Why it matters

For managers moving into leadership or leading larger teams, however long they’ve been managing.

Stepping into leadership is a shift in identity, not just a new title, and many new leaders are left to work it out alone. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 found manager engagement fell from 31% in 2022 to 22% in 2025, and leaders are more likely than the people they lead to report a lot of stress and loneliness day to day. In the UK, 82% of people who move into management have had no formal management or leadership training.

Skills alone won’t fix this. What lasts is mindset: staying grounded, adapting and building trust when things feel difficult or unclear. That’s what this programme develops.

Sources: Gallup, State of the Global Workplace 2026; Chartered Management Institute, Better Managed Britain (2023).

The realities facing emerging leaders

Stepping into leadership is rarely easy. Emerging leaders often find themselves navigating new expectations, emotional pressure, identity shifts and a feeling of isolation, all while trying to prove they belong. In a world of increasing pace, complexity and ambiguity, those challenges can feel even more intense. Do some of these resonate? You’re not alone.

Shifting from “doing the work” to enabling others to succeed

Feeling pressure to have all the answers and make fast decisions

Managing their own workload and leading a team

Navigating fear of mistakes, overthinking and imposter feelings

Learning to give feedback, coach others and handle conflict

Building confidence in their leadership identity

The 12 modules

Twelve weekly modules in three themes, each building on the last. Every workshop blends lived insight, research and practical tools you can use straight away.

Foundations of leadership

Moving from reactive, uncertain leadership to grounded, intentional practice.

1. Leading self – great leadership starts with better self-awareness

2. Strengths-based leadership – build on strengths, not weaknesses

3. Mindset: rewiring habits and beliefs – how we think shapes how we lead

4. Coaching and feedback – growth happens in conversation

Leading others and teams

Moving from solo performer to a leader who builds trust, shapes outcomes and energises teams.

5. Influencing without authority – shaping outcomes without a title

6. Storytelling and communication – clarity and resonance drive belief

7. Psychological safety and team trust – talented teams underperform without trust

8. Resilience, energy and performance – high stakes don’t have to mean high stress

Strategic leadership

Shifting from task-focused delivery to strategic, values-driven impact.

9. Strategic thinking at any level – strategy isn’t a job title and isn't just for execs

10. Decision making in ambiguity – how to move forward with imperfect data

11. Leading transitions and change – change is about people, not just structures

12. Shared purpose, values and culture – teams need to know why work matters

How it runs

Across twelve weeks, leaders take part in weekly 90-minute workshops blending lived insight, research and practical tools for real-world use. Alongside the workshops, each participant joins four small-group reflection sessions to embed the learning and has four one-to-one coaching sessions, from before the programme starts to after it ends.

That’s around 30 hours in total, over three months, in cohorts of 10–12. Programmes run online or on site and can be tailored to your organisation.

Pilot participants rated the modules between 8.9 and 9.6 out of 10, across more than 60 feedback scores.

“The Catalyst Emerging Leaders Programme is deeply insightful, practical, and genuinely impactful.” – Pilot participant