What if you could build a team of managers who were excited to:
- Communicate effectively with both upper management and other employees
- Show up to work each day because they enjoy their job and the company culture
- Learn the skills to navigate challenging situations or difficult discussions without defensiveness, f-bombs, or tears
- Listen to understand versus just listen just speak
- Collaborate with other departments easily and effectively, especially in a remote or hybrid environment
- Invest in themselves because your company was invested in them — which boosts their confidence and abilities to manage
- Manage their time and got more work done efficiently without overwhelm, or the feeling like the weight of the world is on their chest
And because of all this, the company’s bottom line increased while your job as a senior leader became easier
(and exponentially more enjoyable).
- High turnover that’s costing your company hundreds of
thousands of dollars every year (did you know that replacing a manager these days typically costs double their salary?) - Overworked employees who are on the brink of burnout and resignation
- Communication breakdowns that are stalling growth and killing company culture
- The feeling that everyone is constantly “reacting” to
whatever happens to be falling apart on any given day - Calls from your middle managers who are frustrated and overwhelmed — and you’re unsure how to make things “right”
- Boundary issues, especially with working from home (does the workday ever end?)
As a senior leader, it’s exhausting to feel like you’re spending all day cheerleading, putting out fires, and trying to calm people down.
Some days you might feel more like a therapist than a senior leader — and it’s taking a toll on you.
- The Great Resignation has made finding managers harder than ever. (It’s said that 65% of U.S. workers are looking for a new job.)
- Job vacancies stay open for months on end.
- Supply chain issues are now the “norm.
- Employee handbooks need constant updates to keep up with the changes to HR procedures thanks to COVID.
- A major recession is rearing its ugly head as we enter the last half of 2022.
- Stress and burnout is reaching all-time peaks.
In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, more workers than ever suffer
from stress, exhaustion, anxiety, burnout, and
depression — and it’s no wonder.
Especially because most managers have no formal managerial training.
They were individual contributors who got promoted and are now
just trying to figure it out as they go.
That’s because most management programs are a Band-Aid — not a sustainable or permanent solution to everything I mentioned above.
These programs hand off a plethora of information expecting participants to implement.
No follow-up.| No support. | No accountability.
Your managers end up winging it — and the wear and tear causes cracks within your team.
- To interrupt the ineffective negative cycles…
- To stop putting out fires all the time…
- Where your managers get honest with themselves about how they can improve (instead of saying they “just don’t have the time”)..
- And communicate more effectively with upper management, customers, colleagues, and their team.
- What if your managers were doing more work but with less overwhelm….
- They knew how to ask for help and delegate properly…
- Had the communication skills to initiate hard conversations and both give/receive constructive criticism…
If you’re nodding along with “Yes”, I’d like to introduce you to
A 6-month leadership development program curated to your growing company that increases employee retention, enhances company culture, and develops managers so you can promote from within — and over time, increases profitability.
Helen’s a badass. I thank God for bringing her into my life and company.
Right off the bat she got us very intentional, and as a result we have managers that are excited about The Leverage Academy and the common language we all now share.
Helen’s helped us so much with how we listen and communicate. She helps us see things from a different perspective and draw out the positive things that are happening in our company. She also has helped us be more empathetic and not lose sight of the ‘why.’
I’m Helen Young-McLaughlin, CEO and founder of The Leverage Academy.
When I first got out of grad school, I straddled the corporate world and a job in a high-paced ER as a mental health counselor specializing in crisis intervention.
There I honed in on my quick-decision making and communication skills (because when you work in an ER, if you’re not in sync it becomes a literal life and death situation).
After 5 years of ER work, I was ready to have 1 job, say goodbye to 16-hour shifts, and sleep through the night.
So I transitioned 100% over to corporate and I took a position that serviced small, medium, and large industries nationwide.
For more than 17 years I held various leadership positions with the figure it out as you go method. And saw the same patterns in every group I supported.
