About
To consolidate a long period of change, Onward chose to invest in a transformative leadership development programme to help address two key business objectives.
- Leadership gaps: Onward wanted their new leadership competencies – focusing on authentic, empathetic and adaptable leadership – to be embedded across the organisation. Supporting the Operational Leadership Team to become more accountable, proactive and responsive, would allow the Senior Leadership Team to operate more strategically.
- Siloed teams: Following consolidation and the establishment of new teams and workforces, Onward faced the challenge of uniting teams with diverse backgrounds and mindsets. The goal was to break down barriers and move from siloed working to a unified, collaborative workforce.
As a not-for-profit organisation, Onward required a solution that would deliver meaningful change without extensive investment. This was the challenge Onward brought to Impact, and here is what we created.
Onward needed a highly practical solution, focusing on real business challenges and not requiring much time out of the office. It needed to be engaging, interactive, and based on the new leadership competencies. Impact and Onward co-created a multi-modular, experiential leadership development programme, tailored to Onward’s unique context.
Programme design
The solution was a series of immersive modules delivered over six months, each focusing on key leadership themes:
- Leading Self – Focused on emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and self-management.
- Leading Others– Developed influencing skills, team performance, and authentic feedback.
- Leading Onward Homes – Explored organisational leadership, empowerment, and strategic thinking.
What made the design work for Onward?
- Participant-led: The programme was highly experiential, with minimal reliance on models or frameworks. Sessions were participant-led, allowing space for relevant conversations and knowledge sharing as needed.
- Real-world application: Participants worked on live business challenges - testing, developing and then presenting tangible outputs to the executive team. This enabled the shift from individual learning to organisational empowerment.
- Alumni engagement: Previous cohorts supported current participants, building new relationships and creating a wave of positive influence. Peer-led coaching fostered a reflective, supportive leadership community.
Onward wanted to address leadership gaps and siloed teams. As a result of the programme there has been:
Increased ownership: Leaders are taking greater responsibility for decision-making and team empowerment. The success of the programme also prompted the Senior Leadership Team to request their own version of the programme, further embedding the approach at all levels.
Cross-departmental impact: Practical initiatives that foster cross-departmental conversations and the application of programme principles have been adopted – even by those who’ve not been on the programme. These have broken down barriers and encouraged a ‘one team’ culture.
“We meet weekly. We look at challenges that cross over into all those different directorates and how we can work together to manage those and overcome them.”
A true sign of a valued personal development programme, is that participants want to take part, complete all modules and actively recommend it to colleagues.
“We’ve got a waiting list, which I think’s always a really positive sign.”
“If you view leadership development as a cost, it can be hard to justify. But when you see it as an investment in people, in the organisation, and in shaping the culture - leading to a better colleague experience and, ultimately, a better customer experience – it becomes clear that investing in leadership development isn’t just justifiable, it’s essential.”
Simon Kettle, Head of Learning and Organisational Development