Leadership Paradox II
The Paradox of Leaders of Leaders
Being entrusted with the role of a leader of leaders can evoke a mix of emotions—a thrilling sense of accomplishment (having earned the position) intertwined with a daunting responsibility (how can I effectively guide other leaders?). When promoted to such a pivotal position, one might initially embrace the allure of leading other managers only to discover that garnering followership among experienced leaders demands a different approach. As the opportunity to lead leaders arises, the magnitude of the role may seem overwhelming. It prompts introspection—are you heading in the right direction? How assured and composed do you feel? What kind of leader are you evolving into?
As seasoned leaders and coaches of leaders, we acknowledge the critical juncture in your leadership journey as you become a leader of leaders. We also understand that this stage can be profoundly isolating. Consequently, we have devised a leadership group program tailored to address the paradox of being a leader of leaders. In this program, you will find camaraderie, guidance, and a supportive network to navigate the unique challenges that come with leading those who lead. Embracing this paradox and nurturing your leadership acumen will lead to greater effectiveness, growth, and impact in your organization and beyond.
Our program for Leaders of Leaders in the blink of an eye
Who is this for?
Leaders of leaders recently appointed at that level
Leaders of leaders who want to enhance their leadership skills or improve team engagement
Executives who want to set their managers for success
HR managers who want to better support leaders or help improve people engagement
Any leader who wishes to take some time to assess the different components of their role
What challenges does this address?
Mid-level managers face unique challenges such as being caught between senior leadership and employees, having conflicting priorities, lacking role clarity, and feeling overwhelmed by administrative tasks. This leads to high levels of stress, burnout, and turnover.
However, mid-level managers play a critical role in organizations by translating strategy into execution, managing teams, developing employees, and bridging communication between hierarchies. They directly impact productivity, innovation, employee retention and company performance.
Investing in mid-level manager support, training, and empowerment has been shown to improve financial returns, with companies that have top-quartile mid-level managers achieving 3-21x higher total shareholder returns over 5 years. (McKinsey, June 2023)
What is the solution?
Kick-Off Session (2h, remote): opportunity to connect with other participants, define clear learning goals and engage in a transformation journey
Retreat (4 days): away from the day to day, take some time to reflect on yourself, your team and your circle of influence.
OOO Coaching (3x1h, remote): individual coaching for each participant spread over the course of the program
Conclusion Session (2h, remote): opportunity to take in your learnings, celebrate your progress and take your journey forward.
How does it work?
In 2024, this program especially designed for leaders of leaders will be organised around a 4 days retreat. Here is the program:
September 19th, 4pm (CET): Kick-Off session (2h, remote)
September 30th-October 4th: Retreat in Marbach Castle, Öhningen, Germany. As always, each day is organised around a Leadership-Paradox© theme:
Day 1 (PM): Go slow to go fast (Connect, design a strong alliance, create a psychologically safe learning environment, define your objectives for the week)
Day 2: Work or Life (Design work life harmony in alignment with values and authenticity, being effective, learning to say no and yes... defining your boundaries)
Day 3: Power or Dependance (Explore the opportunities and challenges of leading leaders)
Day 4: My need or your need (Go beyond trying to influence and understand the implications of collaboration)
Day 5 (AM): Land or Take-off (Summarize your take-aways, create your plan and forward your actions)
Individual Coaching (3x1h) available to support your learning and actions during the entire length of the program
October 24th, 4pm (CET) Conclusion Session (2h, remote)
Register by July 12th 2024 (maximum number of participants limited to 12)
Your investment
Super early bird: 5'500CHF* (register by April 30th 2024)
Early bird: 6'000CHF* (register by May 31st 2024)
Standard: 6'500CHF* (register by July 12th 2024)
* This is the price by participant including all costs associated with your stay at Marbach Castle and excluding VAT
Marbach Castle,
Öhningen, Germany
(September 30th-October 4th 2024)
The perfect location for a leadership retreat
Carefully chosen by your hosts, Schloss Marbach is the perfect place to zoom out and reflect back on your leadership. Located in Germany at the border between Germany and Switzerland, it is easy to access through Zurich's airport.
More info about the location here
Register now!
September 19th, 4pm (CET): Kick-Off session (2h, remote)
September 30th-October 4th: Retreat in Marbach Castle, Öhningen, Germany.
As always, each day is organised around a Leadership-Paradox© theme:
Day 1 (PM): Go slow to go fast
Day 2: Work or Life
Day 3: Power or Dependance
Day 4: My need or your need
Day 5 (AM): Land or Take-of
Individual Coaching (3x1h)
October 24th, 4pm (CET) Conclusion Session (2h, remote)
Register by July 12th 2024 (maximum number of participants limited to 12)
The team behind this solution
Susan Kuepfer
Executive Coach (PCC)
Susan has more than 35 years of experience as a Leader and has helped other Leaders achieve their personal and professional goals for more than 15 years. She is a PCC (ICF) certified Coach. She is the founder of Valcoach.ch and the co-founder of leadership-paradox©
Pilo Verdon
Executive Coach (PCC)
Pilo (Pierre-Laurent Verdon) has 25 years of global leadership experience. He has practiced leadership for 20 years in a fortune 100 company. In 2020, he started his leadership coaching company to provide leaders with time and space to create newness in the world. He has focused his work on coaching gifted leaders with a strong sense of purpose. He is the founder of Pilosophy.ch and the co-founder of leadership-paradox©