- No one ever checking in with me and asking if managing was even what I really wanted to do (it was more about filling the immediate internal need)
- People pleasing to stay loyal to my employer and clients
- Not setting boundaries for fear of how I’d be viewed (which led to severe burnout)
- Taking calls and logging in during weekends, nights and even on vacations (spoiler alert: this makes managers less productive AND resentful)
- Asking for support and development opportunities — and being told I only had an annual $200 personal development budget
And you guessed it: I resigned.
But I’m not blaming my employer — because the truth is *most* companies don’t have the time, support, or expertise to develop their management.
Which is why I’m so passionate about helping senior leaders and middle managers maneuver the sticky situations that come from the everyday responsibilities of being a manager.
Now I coach managers and leaders how important empathy, listening, and effective communication is to the health of any organization.
As a ICF certified coach, I bring my 25+ years of experience and a unique blend of coaching, counseling, and consulting to your company and help transform your middle managers into your company’s most valuable assets.
I help small and medium-sized businesses slash turnover, boost morale, improve relationships, and develop employees into productive (and happier) managers.
And when I’m not coaching inside The Leverage Academy, you can find me in Annapolis, MD, hanging out with my 2 girls and my husband, sitting waterside eating blue crabs with Old Bay seasoning (I’m a Maryland girl at heart, after all), or relaxing on the beach with a good book (The Great Alone is one of my faves).
- Create an effective employee retention program (potentially saving your company hundreds of thousands of dollars a year)
- Reduce manager and employee burnout — because as we both know, everything flows from the top
- Improve communication and create confident managers who don’t sidestep the difficult conversations
- Ease the burden of senior management to have to constantly show up for your managers even when your own cup needs filling
- Increase the company’s bottom line — because when your managers feel connected and less stressed they’re more productive (and not looking for jobs elsewhere)
- Have fewer HR issues, stress-related leaves of absences and employee complaints
“The Leverage Academy and YOU have truly and honestly changed my life! Thank you for being you and doing what you do and thank you for helping me grow and stretch myself to be all that I can be!”
-Senior National Account Manager
“I’ve learned how to be clear and ask for what I need. The result: I feel heard and understood.”
-Leverage Academy Participant
-
Retention
A retention strategy is more important than ever during this time of the Great Resignation, burnout, and COVID disruptor.
It builds a company’s pipeline of future leaders, boosts morale, and can save your company time and hundreds of thousands a year.
-
Effectiveness
Effectiveness is everything: it helps with setting boundaries, being more self-aware, planning your day efficiently, delegating, and communicating.
Then we add in the DISC tool to increase effectiveness and create a common language amongst team members that develop interpersonal relationships and trust.
-
Development
Development is critical.
Your managers need skills to tap into when they are overwhelmed, have an upset client or colleague, or when there’s a lot of change going on (which is pretty much all the time — especially in 2022).
Customized and curated program
This program is designed with sustainability in mind. That’s why collaborating with Senior Leaders from the onset with two months of pre-planning allows us to understand your unique company culture to select participants who can grow, influence, and develop others.
Bi-weekly group coaching with managers
A collaborative space where we implement foundational tools like the DiSC assessment to expand self-awareness and communication skills such as giving impactful feedback, navigating difficult conversations, setting boundaries for greater productivity, leading effective 1:1 conversations, and shift from an individual contributor’s mindset to managing others. (*capped at 10 current or emerging managers for a more personalized experience)
Monthly check-in calls
With senior leader(s) to share feedback so that everyone stays aligned to the program (and company) goals — and to collaborate on how to infuse program tools into the culture
Monthly 1:1 coaching calls
Where managers can ask me individual questions in a safe environment to expedite growth and development. Managers will all get practice using the tools and skills taught inside the program.
“I’m just bursting with excitement over how much easier things are when I utilize what has been taught in The Leverage Academy. Forever grateful to be here!”
-Leverage Academy Participant
“I really enjoy our time and look forward to the next session. I’m always seeking positive guidance both professionally and personally. Life is too short to deal with stress and frustration and if I can find the balance or help make things easier I will live a happier life.”
-Leverage Academy Participant
“I felt refreshed after this week’s session. Sharing with like-minded co-workers felt great!”
