Remote Learning Across an Organisation
How a flexible, remotely delivered leadership programme helped geographically dispersed managers build confidence, strengthen coaching skills and develop a shared approach to leadership.
Developing leadership capability across a geographically dispersed organisation presents particular challenges. Managers need opportunities to develop their skills, share experiences and apply their learning without spending significant time away from their responsibilities.
LeaderShape worked with KeyRing Living Support Networks to deliver a flexible, remotely facilitated leadership development programme for almost a dozen managers and senior managers working across the UK.
KEY OUTCOMES
Building leadership confidence and changing everyday behaviours
Leadership Confidence
Greater understanding of leadership responsibilities and confidence in applying different leadership approaches.
Self-Awareness
Improved awareness of personal leadership styles, emotional responses and their impact on others.
Coaching Capability
New coaching techniques to support colleagues, develop teams and encourage independent thinking.
Better Feedback
Positive changes in how managers give and receive feedback, discuss challenges and respond to colleagues.
Despite the programme's relatively short duration, participant feedback indicated meaningful changes in leadership understanding and behaviour, with early signs that the learning would continue to develop through workplace application.
THE ORGANISATION
Supporting independent living through strong local leadership
KeyRing Living Support Networks is a UK not-for-profit organisation supporting vulnerable adults to live independently and participate in their local communities.
At the time of the programme, KeyRing supported more than 870 people across 100 networks, helping individuals develop practical life skills, build community connections and maintain their independence.
THE CHALLENGE
Developing a shared leadership approach across dispersed teams
KeyRing wanted to strengthen the leadership capabilities of managers working in different locations, helping them move beyond day-to-day management towards a more proactive and effective approach to leadership.
The organisation also wanted to build on previous development activity, encouraging learning to spread more effectively through its management structure and into local teams.
The programme needed to:
- Develop capabilities aligned with the Leadership Qualities Framework for Adult Social Care.
- Strengthen confidence in recognising and acting on opportunities for growth.
- Improve understanding of the distinction between management and leadership.
- Encourage managers to use a wider range of leadership behaviours.
- Help participants translate development into practical workplace action.
- Make learning accessible across multiple locations without extensive travel.
LEADERSHAPE'S APPROACH
Combining personalised assessment with flexible virtual learning
LeaderShape designed a remotely delivered, 12-hour Everyone's a Leader programme using its Accelerated Learning in a Virtual Environment (ALIVE©) approach, supported by the LeaderShaper leadership assessment.
01. Leadership Assessment
LeaderShaper provided individual profiles of leadership strengths, development needs and emotional intelligence capabilities.
02. Virtual Learning
ALIVE© combined remote learning activities, interactive sessions and practical workplace reflection.
03. Personalised Coaching
Telephone coaching helped managers explore their assessment results and apply learning to individual challenges.
04. Workplace Application
Practical assignments and coaching techniques encouraged managers to develop colleagues and embed new behaviours.
The LeaderShaper assessment took approximately ten minutes to complete and generated a personalised report identifying leadership strengths and development opportunities relevant to each manager's role.
Each Supported Living Manager was offered a short telephone coaching session, while three senior managers were offered longer coaching programmes. Managers were also encouraged to use their learning and assessment insights to support the development of their own teams.
PRACTICAL LEARNING
Turning leadership insights into everyday action
The programme drew on the early stages of LeaderShape's Journey to Transpersonal Leadership, adapting the learning to the needs of different levels of management within KeyRing.
Participants explored four interconnected areas of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management.
Particular emphasis was placed on developing a coaching style of leadership, enabling managers to support colleagues through more effective conversations rather than relying solely on direction and instruction.
Practical coaching techniques included:
- Active listening and asking open questions.
- Establishing coaching contracts.
- Using structured coaching conversations.
- Applying the GROW coaching model.
- Reflecting on leadership behaviours and their impact on others.
- Developing personal action plans for workplace application.
LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE
Creating a shared leadership language across the organisation
An important objective was to extend leadership development beyond the initial participants and encourage managers to use their new skills with their own teams.
Managers began applying coaching approaches in supervision, team meetings and individual development conversations, helping colleagues take greater ownership of their learning and performance.
This created the foundations for a more consistent leadership approach, with greater emphasis on self-awareness, constructive feedback, coaching and shared responsibility.
THE OUTCOMES
Meaningful changes from a focused programme
Greater Understanding of Leadership
Participants reported a clearer understanding of how leadership differs from everyday management and greater confidence in using a broader range of leadership behaviours.
Improved Emotional Awareness
Managers developed a better understanding of their emotional responses and the impact of their behaviour on colleagues.
More Effective Coaching and Feedback
Participants identified practical ways to improve feedback, introduce coaching conversations and support the development of their teams.
Learning That Fits Around Work
Participants valued the flexibility to learn at their own pace, the variety of activities and the opportunity to apply new ideas directly to their roles.
Early Signs of Lasting Behavioural Change
Feedback suggested that managers were beginning to approach situations differently, seek feedback more actively and experiment with new leadership behaviours.
PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK
What participants said about the programme
End-of-programme feedback indicated that participants' expectations had been fully or mostly met. Participants particularly appreciated the flexibility, practical content and opportunities to apply their learning.
“I have really enjoyed participating in this programme. The learning has assisted me in my new Team Manager role and I feel I have grown more than I would have done if I hadn't participated.”