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The Lightning Leadership Lab

New cohort starts in July - spaces are limited!

Join the waitlist and be the first to hear when the doors are open!

New cohort in July - spaces limited!

Join the waitlist and be the first to hear when the doors are open!

Step up into your leadership role with confidence in your competence, supported by a community of leaders

A dark-haired woman in a colourful dress is standing by a whiteboard in front of a group of women seated around a table.

Step up into your leadership role with confidence in your competence, supported by a community of leaders.

A leadership programme just for you

The Lightning Leadership Lab isn’t your typical leadership course. It’s a practical, supportive, and hands-on approach to help you become the leader you’re meant to be.

The programme has three pillars of success:

Competence

Learn proven strategies and skills across ten modules that will elevate your leadership practice and make you a more effective leader.

Confidence

Apply what you learn immediately, with feedback, mentoring, and encouragement at every step, so you can see the results in real time.

Community

You’ll be surrounded by fellow first-time leaders, forming a supportive network that will cheer you on and challenge you to grow.

A leadership programme just for you

The Lightning Leadership Lab isn’t your typical leadership course. It’s a practical, supportive, and hands-on approach to help you become the leader you’re meant to be.

The programme has three pillars of success:

Competence

Learn proven strategies and skills across ten modules that will elevate your leadership practice and make you a more effective leader.

Confidence

Apply what you learn immediately, with feedback, mentoring, and encouragement at every step, so you can see the results in real time.

Community

You’ll be surrounded by fellow first-time leaders, forming a supportive network that will cheer you on and challenge you to grow.

Competence

Learn proven strategies and skills across ten modules that will elevate your leadership practice and make you a more effective leader.

Confidence

Apply what you learn immediately, with feedback, mentoring, and encouragement at every step, so you can see the results in real time.

Community

You’ll be surrounded by fellow first-time leaders, forming a supportive network that will cheer you on and challenge you to grow.

Client Testimonial

“I am thrilled to recommend Daria Williamson for her outstanding work as our Leadership Facilitator over the past 2.5 years. Her expertise and tailored approach have significantly enhanced our leadership skills and fostered a collaborative environment. Daria’s professionalism and genuine passion for leadership have made her an invaluable asset to Ngahuia Group.”
A black and white photo of a dark-haired woman standing in front of a light wall. She is wearing glasses, and smiling at the camera as she holds up a wooden shoe form.
Lesley Francis-Ziogas
Chief Executive Officer, Ngahuia Group (Hannahs, Number One Shoes, Torpedo7)

Here’s what you’ll get in The Lightning Leadership Lab

Onboarding package:
Kick off your journey by exploring your unique personal strengths with a set of The Strengths Deck cards and a copy of Daria Williamson’s book ‘Unleash Your Awesome’.  You’ll also receive a set of the Emotional Culture Deck cards, and online assessments to help you understand your values and personality.

Before tackling the first module, you’ll enjoy an individual debrief session with Daria about your strengths, and a group debrief on values and personality, and how they influence your leadership.

Ten Modules per year:
Each module focuses on a different aspect of leadership, tailored specifically to the skills and knowledge you need as a new leader, including building self-awareness, effective goal-setting, giving transformational feedback, and how to coach your team to success

The programme is designed to fit into your busy schedule, by breaking everything down into bite-sized pieces.

