Mid Level Leader

Leader Lab Simulation Workshop

Delivering an organisational strategy requires both business acumen and an enterprise mindset, which can be surprisingly elusive. Consequently, even among those regarded as ‘key talent’, the fundamentals of business and strategic acumen are often lacking. As a result, up to 95% of strategic plans fail in organisations today. Join Stephanie Peskett, Joint MD for BTS Australia, to discover why leadership succession is one of today’s biggest business challenges and how high-fidelity simulations can help you identify and prepare future leaders effectively. This engaging and interactive workshop will include: Introduction to Leadership Succession Understand the critical importance of leadership succession and its impact on business stability and growth. Identifying the ‘Right Stuff’ Learn why many organisations look for the right traits in the wrong way and how to align your criteria with your company’s culture and strategy. High-Fidelity Simulations Experience a high-fidelity simulation designed to test-drive leaders’ potential. These simulations provide real-time, real-world assessments of leadership capabilities. Case Studies and Real-World Examples Explore case studies, including how companies like LVMH manage their succession planning and the consequences of poor planning. Interactive Discussion Engage in discussions about common failures in succession planning and share your experiences with peers. Developing a Robust Pipeline Learn how to build a strong, future-focused success profile that aligns stakeholders and mitigates risks.

Strengthening talent and leadership development in the aluminum industry

Client need  A leading global aluminum products manufacturer faced a pivotal challenge: how to create a unified, empowered workforce in a highly decentralized organization. With each business unit operating autonomously, the company recognized the need for global learning programs that complemented localized efforts and aligned with both its business and HR strategies. To address this, the organization launched a “Corporate Learning University,” a multi-year initiative designed to transform its employee development approach. BTS partnered with the company’s HR and L&D leaders to co-create a portfolio of programs tailored to diverse roles and career levels across the enterprise. Solution  The transformation began with a clear vision: align learning with strategic outcomes to unify and empower a decentralized workforce. BTS partnered with the company to create an impact map that directly connected business priorities—such as financial performance, safety, and employee engagement—to the skills and behaviors needed at each level of the organization.. This map defined clear learning objectives, such as: Fostering unity and collaboration across a decentralized organization. Enhancing business acumen to help employees contribute more effectively. Instilling a shared sense of leadership aligned with company values. With these objectives as a guide, BTS and the client designed programs that engaged employees throughout their career journeys. For mid-level leaders, the Leadership Development Program provided a transformative nine-month journey built around two workshops and supported by an online journey. The first workshop, “Leading Self,” introduced Liz Wiseman’s Multipliers framework, enabling leaders to amplify their team’s potential through role-plays and practical exercises. The second workshop immersed participants in a three-day customized business simulation where they acted as CEOs, navigating scenarios like customer satisfaction, safety, and profitability across simulated fiscal years. The program portfolio extended further, including: Training for frontline leaders, focusing on operational excellence and team management. Executive development sessions tailored to senior leaders, emphasizing strategic alignment and culture building. By embedding business strategy into every program, the company established a cohesive learning ecosystem that strengthened leadership capability, reinforced collaboration, and accelerated organizational impact. Results  The co-designed programs delivered measurable benefits, helping the organization advance its safety, engagement, and financial goals. Key outcomes included: Actionable business improvements aligned with strategy: Financial performance: Optimized production schedules and reduced inventory levels to boost cash flow. Operational efficiency: Empowered managers to improve asset utilization and focus on controllable budget items. Cultural transformation: Integrated the Multipliers framework to foster collaboration, daily CapEx reviews, and safety-focused onboarding for new hires. Leadership excellence: Increased coaching and feedback frequency to enhance communication and alignment. These initiatives not only elevated employee engagement but also positioned the manufacturer as an industry leader in workplace culture and operational performance. By integrating business and HR strategy into every facet of learning, BTS enabled the aluminum manufacturer to achieve its vision of becoming the most exciting place to work and invest in its industry. The programs are a testament to the power of customized results-oriented leadership development, creating a foundation for long-term success.

