Developing a connected global leadership community
delivered in partnership with Wild ThinkingClient Context
A large international organisation asked us to design and deliver a long‑term leadership programme that matched the scale and complexity of its global operations. The company works across multiple continents, cultures and time zones, relying on tight coordination, strong commercial judgement and real‑time information to serve its customers. As the organisation prepared for its next strategic phase, it recognised that leadership capability needed to become more aligned, more confident and more globally connected.
The ambition was significant: develop a leadership community, not just a skillset. The organisation wanted its leaders to think beyond their own region, understand their collective responsibilities and communicate with greater clarity and influence.
The Challenge
Leadership practices varied widely across locations, shaped by local demands and differing levels of experience. Strategic thinking was often squeezed by operational intensity. Leaders rarely had the chance to meet peers from other regions, let alone explore how their decisions affected the wider system. Communication was fragmented, and collaboration happened more by exception than routine.
The organisation needed a development journey that would bring people together with purpose, give them space to think differently and build a shared understanding of what effective global leadership looked like in practice.
Core Question
How do we build a cohesive, future‑focused global leadership community that can navigate complexity, connect across borders and lead the organisation with greater confidence and alignment?
Our Approach
Over eighteen months, and in partnership with Wild Thinking, we designed and delivered a global programme for two cohorts drawn from across the organisation’s footprint. The design was deliberately immersive and international, with in‑person workshops hosted in Berlin, Edinburgh, Madrid, Houston, Vancouver and Chicago. These locations allowed leaders to step outside their usual environment, meet peers from across the world and experience the scale of the organisation reflected back to them.
Between immersions, leaders took part in monthly online sessions to keep ideas active and relevant. Each participant also worked with an executive coach, helping them translate insights into personal goals and practical actions. A shared digital platform supported everyday discussion, connection and resource‑sharing, ensuring the programme felt continuous rather than episodic.
We used DiSC and The Work of Leaders as behavioural anchors, giving leaders a shared language for discussing their impact, exploring their style and understanding the leadership behaviours that would help the organisation move forward.
How We Worked
Our facilitation approach was warm, direct and grounded in real work. We created environments where leaders could pause, reflect and challenge themselves safely but honestly. Each immersion blended practical tools, structured conversation and real examples drawn from the organisation’s day‑to‑day reality.
Working jointly with Wild Thinking gave the programme range and depth. Together, we encouraged leaders to test assumptions, broaden perspectives and build a more strategic relationship with their role. We adapted the programme as themes emerged, ensuring it stayed relevant to the organisation’s evolving needs.
Contribution from Participants
The leaders were the driving force behind the programme. Many had never worked closely with colleagues from other regions. Meeting face‑to‑face shifted their understanding of what the organisation needed from them and what they could learn from each other. They were open, curious and ready to be challenged. They shared their experiences candidly, supported each other through difficult conversations and built relationships that continued long after the formal sessions ended.
Their engagement turned the programme into a genuine leadership community rather than a series of workshops.
Key Findings
Over the course of the programme, leaders became more intentional about how they influenced others and how they communicated across regions. The behavioural frameworks helped them talk openly and constructively about style, expectations and impact — something that had previously been difficult in a global setting.
Mindsets shifted. Leaders began to see their roles in a broader, more strategic context. They became more aware of how decisions in one part of the organisation affected others thousands of miles away. They also grew more confident navigating complexity, leading change and supporting their teams through ambiguity.
Perhaps most importantly, strong relationships formed between individuals who had previously been disconnected. Collaboration increased. Conversations became more strategic. The organisation started to feel more like a global team rather than a collection of regional ones.
Emerging Impact
The programme has strengthened the organisation’s leadership capability in practical, visible ways. Leaders are communicating more clearly, aligning decisions more effectively and showing greater confidence in leading their teams through change. Cross‑regional trust has grown, making it easier to share knowledge and coordinate work.
There is now a more consistent approach to leadership behaviours across the business, stronger alignment behind long‑term goals and a leadership community that continues to support each other outside the formal programme.
Why LEEWAY + Wild Thinking
This programme succeeded because it combined complementary strengths. LEEWAY brought clarity of design, behavioural insight and organisational development expertise. Wild Thinking brought global facilitation experience and strong commercial understanding. Together, we created a leadership journey that felt ambitious, human and genuinely transformative.
This wasn’t simply about developing individuals — it was about shaping the culture and capability of a global leadership community. And it delivered exactly that.