To provide current and future leaders at Safe Places with a clear, consistent pathway for developing essential leadership capabilities.

This was achieved by offering multiple learning methods (eLearning, in-person workshops, virtual sessions, and experiential learning), and by mapping out exactly what skills were needed at each leadership level.

The ultimate aim was to build long-term capability and progression for staff across the organisation.

• Miro – for creating flowcharts, capability maps, and roadmaps

• MS Word – for documenting findings, project plans, and leadership pathways

1. Conducted surveys and interviews (with the Leadership Specialist and Business Insights team) to gather data on leadership skills gaps and pain points across the organisation.

2. Analysed the findings and developed a formal report which was presented and approved by the COO.

3. Created leadership position pathways outlining the essential competencies required for each role, and the proficiency level needed.

4. Mapped out a variety of learning interventions (e.g., coaching, shadowing, eLearning, formal workshops) and matched each learning objective to the most suitable intervention.

5. Developed a 2024–2025 roadmap outlining which initiatives would be launched when, and how learning would be embedded in the flow of work.

6. Piloted the framework through the 2024 SL Conference by introducing content on Situational and Servant Leadership, followed by a rollout and reinforcement plan.

7. Set expectations to follow this roadmap for all future leadership capability projects.

The framework revealed significant skill gaps across different levels of leadership and helped the L&D team think more strategically about how to embed learning.

However, despite early excitement and planning, the senior leadership team could not align on a clear direction. This caused delays and made it difficult to proceed with confidence, resulting in multiple shifts in priorities.

One of the biggest takeaways from this project was the importance of executive alignment before communication. The Leadership Academy was announced too early—before a concrete roadmap was finalised. This led to confusion and misalignment when priorities changed.

Next time, I would ensure stronger buy-in from all leaders before making any formal announcements. Planning quietly behind the scenes and gaining full consensus would help ensure a smoother rollout and better credibility with staff.