High-velocity talent strategies for a changing world

Work is evolving faster than most talent models can keep up. AI, automation, and shifting employee expectations are reshaping how organisations attract, develop, and retain people. Traditional approaches—designed for predictability—are falling short in a world defined by disruption. High-velocity talent strategies—built for adaptability, resilience, and continuous learning—are quickly becoming non-negotiable. The organisations that thrive won’t just fill roles. They’ll create ecosystems where people can stretch, grow, and stay relevant. Today, trust, fairness, and career agency aren’t nice-to-haves—they’re make-or-break. In the age of AI, helping employees stay skilled means helping them stay employed. And that requires rethinking not just how we manage talent, but how we design work itself. The best organisations don’t just manage talent—they architect environments where it thrives.

Dancing with disruption

It pulses through every strategy, decision, and interaction, shaping how businesses grow, compete, and evolve.  In the past, change followed familiar rhythms—planning cycles, product launches, leadership transitions. It felt manageable, something leaders could direct from the top down. But today, the nature of change has fundamentally evolved. Disruption is more frequent, more intense, and more interconnected. And it’s not just coming from the outside—it’s emerging from within.  A shift in customer behavior or technology can ripple across teams, functions, and markets in an instant. Traditional structures built for predictability don’t just slow execution—they create drag: delayed decisions, misalignment, and missed signals. Success now demands the ability to move as one—quickly and without a perfect playbook. Real-time alignment between strategy, execution, and people is the new imperative.  Certain catalysts—market shifts, leadership transitions, AI integration—make change feel like a discrete event. But the real story lies between the headlines. It’s the steady accumulation of smaller shifts—in behaviors, mindsets, and ways of working—that determines whether an organization adapts or stalls. Mastering change readiness means recognizing both the visible spikes and the deeper, persistent currents.  Yet many change efforts remain piecemeal focused on tools, communications, or isolated initiatives. That’s not enough. 

Da Assessment a Talent Insights – Il Talento in 3D (Data Driven Decision)

In questo evento ti porteremo a esplorare il talento da una nuova prospettiva, attraverso le dimensioni fondamentali che cambiano il modo di leggere e valorizzare il potenziale delle persone: Data Driven – per andare oltre le impressioni e misurare la prontezza e il potenziale in modo oggettivo e approfondito. Decision – facilitate dall’utilizzo di una piattaforma integrata che connette Assessment, feedback e sviluppo e dal supporto dell’intelligenza artificiale. Sarà anche un’occasione di dialogo con clienti che condivideranno casi reali e storie di trasformazione, dimostrando come l’Assessment possa generare valore strategico e immediato. Ti aspettiamo per un’esperienza immersiva dedicata a chi vuole superare la logica dell’Assessment come fotografia statica e abbracciare una visione dinamica e predittiva orientata al superamento delle sfide future.

