Private Financial Services Organisation

A large Australian financial services organisation undertaking enterprise-wide capability uplift to strengthen leadership effectiveness and employee experience.

The organisation was responding to a clear shift in employee expectations. Employees were seeking more meaningful work, greater development, and regular coaching conversations rather than relying on traditional performance cycles.

For leaders, this represented a significant shift in role. People leaders were increasingly expected to move beyond managing performance to actively developing their teams through coaching, feedback, and career conversations. However, this capability was not yet consistent or embedded across the organisation.

Leaders needed to build confidence and skill in:
– Leading impactful coaching conversations
– Setting clear expectations and accountability
– Delivering feedback that supports growth
– Supporting career development in a structured and ongoing way

Without this shift, there was a risk of inconsistent leadership experiences, underdeveloped talent, and a disconnect between employee expectations and day-to-day leadership practice.

Serendis partnered with the organisation to design and deliver a tailored Leader as Coach program, grounded in the realities of people leadership within a large enterprise environment in the financial services sector.

The program was intentionally designed as a cohort-based, experiential learning journey. It combined structured development with immediate application in the participants’ day-to-day practice.

Key elements included:
– Tailored design aligned to internal frameworks:
The program was co-designed with the client to reflect the organisation’s leadership expectations, language, and strategic priorities, ensuring relevance and alignment from the outset.

• Three-day facilitated learning experience:
Delivered in structured modules, the program focused on practical leadership moments including coaching, feedback, goal setting, and career conversations. Leaders worked through real scenarios drawn from their actual roles.

• Focus on critical leadership conversations: 
A core component was building capability across three types of conversations, embedding a consistent approach to expectation setting, development, and performance dialogue.

• Applied, practice-based learning:
Leaders engaged in role plays, reflection, and peer learning to translate concepts into action. The emphasis remained on building confidence through doing, not just understanding.

• Sustained reinforcement and habit formation:
Virtual nudges between sessions prompted leaders to apply new skills in real time, supporting behaviour change and integration into daily leadership practice.

This approach ensured the program moved beyond awareness, embedding practical leadership habits that could be sustained over time.

The program delivered strong engagement and measurable shifts in leadership behaviour.

High participant endorsement
– Net Promoter Score of 72
– Overall program satisfaction and impact ratings exceeded 4.7 out of 5

Increased leadership confidence and capability:
Leaders reported greater confidence in coaching conversations, improved ability to create inclusive environments, and stronger capability in delivering feedback and setting goals

Observable behaviour change
– More structured and intentional coaching conversations
– Improved listening and questioning skills
– Increased frequency and quality of feedback and career discussions
– Greater focus on strengths and individual differences

Improved team effectiveness and engagement
Leaders reported positive changes in team dynamics, with stronger engagement and clearer expectations contributing to more effective teams

Enterprise impact
– Established a shared leadership language across cohorts
– Contributed to a culture of growth, accountability, and connection
– Recognised as the highest rated development program within the organisation in 2024
– Expanded for ongoing delivery across additional business units

This program reflects Serendis’ focus on embedding practical leadership capability that translates directly into day-to-day behaviour and sustained organisational impact.