Clients, Results, Services

Our Clients and CAL results

Complex Adaptive Leadership: 2011 – 2020

Proving and delivering a new, powerful scientific approach

20+ industries, 30+ countries, 40+ nationalities, over 6,000+ leaders

From engaging keynotes to introductory inter-active workshops, to our Core Foundation Programme to our Action-learning Advanced Leadership Programme,

all customised to meet specific results desired by clients

Our leading edge programmes and interventions get measurable results and high financial ROI

click on here for further details

Our customisable Advanced Leadership Programme was awarded the EFMD Gold Award for Executive Development – click on image below for full case study

Click on image for full case study

Examples of clients we have served around the world

The Results We Get

Our interventions range from effective, interactive brief keynotes to engaging programmes which focus on delivering results. Research undertaken of some 700 managers who have been though our gold award winning flagship programme report a variety of benefits which can be summarised by: gaining more TIME to do more valuable things, and more engaged, productive and motivated TEAMS. Some benefits under each of these two can be seen in the graphic below on the left. We also deliver not just qualitative results but financial as well. The graphic below on the right shows how our flagship progamme can offer a less-than 6 month payback.

What clients say:

(references available upon request)

“One of the most engaging, provocative and enjoyable leadership development courses I have done in my career in IBM spanning three decades”

Fiona McMaster, Vice President, Public Sector Leader – Asia Pacific

“Really effective…deliverables taking 3 – 4 months are now getting done in 2 – 3 weeks”

From a programme in Bangalore, IndiaSenior Sales Executive

“Complex Adaptive Leadership (CAL), has delivered powerful leadership development to hundreds of our senior managers in our MNC around the world. The programmes are innovative, engaging and ensure specific actions, changing the management DNA of our company”

Head of Talent and Leadership DevelopmentMNC Germany

“I have seen many leadership models in my time. The CAL (Complex Adaptive Leadership) approach delivered here in Beijing is the best western model that suits the Chinese culture and psyche. The feedback from the participants has been very positive”

From a programme in Beijing, ChinaL&D Executive

“CAL helped me as a leader to focus on what matters, setting in place the framework for the team to work, and identified techniques to use in interpersonal / leadership situations. I would highly recommend it.”

From an intervention in Munich, GermanyExecutive

“One of the most inspiring business programs I have ever had. Hands-on experience mixed with deep theoretical knowledge, but applied with a well balanced mix of tutorials, discussions, and theoretical and practical exercises”.

From a programme in SingaporeSenior Executive

“I am now regularly leaving complex tasks to my team, and let them solve it themselves. I am also now exposing them to greater extent to management, which is a great learning for the guys and it enables me to focus on productive things.”

From an event in Helsinki, FinlandExecutive 2 months after the course

“CAL guided me to overcome the general assumptions we carry during our leadership which need to be overcome and adapted as per the situations. Complexity science is a true way of understanding multiple transitions and make better decisions in complex situations.”

From an intervention in New Delhi, IndiaSenior manager 3 months after the course:

“In the past I participated in several “Leadership” workshops. That one was the most important, useful and “down to the Earth”.

From a workshop in Athens, GreeceExecutive

“Highly valuable for any leaders to ensure the right focus on tasks that really create an impact (and not waste time on others). Highly recommended!”

From a worskhop in Shanghai, ChinaSenior manager

“Great, fresh approach to leadership. Positive message of empowerment with useful strategies and tactics to improve organisational performance.”

From a programme in Paris, FranceExecutive

“Excellent – a really useful seminar. All the participants were actively involved. Good at helping to set priorities and it was really interesting”

From a seminar in Moscow, RussiaSenior Execeutive

“The CAL approach challenged all the traditional learning about leadership”

From a workshop in Brirmingham, UKSenior Manager

“I found it fascinating to the point that I couldn’t wait for the next module to keep going. The text book by Obolensky was excellent – and definitely a keeper…”

From an MBA prorgamme in Florida, USA

“Lessons are highly practical and backed up by theory as well. I think I learned more than any coursed I’ve ever had.”

From a programme in Dusseldorf, GermanyMiddle manager

” Excellent learning! Lots of valuable management working tools and mind opening experiences and radical ideas to change the mindset”

From a YPO/WPO event in Jakarta, IndonesiaCompany CEO

“What I liked most was learning that for more complex systems there is no necessity to have big direct leadership.”

From an Open Programme in Riga, LatviaCEO

“Super……extremely good – managed to keep us awake on the last day of the module!”

From contribution to internal programme in UruguaySenior Executive

“Having attended many such courses over quite some number of years, I would (even a year on) consider CAL to be at the very top for engagement & content”

From a workshop in London, UKCountry MD MNC

“It was really an enlightening experience – definitely exceeded my expectations.”

From a programme in Texas, USASenior Executive

“Very useful and dynamic, with good illustrative examples. Great at setting a pace and involving all the participants”

From a workshop in Tomsk, SiberiaMiddle manager

“The CAL material is better than Covey”

From a Workshop in DubaiSenior Country Manager

Some short example videos made by clients

We work in a variety of ways with clients, and some make videos for their own use. A couple of brief 5 minuets videos are shown below.

The one below on the left was made by Societe Generale in France where we designed a module for their Top 300 Programme. This last module, which focused on delivery and works with the CEO, brings top leaders new ways of looking at modern leadership in order to deal better with a VUCA world. The lessons learned help leaders simplify their day-today work and ensure a high degree of responsibility across the organisation.

The video below on the right was made by the organisers of a conference looking at scrum and other agile ways of working. We ran an awareness workshop for participants interested in knowing what type of leadership at corporate level is needed so that agile approaches such as lean and scrum can work better, and how leaders can best support such approaches.

Transforming Public Service Leadership

Jeff Farrar, the Chief Constable of Wales leading the Welsh police force in 2016, describes how a key note address by Nick Obolensky transformed his view of public service leadership, and how the CAL approach challenges thinking. The keynote session, which follows this 2 minute introduction, is shown in full below under “Longer videos”.

Working with partners

The brief video below was made by one of our Chinese business partners to introduce the CAL approach and programme into China.

Longer videos of some key note sessions

For those whose who prefer a more in-depth view, the 1 hour videos below were filmed (on the left) at a large seminar for some 250 public sector managers in a workshop in Wales where Jeff Farrar, the Chief Constable for Wales, introduced Nick and briefly explains how the CAL approach fundamentally changed how he led the police in Wales, getting more results for less resource. Nick then outlines the CAL approach. On the right the video was filmed at a Complexity Science conference “Causality-Reality” in Singapore’s Nanyang Technology University where Nick looks at the application of some of complexity science retrospectively to operations in the Cold War and Afghanistan.

The Services

Our services are a mix of two offers traditionally separated by other firms, and aimed at clients grappling with leading through complexity:

System/Organisational Consulting

Identifying dynamic non-linear strategies for an uncertain world
Assisting change management to be more adaptive and responsive
Installing new processes and simple rules to widen leadership and agility across all levels

More details

Leadership/Talent Development

Developing skills and changing mindset to enhance leadership
Improving ability to cope with increasing VUCA – volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity
Enabling leaders to get better results, faster and for far less effort

More details

There are lot of ways to combine these two approaches and we do so broadly in 4 areas:

Leadership consulting which looks at the organisational level and HOW leadership is expressed (more).
Leadership development which focuses on individuals and WHAT they need to do to enhance their leadership (more).
Innovation and how to untap the potential of innovation via subtraction rather than addition (more).
Strategy and change, and a more dynamic approach to ensure both the ability to adapt as well as learn (more).

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