What is a Leadership Journey?

Leadership Journey is a cross cultural experience which has been carefully designed to develop leaders by testing and developing self-awareness, resilience and inter-personal skills, while also clarifying participant values and worldview. Removing a group for a period of time from their comfort zone and placing them in a contrasting culture empowers individual leaders with the insights and tools to drive transformation once they return to their organisation and in every aspect of their personal lives.

The program involves a group of ten participants and two facilitators going overseas to a development project of their choice for 8-10 days. Prior to leaving, the group engages in a two-three day induction process. While on site overseas the group undertake a cross-cultural immersion experience tailored for them. Cross-cultural modules and hands-on experiences are designed and facilitated with the participant group’s values and personal development needs in mind.

The post Journey program leads to a group advocacy role as participants provide a voice for the community with whom they have built a genuine relationship while also continuing the personal growth begun on the journey.

There are four phases to each Leadership Journey: Download the flyer: Four steps to a Leadership Journey

1. Choose your destination.

• Either by country or by project type. You may already have a project you are invloved in that we can facilitate a journey to.

2. Design your Journey.

• Decide who will pay the costs of the Journey - we recommend participants contribute something to their experience.
• Our consultants will design the facilitated elements of the program and the itinerary in consultation with you.
• Pre-travel briefing - two days. 
• Optional: 360º Leadership Assessment, Team Assessment or other measuring tool. Includes coaching and a tailored Leadership Development Plan.
• Personal development training materials consisting of participants' training manual, journal and handouts.
• Get your inoculations, visas and pack the right 'kit' for your Journey.

3. The Journey experience.

• Travel to and from the project including induction exercises, accommodation and agreed ‘touristy’ options. 
• Delivery of the tailored LJ program and hands-on exercises which allow participants to connect with the development project in a manageable way.

4. Advocacy and Growth. 

• Post travel  debrief - half day.
• Project advocacy - Project Champions raise awareness and a pre-agreed sum of money.
• Post program group coaching for 3-6 months.
• A report on the program. 

Each Leadership Journey is hosted by an experienced leadership development facilitator and local personnel who will travel with the group for the duration of the Leadership Journey program. Leadership Journey participants are expected to 'Champion' the project they have visited upon their return by raising awareness and a pre-agreed sum of money for the development project they visited. Participants are assisted via group coaching sessions upon their return to ensure they continue their personal development and project advocacy.

To maximise the success of the Leadership Journey programs undertaken, Leadership Journey is committed to the following principles and deliverables: 

• Open and frequent consultation with the participant group, the NGO/ development organisation representatives and the developing community/ project managers.
• Provision of two facilitators on each Journey to manage the day to day process and program.
• Optional: 360º Leadership Assessment, coaching and a tailored Leadership Development Plan. 
• Personal development materials consisting of participants' journal and handouts.
• Management of the travel logistics:         

        - ticketing for air and ground travel
        - accomodation
        - all meals
        - induction and 'hands on' activities at the project site
        - any 'touristy options' selected by the group
        - travel insurance

• Careful planning and facilitation to manage the physical and emotional wellbeing of Leadership Journey program participants.
• Empowerment of the participants, the NGO/ development organisation and the members of the developing community throughout the Leadership Journey.
• Post program support, 3-6 months of group coaching and a full report on the Journey outcomes.

Each development project on offer has been visited and carefully selected by a member of the Leadership Journey team. Each NGO/ Development Organisation behind the development projects has been selected for their quality project philosophy, their level of professionalism in communications and project management, and their accountability in managing and delivering funds to their specific projects. The funds raised by the sponsoring company will be handled directly by the specified Development Organisation and reported back to the participant group. There are a broad range of projects to select from. Most, but not all, donations are tax deductible.

Leadership Journey provides a client organisation with a uniquely engaging leadership program and an opportunity to make a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contribution overseas.

• Make a contribution to a development project overseas and achieve greater returns for your dollar. 
• Develop a genuine relationship with an overseas project and become an active member of the global community. 
• Engage staff directly with a project that will make your organisational values more tangible.
• Develop greater employee pride in your organisation. 
• See an improvement in staff motivation and retention.  
• Cultivate greater depths of relationship among Leadership Journey participants as well as fostering leadership insights and behaviours to enhance the organisational culture. 
• Improve your external reputation through funding a project and reporting to external stakeholders.