The Lightning Leadership Lab
Step up into your leadership role with confidence in your competence, supported by a community of leaders
Step up into your leadership role with confidence in your competence, supported by a community of leaders.
Promoted to leadership without any training?
You’re not alone—and The Lightning Leadership Lab is here to help.
Build the competence, confidence, and community you need to thrive in your new role with this engaging, supportive, and practical programme.
Transitioning to leadership is tough
Here’s why you’re feeling stuck:
You were an exceptional individual contributor—so much so that you were promoted to a leadership role. But suddenly, the rules changed:
- From peer to boss: You’re no longer “one of the team”; you’re “management.” This shift brings a loss of camaraderie and a sense of loneliness and disconnection.
- New challenges, no training: You’re expected to lead your team and deliver results, but no one trained you how to lead.
- Imposter thinking: You wonder if your team or boss will figure out that you’re making it up as you go.
- No feedback: You only hear when things go wrong, making it hard to know if you’re on the right path.
- Loneliness and pressure: Old relationships have changed, and new ones haven’t formed yet. It’s easy to feel isolated.
You were an exceptional individual contributor—so much so that you were promoted to a leadership role. But suddenly, the rules changed:
From peer to boss: You’re no longer “one of the team”; you’re “management.” This shift brings a loss of camaraderie and a sense of loneliness and disconnection.
New challenges, no training: You’re expected to lead your team and deliver results, but no one trained you how to lead.
Imposter thinking: You wonder if your team or boss will figure out that you’re making it up as you go.
No feedback: You only hear when things go wrong, making it hard to know if you’re on the right path.
Loneliness and pressure: Old relationships have changed, and new ones haven’t formed yet. It’s easy to feel isolated.
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
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.
HomeworkHomelab 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).
- 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.
HomeworkHomelab 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).
- 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 leaders. As 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.
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.
Client Testimonials
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.
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
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
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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