgeting, staffing and problem-solving. Be sure to also focus on aligning, motivating and inspiring your people. It will help you build a more resilient team that can move through change with agility and flexibility.
People don’t adopt change simply because their leader has rolled out a new strategy that mandates the change. Before getting behind the change they need to first get emotionally engaged. After that they can look at implementation and see how it links back to their job roles. If your team isn’t emotionally engaged, they will most likely resist change.
Start by simply talking with them. Here are some suggestions for making your efforts count:
- Make space for meaningful conversations. Begin by asking good questions and really listening. Be genuinely concerned with issues people have. Accept the whole spectrum of emotion, and understand that people might be in different places regarding the change.
- Promote a common vision then help people connect with their part of the vision. Remember to address the WIIF (What’s In It For Me) part of the equation.
- Bring clarity, focus and caring. When someone feels they have clarity, know they are cared about, and are clear about what they need to do, they will get emotionally engaged.
- Walk your talk. Create alignment and consistency by modeling the change behavior you are asking of them.
Are there other ways you have found to get people engaged in change? Do share them!
Most leaders get paid to think. So I like to think of the brain is a sort of “currency” for gaining leadership effectiveness. Over the years, I have learned that the brain forms a foundation for your capacity as a leader and your ability to operate well in your role.
This makes it critical to tend to your brain and keep it functioning in an optimal way. Dr. Daniel Siegel and Dr. David Rock have created the Healthy Mind Platter, which has seven essential activities, or ‘mental nutrients’ that your brain needs to function at its best. Many of us forget to include a number of these seven activities in our daily lives. For example, do you take play time, down time, physical time to move your body, and time for quiet reflection?
Thinking well helps you produce better decisions, better relationships and better results. When your time gets overly compressed, you can get stuck in overwhelm or ‘fight or flight’ responses that produce reactivity and poor thinking. To think well, you have to be well. Take a look at the Healthy Mind Platter, and see how much time you are investing in each area!
FROM THE BLOG
Change Style Versus Change Competency || Read More
November 18, 2011
It Takes Resilient Leaders to Build a Resilient Organization || Read More
November 9, 2011
Using Neuroscience to Lead Change – What Are You Focusing On? || Read More
November 1, 2011