Mind Group ‘Mini Programs’
Access to knowledge and information is not the key to professional learning. Our experience over the last 5 years working with thousands of leaders and professionals demonstrates that people vastly prefer a human learning experience to accelerate their development.
Mind Group’s Mini Programs are all 60-90 minute, live and interactive learning sessions. These can be delivered either in person or virtually via Zoom or Teams. Each program is built upon evidence-based research, includes practical tools and techniques, and has attained at least a 97% approval rate in both public and private organisations. The programs have been designed to be delivered either within a more conversational ‘masterclass’ format (up to 24 participants) or as an interactive seminar session with guided activities and interaction via 'chat' (up to 100 participants).
These sessions can also be extended or modularised into a face-to-face workshop format for greater depth of discussion and opportunity to practice. Further information is available on request.
Influence
Influencing others to change their thinking or behaviour isn’t easy; however, a few simple tweaks to people’s existing approaches can dramatically lift chances of success. The program explores influence research and how to practically apply it to the real influence challenges that participants bring. Experiential activities help participants see the common pitfalls we all fall into and how to avoid them to achieve stronger outcomes.
Developing High Performing Teams (includes Psychological Safety)
The research on what is needed for high performing teams and what causes them to become dysfunctional can often be surprising. This interactive session, based on the research and developed through over a decade of application, helps participants build their understanding of high performing teams and also to reflect on their own team and where simple change will make a positive difference. Practical techniques are shared that can be applied immediately to lift engagement and performance.
Feedback
According to a recent meta-analysis of over 23 thousand feedback conversations, around 1/3 of them made performance worse! This workshop is designed to help leaders build effective feedback practices. The session explores the effects of feedback on performance, motivation, the common pitfalls their unintended consequences. Models for structuring feedback are shared along with techniques to make feedback a natural and comfortable part of the way a team operates.
Managing Conflict
With ever-increasing rates of change and ambitious agendas it’s almost inevitable that people, teams and even departments can fall into periods of conflict. Some conflict can be good, for example it can be the start of positive change or valuable innovation. However, often people are not aware of what differentiates good from bad conflict. This program helps build participants’ self-awareness and provides helpful insights and techniques for preventing, managing and resolving the more negative and challenging side of interpersonal conflict.
Leadership Conversations
Conversations drive outcomes. We can all converse with our colleagues and stakeholders, but are we doing it well? Most if not all of us have sat in poor meetings, or have had discussions go off the rails, or thought actions were agreed only to find out later there is confusion? Why? How can we exert a positive and productive influence without appearing to dominate the discussion? The session provides interaction structures and tools to build confidence and achieve much more from our conversations.
‘Difficult’ Conversations
Also referred to as ‘courageous conversations’ this program helps participants recognise the source of many issues to help them have more ‘easy conversations’ and prevent the more challenging ones. The session builds self-awareness to support participants who might otherwise avoid or be the cause of conflict. Techniques are shared to help participants build their assertiveness and confidence in confronting others or providing constructive feedback.
Leading Change
Change seems to be constant, and we often handle it well. Uncertainty though is entirely different; people really struggle with uncertainty.
In this session participants explore the predictable stages of change people work through and the role of the leader to help their team at each point. We also outline the most effective ways for leaders to influence when things are uncertain. The session also includes some practical ways that leaders can increase clarity and certainty for themselves so they can then lead others more effectively.
Self-awareness and Mindset Change
“Great leadership starts with self-awareness...” We all know ourselves better than anyone else – but is there more for you to learn about you? An introspective and thought-provoking session to explore why self-awareness is so critical to good leadership and what we need to know to be the best leader we can be. The session covers key concepts including purpose, values, beliefs, attitude and mindset, with practical tools to make positive change.
Empowerment and Delegation
Effective delegation is critical for teams to achieve their goals, to develop their skills and to prevent leaders from becoming overloaded. Yet so often it goes wrong, and leaders become reluctant to allocate tasks, or truly empower others to take on more responsibility. This program takes leaders through the common pitfalls that prevent good delegation and how to overcome them to build confidence, capability, and productivity.
Innovation / Design Thinking
Innovation is much more than ‘lightbulb moments’ - it’s a process which can be readily applied by individuals, teams and organisations. This interactive session explores and highlights techniques to unleash our natural ability to think differently and to build better outcomes through innovation.
Using a Vision and Clear Goals to Achieve More
Most people when asked what their vision is for themself, their team or their organisation won’t have a compelling or clear picture to share. And why should they? What benefit could this bring to them, their team or their organisation? This session clarifies the many advantages of a clear vision and how to use it practically to prioritise and make better decisions to be more effective.
Be Good to Your Brain
With record levels of mental health issues and dementia being one of the biggest killers, it is well worth reflecting on what we can do to look after our brain. Whilst there are genetic factors at play, much of the triggers and risk factors are environmental and under our control. What’s more surprising is how simple (and enjoyable) it can be to make positive shifts that improve our brain and our mental health. This program enables a deep look in the mirror at our lifestyles and how to stimulate positive habitual change.
Cyberpsychology and AI
The average Australian spends more than 4 hours a day staring at their phone, many of us are engaging with AI more and more both at work and in our free time - what is it doing to us? What effect is it having on our physical and mental health? Our behaviour? Our attitudes? Our relationships?
This is an engaging and eye-opening session to help us build awareness and change habits to develop a healthier, more purposeful relationship with technology.
Reporting and Presenting Data for Better Decisions
Most organisations create an overwhelming amount of information and data which is intended to help make better strategic and operational decisions. In reality though, it is often stored, ignored or so dull it fails to capture the attention of decision makers long enough to change thinking or action. This session helps people to present data that is simple, substantial and compelling to enable the organisation to benefit from improved data-driven decisions.
Unconscious Bias and Inclusion
An increasingly used term in organisations is ‘unconscious bias’ - what exactly is this? Why does it matter? If it’s unconscious can we do anything about it?
Many are unaware of the biases they hold or what can be practically done to reduce the negative effects of them. Often we choose to avoid potentially beneficial conversations and instead ‘walk around on eggshells’ in an attempt not to offend people; ironically adding stress and making people feel more excluded. This session helps build awareness and simple techniques to build greater understanding and inclusion within teams.
Vulnerability and Courage
There is an increasing focus on the role of vulnerability and how it can deliver stronger outcomes for individuals, teams and organisations; but many people find it confusing and aren’t really sure what it is or how to demonstrate it as a strength. This helps participant understand the concept, its benefits and how to apply it in the real world. Practical techniques are shared to convey vulnerability as a leadership strength rather than a weakness as well as how to leverage it to build higher performing and psychologically safe teams.
Music and Psychology
One of the most exciting areas of brain research relates to the effect of listening to and playing music. Studies indicate it can help our brains to function, to develop and even to prevent their decline. What's more, it's enjoyable and we can all benefit, whatever age we are. Music and Psychology is an interactive journey through the mental benefits of music and how best to harness its potential.
For more information