How to avoid the AI fizzle

In the 1990s, Business Process Reengineering (BPR) was the Big Bet. Companies launched tightly controlled pilot programs with hand-picked teams, custom software, and executive backing. The results dazzled on paper.  But when it came time to scale? Reality hit. People weren’t ready. Systems didn’t connect. Budgets dried up. The pilot became a cautionary tale, not a blueprint.  We’ve seen this before with Lean, Agile, even digital transformations. Now it’s happening again with AI—only this time, the stakes are different. Because we’re not just implementing a new solution, we’re building into a future that’s unfolding. Technology is evolving faster than most organizations can learn, govern, or adapt right now. That uncertainty doesn’t make transformation impossible—but it does make it easier to get wrong.  And the dysfunction is already showing up—just in two very different forms.  Two roads to the same cliff  Today, we see organizations falling into two extremes. Most companies are either overdoing the control or letting AI run wild.   Road 1: The free-for-all Everyone’s experimenting. Product teams are building bots, prompting, using copilots. Finance is trying automated reporting. HR has a feedback chatbot in the works. Some experiments are exciting. Most are disconnected. There's no shared vision, no scaling pathway, and no learning across the enterprise. It’s innovation by coincidence.  Road 2: The forced march Leadership declares an AI strategy. Use cases are approved centrally. Governance is tight. Risk is managed. But the result? An impressive PowerPoint, a sanctioned use case, and very little broad adoption. Innovation is constrained before it ever reaches the front lines.  Two very different environments. Same outcome: localized wins, system-wide inertia.  The real problem: Building for optics, not for scale  Whether you’re over-governing or under-coordinating, the root issue is the same: Designing efforts that look good but aren’t built to scale.  Here’s the familiar pattern:  A team builds something clever.  It works in their context.  Others try to adopt it.  It doesn’t stick.  Momentum dies. Energy scatters. Or worse, compliance says no.  Sound familiar?  It’s not that the ideas are flawed. It’s that they’re built in isolation with no plan for others to adopt, adapt, or scale them. There’s no mechanism for transfer, no feedback loops for iteration, and no connection to how people actually work across the organization.  So, what starts as a promising AI breakthrough—a smart bot, a helpful copilot, a detailed series of prompts, a slick automation—quietly runs out of road. It works for one team or solves one problem, but without a handoff or playbook, there’s no way for others to plug in. The system stays the same, and the promise of momentum fades, lost in the gap between what’s possible and what’s repeatable.  We've seen this before  These aren’t new problems. From BPR to Agile, we’ve learned (and re-learned) that:  Experiments are not strategies. Experiments show potential, not readiness for adoption. Without a plan to scale, they become isolated wins—interesting, but not transformative.  Culture is the operating system. If the beliefs, behaviors, and incentives underneath aren’t aligned, the system breaks—no matter how advanced the tools.  Managers matter. Without their ownership and support, change stalls.  Behavior beats code. Tools don’t transform companies. People do.  Design thinking promised to bridge this gap with user-driven iteration and empathy. But in practice? Most efforts skip the hard parts. We tinker, test, and move on—without ever building the conditions for adoption.   AI and the new architecture of work  Many organizations treat AI like an add-on as if its something to bolt onto existing systems to boost efficiency. But AI isn’t just a project or just a tool—it changes the rules of how decisions are made, how value is created, and what roles even exist.  It’s an inflection point that forces companies to rethink how work gets done.  Companies making real progress aren’t just chasing use cases. They’re rethinking how their organizations operate, end to end. They’re asking:  Have we prepared people to reimagine how they work with AI—not just how to use it?  Are we redesigning workflows, decision rights, and interactions—not just layering new tech onto old routines?  Do we know what success looks like when it’s scaled and sustained—not just when it dazzles?  