Equip your Leaders to Drive Results

Leadership Development for High-Potential Talent

Across the industry, seasoned leaders are preparing for retirement, putting internal succession plans to the test. At the same time, high-potential employees are yearning for professional development opportunities, hungry to grow their skills and contribute in new ways.

Small-group leadership development is a powerful, cost-effective way to build leadership readiness in a way that yields material improvements in leadership skill and organizational resilience. Smith & Wilkinson delivers a unique, ICF accredited, curriculum-based approach that develops emotionally intelligent, growth oriented, next-generation leaders.

Our program is rigorous, comprehensive, and focused on both strategic leadership concepts and practical application, with a level of depth, quality, and insight that creates value across the enterprise.

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16

Available Seats

15

Group Sessions

90

Minute Sessions every 2-3 Weeks

2

1:1 Coaching Sessions

Starting in October, we have space available for 16 emerging leaders, who will be split into two cohorts for the duration of the engagement. Each virtual cohort is designed to foster deep connections, peer learning, and shared accountability, and can be made up of individuals from one or several organizations. Participants will journey through the Smith & Wilkinson curriculum by taking part in a combination of group learning sessions and one-on-one coaching support.

Key Takeaways

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership

Participants will become more effective in creating followership, motivating their teams and colleagues, and utilizing a coaching approach to drive job performance.  They will learn to create and communicate a vision, set clear expectations, coach with feedback, and manage and resolve conflict.

Building a Leadership Toolbox  

Participants will be introduced to a variety of leadership “tools,” concepts, strategies, practices, and behaviors that can then be deployed situationally to drive leadership outcomes. 

Action Learning 

Seminars and training sessions bring conceptual value but rarely deliver on follow through.  In contrast to this, the Smith & Wilkinson program is a long-form commitment, and the cadence of the program creates sustainable change through action learning.  Leaders learn new tools and strategies, implement new behaviors, reflect, refine, and improve over time.

Self-Awareness 

Utilizing the Leadership Circle 360 feedback process, our program allows participants to explore their innate attribute, values, and motivations, and just as critically understand how others perceive them.  Each participant has a confidential, one-to-one debrief with their Coach to process feedback and establish goals.  This foundation of self-awareness allows emerging leaders to understand and gradually close the gap between their intent and their leadership choices.

One-to-One Coaching

One-to-One coaching sessions over the course of the engagement create the opportunity for participants to experience coaching and begin to hone their own coaching skills in turn.

About Our Coach

Testimonials

The Group Leadership Development Program has become a cornerstone of our talent development strategy. As a $1.8 billion community bank committed to growing from within, we’ve found this program to be an exceptional platform for identifying and accelerating the growth of our high-potential employees. The curriculum is well-designed for banks, blending leadership theory with highly practical tools, and the group format allowed our team to build meaningful peer connections. Several participants have already taken on expanded leadership roles or enterprise-wide projects with more confidence and clarity. We consider this program a valuable investment in our future. I would highly recommend it to any community bank looking to build a strong leadership bench and foster a culture of continuous growth.
Aileen Zec, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, North Easton Savings Bank
My biggest takeaway from the program was what I learned about myself through the 360-feedback process and how to become a better leader for my team. I learned how to use empathy with my team. Everyone is different and learns differently at their own pace and that is totally fine. Our team has gotten stronger over the last year through our weekly meetings. Everyone has a voice in the meetings. We discuss topics and everyone shares their perspective, and we make decisions and learn together through the process.
AVP, Retail Operations
Over the past four years, 19 of our emerging leaders have completed Smith & Wilkinson’s Leadership Coaching program, and the results speak for themselves. Focused on the neuroscience of management, the program equips participants with practical tools to lead with intention, empathy, and impact. What sets it apart is the facilitator’s engaging and adaptable style, as well as the opportunity to collaborate with peers from other financial institutions, bringing fresh perspectives that deepen learning. Our team members consistently describe the experience as transformative and highly actionable. If your organization is serious about developing strong, future-ready leaders, I would highly recommend this program as a compelling investment for long-term success.
Scott Ambroce, Senior Vice President Administration & Operations, Costal Heritage Bank
The 360 feedback assessment was incredibly valuable. It provided honest and anonymous feedback on leadership style from direct reports, peers, and senior management. Before the program, I often focused heavily on myself- keeping key projects and tasks close to ensure they were completed quickly and accurately. However, I’ve since realized that this approach is at the expense of my team’s growth and development, even leading me toward burnout. The most impactful part of the program has been seeing my employees take on tasks, projects, and enabling their development. One of my direct reports recently took the assessment and course and it has been rewarding to see the changes she is making on her own team to develop future leaders in the banking industry.
Vice President of Operations & eCommerce

Bring Scalable Leadership Development to your Organization

If you’re an executive curious about how this program can help your emerging leaders, fill out the form to request more information or schedule time with Carll directly.

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