Online and face to face training, coaching and events across the UK and Europe
Thrive Training Lab

Emerging Leader Academy

Help tomorrow's leaders find their voice, build confidence and develop the people skills they need before stepping into management.

Being good at your job does not make your first leadership conversations easy. Suddenly you are setting expectations, delegating to former peers and finding time to support others as well as deliver your own work. We understand that shift. You do not need every answer before you start — you need a supportive place to build the foundations.

Talk about your team Explore the course
Managers collaborating in a leadership workshop
Thrive Training Lab

Explore. Practise. Make it yours.

Duration

5 live online sessions or 1 full day · 9:30am–5pm

Group size

Maximum 5 delegates

Format

Online or face to face

Price — Face to face

Price on request

+ VAT · Format options below

Price — Online

Price on request

+ VAT · Format options below

where understanding becomes useful —

Why this course matters

Potential needs preparation when someone is getting ready to lead people for the first time.

What you’ll explore in the Lab

Leadership potential deserves attention before the promotion arrives. Emerging Leader Academy is designed for people growing towards their first leadership role, taking on project responsibility or beginning to support colleagues.

Across five live online sessions or one full-day workshop, participants explore their strengths, build self-awareness and practise the communication, judgement and ownership that leadership asks of them. This is a development pathway for emerging talent, distinct from the New Leaders Programme's day-to-day management essentials. With a maximum of five participants, everyone has space to contribute, practise and receive personal feedback.

a real challenge. a purposeful response.

The challenges this addresses

  • Aspiring leaders unsure what management will ask of them
  • Technical ability mistaken for readiness to lead
  • Informal leadership responsibilities taken on without clear development priorities
  • Feedback and collaboration skills underdeveloped before a first management role

What this can change at work

Preparing to lead means looking beyond technical expertise to how you work with people. Emerging leaders explore their strengths, practise communication, collaboration and constructive feedback, and take ownership of decisions and commitments. A personal development plan gives that preparation direction. Teams can benefit from more thoughtful contributions now, while the organisation helps aspiring managers build relevant leadership habits before the demands of a formal role arrive.

Development with direction

Aspiring leaders identify their strengths and development priorities, then agree practical steps towards the leadership responsibilities they want to take on.

Constructive project conversations

In project discussions, emerging leaders practise clear communication and constructive feedback while making space for colleagues to contribute their views.

Commitments visibly owned

People taking on greater responsibility explain their decisions and follow through on commitments rather than relying only on their technical contribution.

Inside the workshop

Choose five facilitated live online sessions with workplace actions between them, or one full-day face-to-face workshop covering the same five core areas. Sessions combine reflection, purposeful discussion, paired practice and realistic scenarios. Participants explore their strengths, rehearse influencing and feedback conversations, and work on a real contribution they can make in their current role. Each person leaves with a personal development plan to discuss with their manager. Online session timing and spacing are agreed around your team.

Make Emerging Leader Academy relevant to your business

Tell us where you want to make progress with know yourself: strengths, values and leadership self-awareness. We can discuss suitable workplace examples, priorities and access needs before agreeing the scope. Choose live online or face-to-face training for your UK or European team, with delivery arrangements agreed before booking.

Discuss this course

What the training covers

The scope below sets out the subjects covered. Workplace examples and practice are shaped around your team within the booked format.

  • Know yourself: strengths, values and leadership self-awareness
  • Find your voice: clear communication, listening and confidence
  • Work with others: collaboration, influence and constructive feedback
  • Take ownership: priorities, decisions and accountability
  • Plan your next step: growth mindset and a personal leadership development plan

What’s included in your booking

Your booked time and format
5 live online sessions or 1 full day · Live online or face to face, agreed before booking · Maximum 5 delegates. Choose one of the formats shown in the booking options; alternative formats are not additional included sessions.
Included in every course
  • Interactive, facilitator-led learningLive, hands-on sessions built around practice and participation.
  • Group discussionsShared conversations about real situations, so people learn from each other as well as the facilitator.
  • Breakout exercisesSmall-group practice, role-play and problem-solving, online or in the room.
  • Take-away materialsCourse materials, tools and templates to use back at work.
Facilitated learning and practical application
The subject coverage, exercises and facilitator feedback described above, with space to connect the learning to relevant workplace situations. The workshop description sets out the specific plans, prompts or tools developed in this course.