If the answer is no—whether you’re too loose or too locked down—you’re not ready.  The mindset shift AI demands  AI isn’t just a tech rollout. It’s a mindset shift that asks leaders to reimagine how value gets created, how teams operate, and how people grow. But that reimagination isn’t about the tools. The tools will change…rapidly. It starts with new assumptions, new stances and a new internal leader compass.   Here are three essential mindset shifts every leader must make, not just to keep up with AI but to stay relevant in a world being reshaped by it:  1. From automation to amplification Old mindset: AI automates tasks and cuts costs. New mindset: AI expands and amplifies human potential enhancing our ability to think strategically, learn rapidly and act boldly. The question isn’t what AI can do instead of us but what it can do through us – helping people make better decisions, move faster, and focus on higher-value work. 2. From efficiency to reimagination Old mindset: How can we use AI to make current processes more efficient? New mindset: What would this process look like if we started from zero with AI as our co-creator, not a bolt on?  3. From implementation to opportunity building Old mindset: Roll out the tool. Train everybody. Check the box. New mindset: AI fluency is a new core human capability creating new realms of curiosity, sophistication in judgement and opportunity thinking. Soon, AI won’t be a one-time training. It will be a part of how we define leadership, collaboration and value creation.   From sparkles to scale  In most organizations, the spark isn’t the problem—good ideas are everywhere. What’s missing is the ability to translate those isolated wins into something durable, repeatable, and enterprise wide.  Too many pilots are built to impress, not to endure. They dazzle in one corner of the business but aren’t designed for others to adopt, adapt, or sustain. The result? Innovation that stays stuck in the lab—or dies.  Designing for scale means thinking beyond the “what” to the “how”:  How will this spread?  What behaviors and systems need to change?  Can this live in our whole world, not just my ‘sandbox’?  It’s not about chasing the next use case. It’s about setting up the conditions that allow innovation to take root, grow, and multiply—without starting from scratch every time.  Here’s how to make that shift: 1. Test in the wild, not just the lab Skip the polished demo. Put your solution in the hands of real users, in real conditions, with all the friction that comes with it. Use messy data. Invite resistance. That’s where the insights live—and where scale begins. If it only works in ideal settings, it doesn’t work. 2. Mobilize managers Executives sponsor. Front lines experiment. But it’s team leaders who connect and spread. Equip them as translators and expediters, not blockers. Every leader is a change leader. 3. Hardwire behaviors, not just tools The biggest unlock in AI is not the model—it’s the muscle. Invest in shared language, habits, and peer learning that support new ways of working. Focus on developing behaviors that scale, such as:  Change readiness: the ability to constantly spot opportunity, turn obstacles into new possibilities and help teams pivot  Coaching: getting the best out of your AI “co-workers” just like human ones  Critical thinking: applying human judgment where it matters most—context, nuance, and ethics 4. Align to a future state vision To scale beyond one-off wins, people need a shared sense of where they’re headed. A clear future-state vision acts as an enduring focus—allowing everyone to innovate in concert. That alignment doesn’t stifle innovation. It multiplies it—turning a thousand disconnected pilots into a coherent transformation.  5. Track adoption, not just ’wins’ Don’t mistake a shiny, cleaver prompt for progress. A great experiment means nothing if it can’t be repeated by many, many people. From day one, design with scale in mind: Can this be adopted elsewhere? What would need to change for it to work across teams, roles, or regions? Build for transfer, not just applause.  The real opportunity  AI will not fail because the tech wasn’t good enough. It will fail because we mistook experiments for solutions—or because we governed innovation into paralysis.  You don’t need more control. You don’t need more chaos. You need design for scale—not just scale in hindsight.  Let’s stop chasing sparkles. Let’s build systems that spread. 