  • Pre-work: At the start of each month, you’ll receive videos, articles, and resources designed to introduce key concepts, models, and tools. You’ll get familiar with the material before attending the live workshop, where you’ll apply what you’ve learned to your team and work.
  • Workshops: Every month, you’ll join a two-hour live workshop where you will collaborate with other leaders to role-play, solve challenges, and create action plans to apply your learning.
  • Homework Homelab Reflection: Run experiments with your learning, then submit a written or video reflection on what worked, what didn’t, and what you’ll do differently in the future, with tailored feedback from Daria.
  • Office Hours: Join optional drop-in sessions to ask questions, get advice, and  receive feedback, mentoring, and encouragement.
  • Community: Connect with other first-time leaders in a private, supportive online group. Share your wins, and celebrate one another’s success.
  • Access to a knowledge repository: Revisit recorded sessions, and get your hands on presentations, templates, and more to support your learning journey.
  • Optional coaching: Sign up to receive coaching from Daria. Coaching is available as an add-on to the programme, or as a one-off session (additional costs apply).
The total time required per month for the programme is around 8 hours, allocated as follows:
  • Pre-work: 20-30 minutes to read/watch material, 30-90 minutes self-guided reflection to consider how you could apply the insights to your work.
    ➡️ You decide how to make this fit into your schedule – some people like to get it done right away in one block, others prefer to break it down into chunks across several weeks.
  • Workshop: 2 hours once a month, in the middle of the month to allow you time to digest and reflect on the pre-work.
  • Homelab Reflection: 2-4 hours to put your actions into practice, complete your reflection, and read through the feedback you receive.
    ➡️ Again, you decide how to make this work for your schedule. That said, the best results come when you do little and often, as this helps you to build effective new leadership habits that will last you a lifetime.

Onboarding package:
Kick off your journey by exploring your unique personal strengths with a set of The Strengths Deck cards and a copy of Daria Williamson’s book ‘Unleash Your Awesome’.  You’ll also receive a set of the Emotional Culture Deck cards, and online assessments to help you understand your values and personality.

Before tackling the first module, you’ll enjoy an individual debrief session with Daria about your strengths, and a group debrief on values and personality, and how they influence your leadership.

Ten Modules per year:
Each module focuses on a different aspect of leadership, tailored specifically to the skills and knowledge you need as a new leader, including building self-awareness, effective goal-setting, giving transformational feedback, and how to coach your team to success

The programme is designed to fit into your busy schedule, by breaking everything down into bite-sized pieces.

  • Pre-work: At the start of each month, you’ll receive videos, articles, and resources designed to introduce key concepts, models, and tools. You’ll get familiar with the material before attending the live workshop, where you’ll apply what you’ve learned to your team and work.
  • Workshops: Every month, you’ll join a two-hour live workshop where you will collaborate with other leaders to role-play, solve challenges, and create action plans to apply your learning.
  • Homework Homelab Reflection: Run experiments with your learning, then submit a written or video reflection on what worked, what didn’t, and what you’ll do differently in the future, with tailored feedback from Daria.
  • Office Hours: Join optional drop-in sessions to ask questions, get advice, and  receive feedback, mentoring, and encouragement.
  • Community: Connect with other first-time leaders in a private, supportive online group. Share your wins, and celebrate one another’s success.
  • Access to a knowledge repository: Revisit recorded sessions, and get your hands on presentations, templates, and more to support your learning journey.
  • Optional coaching: Sign up to receive coaching from Daria. Coaching is available as an add-on to the programme, or as a one-off session (additional costs apply).
The total time required per month for the programme is around 8 hours, allocated as follows:
  • Pre-work: 20-30 minutes to read/watch material, 30-90 minutes self-guided reflection to consider how you could apply the insights to your work.
    ➡️ You decide how to make this fit into your schedule – some people like to get it done right away in one block, others prefer to break it down into chunks across several weeks.
  • Workshop: 2 hours once a month, in the middle of the month to allow you time to digest and reflect on the pre-work.
  • Homelab Reflection: 2-4 hours to put your actions into practice, complete your reflection, and read through the feedback you receive.
    ➡️ Again, you decide how to make this work for your schedule. That said, the best results come when you do little and often, as this helps you to build effective new leadership habits that will last you a lifetime.

Meet your programme leader: Daria Williamson

Daria Williamson brings a unique blend of HR expertise, leadership coaching, and an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by first-time leadersAs the creator of The Strengths Deck and author of Unleash Your Awesome, Daria has helped countless leaders navigate the rocky path from individual contributor to effective leader.

What makes Daria special?

She’s been in your shoes: Daria knows what it feels like to be thrown into a leadership role without preparation. She designed this programme to provide the training, support, and community she wished she had when she first started leading.

A practical, high-impact approach: Daria’s approach is hands-on and real. There are no fluffy theories here—only tools and strategies that work in the real world.

