Australian electricity infrastructure provider

A major Australian electricity infrastructure provider, operating
a large regional network with thousands of employees and a
predominantly field-based workforce in safety-critical roles.

The organisation had invested thoughtfully in leadership development over time. Previous leadership programs were well received, however the translation of learning into consistent leadership behaviours in the field remained limited.

A recently appointed CEO introduced increasingly clear expectations of leaders. Leaders were required to take ownership of their role, actively develop their people, and strengthen accountability across teams. At the same time, a new leadership framework defined the behaviours expected at each level.

For frontline supervisors leading small, technical crews in high-risk environments, this created a critical inflection point. Without stronger translation into practice:
– Leadership risked defaulting to technical delivery over people leadership
– Safety, performance, and consistency could vary across teams
– The opportunity to embed the leadership framework in day-to-day work would be missed.

Serendis partnered closely with the organisation to design a program grounded in the realities of frontline
leadership. A defining feature was a deliberate focus on building desire and relevance before delivery. Rather than relying
on attendance alone, Serendis invested in a pre-facilitation phase to ensure supervisors saw the program as
practical and directly applicable.

This included:
– Partnership with internal leadership, organisational development and safety teams
– Field immersion to understand the day-to-day context and language of supervisors
– Co-design of case studies with frontline leaders and the organisational development team
– Engagement of leaders’ managers in pilot programs to build alignment and support
– Positioning the program as a continuation of prior learning, focused on making leadership easier and more effective.

The program was highly practical and field-based:
– Delivered in depots across the region
– Focused on real leadership moments such as feedback, coaching, accountability, and team communication
– Aligned to the organisation’s leadership framework and safety priorities.

Sustained behaviour change was supported through:
– A two-day program with three weeks in between to practice applying new leadership skills
– Immediate, practical tools for use in the field
– Short, sharp digital learning nudges to reinforce leadership habits
– Manager involvement and coaching to extend learning into daily work.

Strong engagement driving clear commitment to critical leadership behaviours in day-to-day operations.

Participation remained high across both days, with 60 leaders completing day one and 53 continuing through to day two—demonstrating sustained engagement and program relevance. Feedback was consistently strong, with many participants identifying no improvements required.

This engagement drove focused and practical commitments to action. Nearly half of participants (29) identified coaching, feedback, and communication as priority behaviours they will actively apply, while 19 reported increased confidence in managing difficult conversations after day one. A further 18 committed to lifting the frequency and quality of their coaching and feedback conversations.

Importantly, these commitments are grounded in real operational contexts. Leaders identified immediate application in toolbox talks, one-on-one conversations, and team interactions—critical moments that directly influence safety, performance, and team effectiveness.

Early signals indicate a meaningful shift in how leaders approach their role, with participants describing a move from problem-solving toward coaching, and a stronger focus on setting expectations and holding others to account.

This program demonstrates how leadership development, when embedded in real work, can rapidly build both the capability and commitment required to strengthen frontline leadership and support more consistent safety and performance outcomes.