The new era of coaching is here

Executive transition playbook first 100 days 

Executive transitions are among the most critical moments in an organization’s lifecycle. When a leader steps into a new executive role, it impacts not only the strategic direction but also the organizational culture, stakeholder relationships, and overall business performance. If managed poorly, transitions can lead to disruptions such as loss of institutional knowledge, diminished team morale, and financial challenges.  The reality is that many executive transitions don’t go as planned. According to Harvard Business Review, 50% of new executives fail or leave within 18 months, potentially costing the organization up to ten times their salary. Additionally, Korn/Ferry reports that only 30% of global executives are satisfied with their onboarding process. These statistics underscore the need for a strategic approach to ensure successful leadership transitions.  Several years ago, I worked with the new CFO of a $6B division of a $40B manufacturing organization. She transitioned from corporate headquarters to a division, which had a markedly different culture. Her challenge was not only adjusting to a new environment. It meant embedding herself in an unfamiliar culture, building trust with her C-suite peers, and establishing herself as a strategic advisor to the CEO—all while leading a team uncertain about its future.  To further complicate the transition, the division was being acquired, and her team faced nine months of incredibly heavy work with no guarantee of securing future roles in the new organization. Despite these challenges, by receiving the right executive advisory transition support, she navigated the complexities, built trust quickly, and inspired her team to stay committed, even when the nine months turned into 18.  Executive transitions are pivotal moments for organizations. They require careful planning, clear communication, and focused support to ensure a smooth and successful transition. Below are four key considerations for senior leaders to manage transitions effectively and with confidence. 1. Understand the ecosystem: stakeholder mapping and engagement As you step into this new role, understanding the organization’s ecosystem is one of the first and most crucial steps. Every organization has its own dynamics—how departments, teams, and individuals interact, how decisions are made, and where power and influence lie. It’s important to map out not only formal authority but also informal networks and relationships. This will help you navigate internal politics, align your strategies, and avoid potential pitfalls that could derail your efforts.  Stakeholders are key to your success—both in the short term and for the long-term execution of your vision. Their support can unlock resources, enable smoother decision-making, and lead to faster buy-in. However, if you don’t identify and understand key stakeholders early on, you risk spending valuable time and energy in the wrong areas or missing out on insights that could shape your strategy.  I recently advised a new SVP of R&D for a $50B pharmaceutical company who was transitioning into this role from academia. We’ll call him Nate. One of his first areas of focus was understanding and connecting with key stakeholders in this highly matrixed organization around the world. Nate formed relationships, sought to understood their roles and their areas of expertise, and learned what is important to them. This has enabled him to speed up what is often a daunting transition from academia to quickly become embedded in the business and drive positive change.  Navigating the ecosystem can be tricky, especially when not all stakeholders are immediately visible. Some people may wield significant influence without holding formal authority, while others may be new to the organization or going through their own transitions, which could affect their willingness to support yours.  Executive ecosystem checklist:  Identify key stakeholders: Identify both formal and informal influencers. Understand their roles, influence, and how their priorities align with yours.  Conduct listening tours: Take the time to engage stakeholders through one-on-one conversations. Listening to their concerns, needs, and aspirations will give you a broader view of the challenges and opportunities ahead.  Understand motivation and metrics: Recognize what each stakeholder needs to achieve and how they measure success. This understanding will help you align goals and collaborate effectively.  Build relationships early: Establish trust by engaging with key stakeholders from the start. Understanding their perspectives and setting the foundation for collaboration is essential for a smooth transition. 2. Communicate a compelling vision: aligning and inspiring your team In your new role, one of the first things you’ll need to do is communicate a clear and compelling vision. This vision should not only align with the organization’s broader goals but also provide your team with a clear direction. As a senior leader, your ability to communicate this vision effectively will be pivotal to driving alignment and motivating those around you.  It’s about more than just outlining a plan—it’s about inspiring action. Crafting a vision that resonates with your team and stakeholders will give them a sense of purpose and direction, especially during a time of uncertainty. To successfully execute this vision, your communication needs to go beyond simply being clear. It must be compelling and motivating. The clearer and more inspiring you can be, the more quickly you’ll build the trust and commitment necessary to lead your team forward.  Nate communicated his vision with passion and energy that inspired others. He also showed genuine curiosity and care for the organization and people within it, so they wanted to buy into his inspiring vision and deliver on it.  Executive vision checklist:  Align with organizational goals: Ensure your vision is aligned with the strategic objectives of the organization. This alignment will ensure that you and your team are working toward the same long-term goals.  Communicate clearly: Convey your vision in a way that resonates with your team and stakeholders. Use your communication skills to inspire confidence, trust, and action.  