Aspire to inspire

Embrace the opportunities and challenges of new leadership roles

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Key information

Who's it for?

High potential / aspiring leaders

Duration

Asynchronous: 4 hours (18%)
Synchronous: 15 hours (40%)
In-person: 16 hours (42%)

Cost

Dependent on location. See details

Format

Experiential and blended

Dates

Dependent on location. See details

Accreditation

45 hours of CPD Credit

The demand for good leadership in our organizations and in society has never been greater. We face problems that are complex and interconnected - problems that can only be solved by people who see the bigger picture and adapt to an ever-changing context. The Common Purpose Programme is designed to create a new generation of leadership. Are you ready to remove self-doubt, break through barriers, aspire to inspire, and grow the foundations needed for future success?

Who we work with

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Who is it for?

High-potential, aspiring, new, or first-time managers who want to:

  • Build their confidence 
  • Produce a wider impact
  • Make more intentional choices
  • Adapt quickly
  • Take on increased responsibility
  • Lead effectively through challenging times

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Linsey Jonsson
Organizational Lead for Publishing Services, Publich Health Scotland
"Fantastic programme. It opened up my mind to new ways of thinking and doing things. I hope this experience, plus a commitment to be more reflective by questioning my leadership and actively seeking feedback from others, will make a difference in my leadership as I continue to develop my craft."

The programme experience

What you can expect on your programme

Active transformational learning

Highly interactive, hands-on format, experiential, social learning offering an opportunity to practice new behaviours and learn by doing.

Real world

Rooted in real and live issues in a local context. Explored through the eyes of inspirational leaders who share how leadership works in their world.

Powerful networks

Access to ongoing support from a diverse peer group and where you can work together on personal leadership challenges that matter to you.

World class facilitators

Our facilitators co-design an experiential journey and psychologically safe space for learning in partnership with you, creating the conditions for rich feedback, open sharing, and experimentation

Skills, mindsets & knowledge

We explore the three conditions needed to thrive in an ever-changing world, from attitudes and perspectives, to taking an actionable approach

Practical tools and tactics

Real takeaways that you can continue to practice and apply in your everyday work

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How it works

The programme themes

How to lead successfully in the changing world of work

1
Introduction to Cultural Intelligence (CQ)

Consider what is multi-faceted culture, how it anchors people and what might we consciously choose to adapt/flex in our approach or behaviour to adapt and thrive.

2
Embracing difference

Explore what differences people can bring to leadership, and the importance of becoming comfortable in unfamiliar environments.

3
Actively seeking feedback

Consider how to increase the quality of feedback we receive and how we respond to it.

4
Adapting our approach

Explore what we can do differently in our leadership when we are faced with different contexts and experiences to what we might be used to.

How to work with others in a positive way

1
Practising Cultural Intelligence (CQ)

Consider the complex nature of working with people who are different to us.

2
Unlocking diversity

Explore the ways in which we can empower teams to deliver results by effectively leveraging the diversity that makes people unique. 

3
Suspending assumptions

Consider the importance of challenging assumptions, to become more open to wider possibilities, to improve how we can make decisions and how we work with other people.

4
Thriving in uncertainty

Explore how to lead teams through an ever-changing world of risk and uncertainty, and how we support team members to cope, adapt and thrive in times of big and small change. 

90%

work better with people who are different from them

83%

are better able to adapt to new environments

90%

are better at challenging their own assumptions

89%

are better prepared to adjust their behaviour in culturally diverse situations

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Andrea McDonnell
Associate Director of Nursing, Barts Health NHS Trust
"This has been a really insightful and at times challenging course. It has enabled me to truly reflect on how I am as a person and a leader and has changed the way I will work going forwards."
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Aubrey Colocado
Learning & Development Manager, Toll Group
"The programme helped me become more self-aware and gave me the opportunity to reflect on the behaviours, competencies, and skills that provide value to the work I do."
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Antonyraj Zion Raj
Lead Engineer, General Electric (GE)
"The programme gave me the opportunity to identify my core and flex, how to approach a new context and showed me the different leadership styles that one can use."

Learning outcomes

Get ready to successfully navigate your new leadership role and become

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So that you can better adapt to ever-changing situations and priorities.

So that you can better empower diverse & inclusive teams.

