Last Thursday, an incredible and diverse group of leaders and founders joined Johnny Hammond and me at the ICentrum building in Birmingham for a thought-provoking yet highly practical workshop: "Leadership Acceleration."
Our goal? To empower these leaders to make 2025 a breakthrough year in their leadership journeys.
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants were surprised not only by how much they gained in such a short session but also by the unique approach we took. One participant summed it up perfectly, describing it as “Different, but good different!”
But the true measure of success isn’t just the workshop itself—it’s the sustained momentum and action that follows.
The workshop aimed to help participants make their leadership vision a reality in 2025 by focusing on three key areas:
To kick off, I shared a few powerful tools and insights from my work as a global strategy advisor and leadership coach. The core message was simple yet profound:
To lead authentically and effectively in today’s uncertain, complex, and hyperconnected world, leaders must develop deeper self-awareness. The more aware we are of our strengths, values, and beliefs, the more choice we have over our thoughts, behaviours, and impact.
We introduced the concept of the “human iceberg” to help participants better understand what truly drives them. While most were familiar with the visible “above-the-water” elements - like behaviours (only 10% of what others actually ‘see’!) - many had never explored the deeper layers: thoughts, feelings, emotions, values, and beliefs. But the deepest driver?
Our needs. Met or unmet, real or perceived, our needs shape everything else, including the “life stories” we tell ourselves.
With this newfound clarity about who they are today, Johnny led a powerful visualisation exercise. Participants envisioned their “best possible leader self” and engaged in a future-pacing exercise to map out the steps required to become that leader by the end of 2025.
The session naturally led to a discussion about obstacles—particularly limiting beliefs—and how to overcome them. Each participant committed to specific actions to elevate their leadership and create meaningful transformation.
One of my favourite moments came from Charlotte Davies, a participant I met for the first time that day. On Friday, she shared this inspiring note with Johnny and me:
“Thank you for an excellent morning yesterday. I wasn’t sure what to expect when Emma invited me, and as I was scraping thick ice off my car, I thought, ‘Do I have time for this? Do I really want to go?’
I’m so pleased I did. The values exploration gave me light bulb moments, and the visualisation exercise gave me the boost I needed to take action. I’ve already messaged the venue to book the date for the workshop I’ve been dreaming about!”
Charlotte’s immediate next step, shared so bravely with the group, encapsulates what this workshop was all about: clarity, courage, and action.
We’re now following up with participants, providing additional resources and planning a group coaching session in four weeks to ensure the momentum continues. We’re also gathering feedback and exploring ways to expand and evolve this work.
If you’re curious about this workshop—or the broader coaching and leadership development work Johnny and I do—don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s start a conversation about how we can help you or your team unlock your full leadership potential in 2025 and beyond.
Together, let’s make your vision a reality.