Inspire and motivate: Use your vision not just as a roadmap but as a source of motivation for your team. Help them see their role in achieving the broader goals, making the work meaningful and engaging. This is much easier said than done. Remember that numbers engage those in levels above you, however they are not inspiring for those at levels below.  3. Develop a strong strategic plan: laying the foundation for long-term success A strong strategic plan to guide your transition and ramp up your impact is essential as you step into your new leadership role. This plan should outline your immediate goals, long-term objectives, and key milestones to mark your progress and success. It’s important to approach your planning with an understanding of the organization’s broader strategy and how your goals align with it. While your experience gives you the strategic insight to create a plan, remember that flexibility is key. A transition period often comes with uncertainty, so your plan should be adaptable to changing circumstances and evolving challenges.  As you lead through change, creating a clear roadmap helps you set expectations and provide clarity for your team. At the same time, it’s important to recognize that no plan is without its risks. Identifying potential challenges and understanding how to manage them proactively will set your organization up for success in both the short and long term.  Nate sparked bold, future-focused thinking on his team while communicating long-term strategic priorities related to how to invest wisely to grow the portfolio. He advocated for impactful portfolio investments while engaging in open, strategic dialogue to ensure his team would contribute meaningfully to, and own, the strategy.  Executive strategy checklist:  Set clear success objectives: Define what success looks like in the first 6 to 12 months. Engage your leadership team in setting achievable goals that align with the broader strategy.  Identify potential barriers: Identify potential challenges, such as misalignment or lack of support, and create contingency plans to navigate them.  Develop a flexible roadmap: Create a strategy that balances structured goals with the flexibility to adapt as needed based on evolving circumstances. Build in check points along to way to allow for reset. 4. Evaluate, build, and engage the team: ensuring alignment and high performance As you settle into your new role, evaluating and aligning your team is critical. You’ll need to assess whether the team structure is equipped to execute your strategic plan. Do you have the right people in the right positions? Are there any gaps or opportunities for development? This is a delicate process and requires a deep understanding of both individual and collective team dynamics. Building a high-performing team isn’t just about filling positions. It’s about fostering a culture of collaboration, psychological safety, and shared ownership of your vision. Strong teams don’t just execute strategy—they innovate, problem-solve, and drive business results. Your leadership will be pivotal in shaping that culture and creating the environment where your team can thrive.  Nate quickly built trust through openness, thoughtfulness, and respect while encouraging collaborative thinking and cross-functional idea sharing within his organization. As a result, his team was positioned to lead significant initiatives that will positively effect the future of the business.  Executive team checklist:  Evaluate and align the team: Assess your team’s structure and capabilities in the context of your strategic goals and roadmap to ensure you have the right people in the right roles, and identify areas for development. Align and engage the team to drive your strategy forward.  Foster a culture of collaboration: Create an environment where open communication and constructive conflict are encouraged. This will enable the team to make better decisions and solve complex problems together.  Invest in building a high-performing team: Continuously invest in developing your team’s skills, fostering collaboration, and guiding them to ensure alignment with your broader strategic goals.  Set the stage for true transformation  Stepping into a new executive role is more than just a leadership shift—it’s a pivotal moment for both you and the organization. The challenges are significant, and the stakes are high, but this transition also offers a powerful opportunity to shape the future. The actions you take early on are crucial in establishing your credibility and influence, setting the tone for your leadership from day one.  How you navigate these early challenges will define both your immediate success and your long-term legacy within the organization. This transition isn’t just about managing change—it’s about actively shaping it. By embracing a structured, strategic approach, you can turn uncertainty into a clear roadmap for growth and transformation.  The more you invest in understanding the organizational ecosystem, building your team, and aligning your vision, the better equipped you’ll be to lead with confidence, inspire loyalty, and drive the organization forward.  Ultimately, this transition is not just a phase to endure—it’s a defining moment that can elevate the organization and set the stage for sustained success. Make it count. 

Are you leaving employees better off or burned out?

This is why your best people are quietly disengaging

Reorg ready roadmap: What great leaders do before, during, and after the change

In times of major organizational change, structure alone doesn’t guarantee success. The difference-maker is leadership—leadership that takes into account the uncertainty, the lack of clarity, and the need to engage and support your teams in new ways and propels the organization forward. Our research and work with organizations undergoing complex transformations has underscored the fact that leadership before, during, and after reorganization requires careful attention to how you react and show up to others. It means doubling down on showing up with clarity when roles are undefined; building trust while systems are still forming; and translating structural blueprints into real-world behavior. Through each phase, one theme remains constant: thriving in transformation isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about how you lead in the fog, under pressure, and beyond the launch. The leaders who do this well don’t just survive change—they shape and define what comes next.

Why AI experiments are key to workplace learning