-Leverage Academy Participant
“I’m using the tools I’ve learned in this program with my team. From polls, to mindshift exercises, to reframing a challenge. They love it!”
-Leverage Academy Participant
- As a senior leader are 100% committed to the program, want to be involved in the development of managers, and can commit 1-2 hours a month to meet with me to have a direct impact on the program goals.
- Want an integrated solution, not a band-aid. You’re looking for an in-depth program built on relationships where your managers feel seen, heard, valued, and understood
- Love the idea that your managers only need to invest 4 hours a month to experience greater intention, growth, and impact!
- Want your managers to stop being reactive and start being proactive with scheduling their days and weeks and the way they communicate with other team members and customers
- Are ready to invest in retention and potentially save the company hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and tons of time recruiting, onboarding, and training new managers
A. It’s 6 months plus a 2-month onboarding period where I’m working with the senior leaders to curate the program and set company-wide goals on development.
A. About one hour a week. Twice a month there’s 1.5 hour group coaching calls, and once a month there’s a 30-60 minute 1:1 call.
A. Real talk: Your company could be losing hundreds of hours a month with managers that are not efficiently working (which equates to $$$).
These inefficiencies include dealing with HR issues that could’ve been handled quickly but are being drawn out because of ineffective communication skills, avoidance, uncertainty, lack of confidence and stress that’s leading to burnout — which equals less output. Even when it comes to simple daily tasks, when your managers are not given the skills and tools they need, it negatively impacts planning and revenue.
So, even though The Leverage Academy is a time investment, it pays dividends over time.
A. Senior leaders don’t always have the expertise — or time — to get to the core issues and uncover blind spots for managers. When managers are coached properly, these conversations lead to greater insights and growth.
Not to mention, an outside opinion (led by an ICF-certified coach) brings a fresh and neutral perspective, eliminating internal bias, confidentiality concerns, and time challenges.
And even your best managers want and need development— which increases long-term retention (and overall, more happy employees).
A. The Leverage Academy isn’t another expense, it’s an investment that yields ROI. I will explain more in the next question.
A. Well, in one word: Retention. The average cost to a company that loses a manager can be up to twice their salary. So, think about this – if you are paying one of your managers 75k and they resign, the cost to your company is 150K — not to mention the toll it takes on employees to absorb the work, employee burnout, decreased engagement, and the time and energy to train and develop someone else.
And one Linkedin study showed that 94% of those surveyed said they’d stay at a company longer if that company demonstrated a commitment to helping them learn.
People naturally crave growth and development. When managers feel stagnant, they become unhappy in their jobs and start to look for outside opportunities.
Developing your managers is one of the best investments you can make in your business, and could literally save your company hundreds of thousands of dollars every year.
A. No. In 2023 there is 1 space left. My team will soon start planning for cohorts in 2024.
Figuring it out as you go isn’t a sustainable solution for you or your managers.
And just checking in on job satisfaction isn’t enough.
Managers need tools, skills, support, and the time to grow and develop.
They need to uncover how to have difficult conversations while remaining calm and focused on the results.
They need to learn to advocate for themselves and their team.
They need to know how to implement boundaries to help alleviate stress, frustration, and overwhelm.
They need communication skills and a safe place to practice collaboration and apply what they’ve learned.
And they desperately want to develop and feel confident, valued, and appreciated.
And this is what The Leverage Academy can do for you and your company.
With The Leverage Academy, you get to bring your managers together in a connected way, create more effective communication, and retain your best talent.
When you do this your managers are happier, become more confident and more productive, and have better conversations with each other — which leads to more collaboration, understanding and alignment (goodbye to silos, misunderstanding and assumptions).
This is when the engine of the company really starts moving and turnover diminishes significantly.
It’s also how you increase your company’s bottom line and create an environment where your managers are now your most valuable asset. Does this sound like what your company needs?
I only run up to 4 of these programs every year, and there is only 1 spot
left in the second half of 2023 so I invite you to book a call to see if this is right for your company.
Looking ahead? Let’s plan together for the future
(and make development in your 2024 budget a priority now).