Follow-up coaching, refresher sessions and additional delivery days are not automatic inclusions; any additions are agreed in your proposal. Travel, venue arrangements and any software licences are confirmed separately where relevant. Prices exclude VAT.

Outcomes

The capabilities delegates work towards through the training and practice:

  • Recognise your strengths and leadership development priorities
  • Communicate and influence with greater confidence
  • Practise collaboration and constructive feedback
  • Take ownership of decisions and commitments
  • Build a development plan for your next leadership step

the next conversation is where it counts —

Take it back to work.

Choose a real situation where you want to apply the learning. Use it to turn an outcome into a manageable first step, then reflect on what changes.

Choose

Start with one priority: Recognise your strengths and leadership development priorities.

Apply

Try the approach in a relevant task or conversation. Note what felt useful and what you would adapt.

Review

Reflect on what happened, seek feedback where appropriate and choose your next step. Follow-up support can be discussed separately.

Bring this topic to your next event

We can discuss adapting Emerging Leader Academy into a keynote or large-group session, focusing on the themes most relevant to your audience. Depth, activities, timings and any follow-up depend on the format and package you choose; an event session is not a substitute for the full course.

Explore Speaking & Events

More from New Leader Lab

Module 1

From Peer to Leader

Step confidently from colleague to leader, establish clear boundaries and build credibility with the team you now manage.

2-hour live online module (or part of the 1- or 2-day face-to-face programme)Maximum 5 delegates

Course synopsis

Leading former colleagues changes the relationships, responsibilities and expectations that shape your working day, making the transition as much about judgement as authority. This two-hour online module helps newly promoted managers, team leaders in their first year and high-potential staff preparing for promotion understand what leadership requires and how to approach it with confidence. Delegates explore how to manage former peers and friends, set appropriate boundaries and develop a leadership style that supports their new responsibilities. The focus is on building credibility early, navigating changing relationships thoughtfully and creating a practical first-90-days plan to guide their transition into leadership.

Key focus areas

  • Your new role and responsibilities
  • Managing former peers and friends
  • Setting boundaries
  • Discovering your leadership style
  • Your first 90 days

Outcomes — you'll be able to

  • Understand what's expected of you as a leader
  • Navigate changing relationships with former peers
  • Build credibility quickly
  • Create your first-90-days plan

Included in every course

  • Interactive, facilitator-led learning
  • Group discussions
  • Breakout exercises
  • Take-away materials

Live online

From £550+ VAT

Course details
Module 2

Setting Expectations & Delegating

Set clear expectations and delegate with confidence, freeing up your time while developing your team’s capability.

2-hour live online module (or part of the 1- or 2-day face-to-face programme)Maximum 5 delegates

Course synopsis

New leaders often try to do everything themselves, leaving limited time to lead and fewer opportunities for their teams to develop. This two-hour online module helps newly promoted managers, leaders who struggle to let go and team leaders with growing teams establish clear expectations from day one and make sound decisions about what, when and how to delegate. Delegates explore how to match tasks to people, agree the right level of support and check progress without micromanaging. The focus is on building practical habits that support team ownership, protect management time and make it easier to follow up without taking the task back.

Key focus areas

  • Clear expectations from day one
  • What, when and how to delegate
  • Matching tasks to people
  • Checking in without micromanaging
  • Avoiding the 'I'll just do it myself' trap

Outcomes — you'll be able to

  • Set clear expectations for your team
  • Decide what to delegate and to whom
  • Delegate with the right level of support
  • Follow up without taking the task back

Included in every course

  • Interactive, facilitator-led learning
  • Group discussions
  • Breakout exercises
  • Take-away materials

Live online

From £550+ VAT

Course details
Your people. Your priorities.Ready to Thrive? Build your Lab.A programme shaped around your people — and the progress you want to make.

your next step starts here —

Ready to step into the lab?

Your business. Our training. Together, we thrive.

Bring the challenge your people want to work on. We'll shape a practical training workshop or coaching experience around it — with room to explore, practise and take a useful next step.

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