Virtual Leadership Insights Programme

Who is it for?

The Leaders of the Future are Culture Builders

The role of leaders is being completely reshaped. While setting a clear business vision is essential, it is no longer enough.

By combining strategic thinking with a global context from Financial Times journalists, participants will leave this virtual leadership training with a clear strategic vision to help your business navigate and thrive in a changing world.

Live Online

Participants are in control of their learning experience and can access live session or on demand.

Collaborative

Through group work, participants apply their skills to solve specific challenges faced by your business.

Flexible

The program has a flexible design, which will ensure it is the right learning solution for your business.

Key Outcomes

Leadership Skills for a New World

Delivering deep and current insights into real business-relevant topics, supported by the knowledge and experience of our senior Financial Times journalists, will help your team stay abreast of technological, political or economic trends as they happen.

Broaden Horizons

We provide a real external perspective – lifting the gaze of leaders above the day-to-day and growing real knowledge. We uncover the latest views on global and local matters: on markets, the economy and trends – opening minds to new and current information on a macro scale.

Lead Through Change

The role of a leader to understand and navigate the factors affecting your business that are beyond your control. Thought leadership, insight, utilising external references to how leaders can take a position to deliver growth and performance through disruptive times are shared.

Drive a New Culture

With a shift towards the cloud, customer profiles change, sales cycles change, and so does the idea of what a good business looks like. How do we lead the change to operate as a truly client-focused organisation and make the steps towards a culture of customer-centricity?

Skills & Competencies

The Leaders of the Future are Culture Builders.

Remote work comes with many pros and cons, but one of the greatest challenges is to create a feeling for belonging. Culture builders understand the ambiguity of this situation and work to create a consistent culture, where trust underpins the dynamic of relationships. In challenging times, culture builders are able to align people behind a clear purpose and a shared vision that goes beyond pure financial success.

Culture builders work not to simply drive diversity, but to ensure people feel included. They offer empathy not because they have been told to do so, but because they genuinely care. They encourage their teams to innovate by breaking silos and working collaboratively without having hierarchical authority over people.

Purpose

Clarity of purpose underpins clarity of communication. Fundamental to this vision is an understanding about how the world will look in years to come, and therefore how the business will need to adapt and transform.

Resilience

Good leaders need to assess the credibility and relevance of their data, and the capabilities of those charged with execution, in order to find a way through, even when things look hazy.

Empathy

A true appreciation of different ways of thinking and behaving not only removes unnecessary frictions, it allows leaders to tap the very best talent by taking a flexible and sensitive approach to different styles of working and thinking.

Integrity

Integrity ensures that ethical shortcomings in any part of the business do not evolve into something more damaging. The leader’s active involvement in spreading a culture of integrity is paramount.

Module 1: Insights

1. Insights from FT Journalists

As a start, here are the virtual leadership programme discussion topics, driven by FT journalists who have a unique perspective on key issues:

the journalist andrew hill from the financial times

Leading Through Transformation

How do you build teams that can cope effectively with change in organisations and markets? Andrew Hill looks at businesses that have gone through change, and the leaders who steered them through market disruption.

Andrew Hill, Management Editor

kate allen ft journalist financial times

Future of the Economy

What is the global economic outlook and has the great falling of trade barriers and openness to investment gone into reverse? Kate Allen explores where the world economy is going, and the implications for trade in goods and services.

Kate Allen, International Economy News Editor

Building C-Suite Trust

Trust is hard-fought to win and easily lost – especially at the top. Michael Skapinker looks at the lessons learnt by some of the FT’s own journalists in building engagement with senior decision-makers and sources close the action.

Michael Skapinker, Associate Editor

Understanding Geopolitical Risk

Gideon Rachman looks at how long-established alliances are breaking down and new economic forces emerging. We look at how these affect once-stable, established markets and where the opportunities may lie in new ones.

Gideon Rachman, Chief Foreign Commentator

Aligning Purpose and Profit

Businesses are under pressure to go beyond the pursuit of pure shareholder value. Pilita Clark examines the difficult trade-offs they must make to survive into an uncertain future. Will the pandemic crisis caused by covid-19 upset the gains?

Pilita Clark, Business Columnist

Digital Acceleration

Renée Kaplan share the FT’s own digital transformation: the journey of an organisation that has been totally transformed. You'll also learn the wider lessons learnt in various industries and what this means for business and technology.

Renée Kaplan, Digital Editorial Development

Module 2: Context

2. Regional Focus

Regional and industry-specific insights from leading Financial Times journalists

Ravi Mattu >> Asia Pacific

The FT Deputy Asia News Editor will talk about the Asia Pacific region: how countries from South Korea to Hong Kong to New Zealand, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh managed to contain Covid-19 more effectively than the US and much of Europe, and the prospects for a business recovery.

Rana Foroohar >> North America

The FT Global Business Columnist and Associate Editor will discuss the effects of Covid-19 on North America's economies and financial system. She will examine the political environment and how business and finance can emerge from the crisis.

Michael Stott >> Latin America

The FT Latin America Editor will talk about the policies of different governments in the region towards the coronavirus crisis, the economic and business effects, the political consequences and the region's prospects.

James Kynge >> China

FT Global China Editor and author of the bestselling book China Shakes the World will talk about China's response to the coronavirus, the state of the economy and the effect on the ruling party and on the country's international relations.

Our Clients

Trusted by global leaders

Meaningful business transformation starts from within. These are some of the clients whose businesses we’re helping to reinvent, with programmes designed to bring out the best in their people.

Module 3: Competition

3. Industry-Specific Focus

As important as understanding your organisation it is to understand the dynamics and critical forces in your industry. The FT has some of the world's most experienced and well connected journalists who can offer unique insight into your sector.

Izabella Kaminska >> Financial Services

The Editor of FT Alphaville, the financial services blog, can help your business examine and understand the future of banking, financial services and fintech.

Sarah Neville >> Pharma & Healthcare

The race for finding effective treatments and vaccines for Covid-19 have put the pharma industries on the spotlight and brought to light challenges as well as opportunities for new, more agile players. Sarah Neville can you help you understand where the industry is going.

Peter Campbell >> Automotive

The FT Global Motor Industry Correspondent can offer a unique perspective and examine the impact of the coronavirus crisis on vehicle sales and the future for the development of electric and driverless cars.

Jonathan Eley >> Retail

The FT Retail Correspondent has a unique perspective on theimpact of Covid-19 on retailers worldwide, the future of bricks-and-mortar stores and of online shopping.

Next Steps

How we will work with you

Co-creation is one of the key principles of the Headspring approach. We don’t assume we have the answers – instead, we work with our clients to create and deliver a solution that meets its main goals and objectives. As part of this process, the next steps will include:

Connect

The first step is to connect with our corporate partnerships team. We will diagnose your needs and set a clear goal for your programme.

Co-design

The second and most important step is to design a programme that meets you business objectives and strategy in the short and long terms.

Bring to life

The third step is when we bring your programme to life. Our team will be ready to ensure the plan is followed through and that objectives are met.

Measure impact

After the programme, we will continue working with you to help you measure the results and the impact in your business.