The takeaways

The Common Purpose Programme will give you:

  • Techniques to work more effectively with difference
  • Tactics for building trusting relationships
  • A variety of active listening techniques
  • Processes for effective questioning and deep curiosity
  • Methods to facilitate better conversations

Next steps

Apply

Take that next step to invest in your professional success. Learn to lead more strategically at a global level and navigate your next leadership transition with real conviction.

Brochure download

Curious to know more?

  • Learn about the programme
  • Explore the learning journey and modules
  • Hear what our alumni have to say

Apply

Applications for the next cohort will open soon.

Convince your manager

Need to make the case?

Speak with us

Have more questions about the programme?

Important information

We run a limited bursary scheme for remarkable global leaders with a proven track record of social change. Reach out to your local team to find out more. 

We are also committed to and accountable for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all its forms. 

We actively encourage applications from people of all faiths, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, economic circumstances, backgrounds, and those from disabled communities.  

If you require adjustments to take part in the application process or to participate in the programme due to a disability, neurodiversity, caring responsibilities, or any other reason, you will be able to provide details in the application form or contact us by phone or email to discuss further.  

Frequently asked questions

We run a limited bursary scheme for remarkable leaders, with a proven track record of social change. Reach out to your local team to find out more.

We are also committed to and accountable for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all its forms.

We actively encourage applications from people of all faiths, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, economic circumstances, and backgrounds, and those from disabled communities.

If you require adjustments to take part in the application process or to participate in the programme due to a disability, neurodiversity, caring responsibilities, or any other reason, you will be able to provide details in the application form or contact us by phone or email to discuss further.

Common Purpose offers participants two alternative methods of payment options so we can cater to all needs.

  • By invoice: This can be issued directly to yourself or your organization.
  • By credit card: Please contact a member of our local team who would be happy to facilitate this payment.

Yes, if you have any further questions or would just like to discuss the programme in more detail, please reach out to a member of our team in your specific location who would be delighted to help.

Get in touch

We are a global not-for-profit leadership development organization on a mission to develop people who can cross cultural, social, and institutional boundaries. We work passionately with people to help push the boundaries of what is possible, all so that they can become those who can help us to work better together, be the connectors of our unique lived experiences and lead, with a difference.

Yes! The Common Purpose Charitable Trust was established as a charity in 1989. It is registered with the Charity Commission under the Registered Charity number 1023384.

The benefits of Common Purpose leadership programmes include gaining increased:  

  • Agility in adapting to changing circumstances and environments.  

  • Empathy to what other people feel, think and need. Seeing things from their point of view.

  • Influence in leading change with limited decision-making power.  

  • Openness to new ideas, possibilities and perspectives, including views they might deeply disagree with.    

  • Purposefulness in leading with intentionality, determination, commitment and resilience.

  • Self-awareness to their behaviours and outlook, and how they interpret and respond to situations.

When it comes to learning, there is no substitute for the power of real experience and fresh perspective. Our approach uses a robust behaviour and mindset change philosophy rooted in real life leadership challenges and experiences. To turn those experiences into real learning we follow five tried and tested steps that lead to habitual change in how people think, feel and act.    

  1. Experience: Being presented with new experiences. Engaging with leaders across multiple boundaries and being immersed in new environments.   

  1. Reflection: Learning activities to gain a deeper and more personalized understanding of the learning.    

  1. Translate: Exploring how to relate new ideas and thought processes back into the learner’s role or context.

  1. Practice: Developing a set of leadership practices that can be used to turn new behaviours into habits.

  1. Assess: Embedding numerous assessments to help learners track their progress pre, during and even beyond the programme.

Experiential learning is a core component of our programmes.

Our programmes create a carefully constructed microclimate to explore real-life leadership challenges in a safe environment, often leading to the types of purpose-driven conversations needed to achieve transformative change.

We also focus on the importance of active learning, by getting people out of their comfort zones and into the world, seeing things, meeting people, taking part, and taking advantage of processes that stimulate multiple neural connections in the brain and promote memory.

We are Common Purpose

A global not-for-profit devoted to good leadership

  • We deliver unforgettable and transformative learning experiences
  • Programmes for people at all levels of their careers
  • Gain the confidence, skills and mindset to be a purposeful change agent, with a difference

Who we are
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