A deep understanding of strengths: Through her work with The Strengths Deck, Daria helps leaders uncover their unique strengths and use them to lead authentically.

Daria, a dark-haired woman in a black, pink, yellow, and blue dress, is smiling at the camera. Behind her is a solid mid-blue background.

What makes Daria special?

She’s been in your shoes: Daria knows what it feels like to be thrown into a leadership role without preparation. She designed this programme to provide the training, support, and community she wished she had when she first started leading.

A practical, high-impact approach: Daria’s approach is hands-on and real. There are no fluffy theories here—only tools and strategies that work in the real world.

A deep understanding of strengths: Through her work with The Strengths Deck, Daria helps leaders uncover their unique strengths and use them to lead authentically.

Daria, a dark-haired woman in a black, pink, yellow, and blue dress, is smiling at the camera. Behind her is a solid mid-blue background.

Client Testimonials

“Daria was fantastic, the subjects we covered were deeply explained and Daria had even gone out of her way to help us with ''on hands'' dealings which we were experiencing on the floor, which had given me a new perspective on how to view/tackle things.”
JCR
Former leadership programme participant
“I enjoyed the topics relating to how to become better leaders. I liked the approach taken in teaching and Daria's relatable approach in presenting. I found Daria excellent and have only commendations for her.”
CW
Former leadership programme participant

Your investment

The Lightning Leadership Lab is more than just a course—it’s an investment in your long-term leadership success.

Choose the best option for you:

Programme

10 monthly modules to elevate your leadership practice and make you a more effective leader.

Programme + Coaching

Everything in the programme, plus five 60-min coaching sessions at your convenience.

Standalone Coaching

You can add a one-off 60-min coaching session to your programme at any time.

$2,150 + GST
(or $239/month + GST if paid monthly)

$3,390 + GST
(or $369/month + GST if paid monthly)

$295 + GST
per session

Programme

10 monthly modules to elevate your leadership practice and make you a more effective leader.

$2,150 + GST
(or $239/month + GST if paid monthly)

Programme + Coaching

Everything in the programme, plus five 60-min coaching sessions at your convenience.

$3,390 + GST
(or $369/month + GST if paid monthly)

Standalone Coaching

You can add a one-off 60-min coaching session to your programme at any time.

$295 + GST
per session

All programme options have a $495 + GST onboarding payment to secure your place and cover your onboarding package, which includes The Strengths Deck, Unleash Your Awesome, the Emotional Culture Deck, your personal values and personality assessment, and your debrief sessions.

Special offer: 50% off the joining fee if you sign up by 13th June 2025!

Get your application underway today!

Special offer: 50% off the joining fee if you sign up by 13th June 2025!

Get your application underway today!

Group discounts available for teams of three or more. Contact me for details.

If you need help applying to your organisation for your professional development budget, contact me for a succinct business case you can share with your manager.

Client Testimonial

“Daria is an amazing practitioner, able to lead individuals and teams forward, through the sticky and uncomfortable and into the stuff of real change. She has a great sense for business, and for people. Daria is simply brilliant!”
A dark-haired woman standing in front of a dark wall. She is wearing a sleeveless top and chunky pearl necklace and earrings
Tracey Cunningham
Director, Science and Wellbeing Australia

Are you ready?

Is it time to build your leadership competence, confidence, and community?

The Lightning Leadership Lab is waiting for you. Apply to join the waitlist today and start leading with impact.

Client Testimonial

“As Daria sets really high standards for herself, her clients are truly fortunate with and can expect immaculate outcomes. She takes time to get to know you and genuinely wants to achieve the best there is for you. Due to this, give her the freedom to recommend an enhanced version of your dreams. Couldn’t recommend a better practitioner.”
A woman is seated next to a plant, smiling at the camera. She is wearing a floral patterned top with a dark cardigan, and a burgandy hijab.
Shahana
Senior HR Professional

Book your call

Join the waitlist

If you want to be the first in the know when the doors open for the next cohort, join the waitlist here.

When you sign up, you’ll also get free access to several valuable resources to boost your leadership.

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