The Leadership Sphere background information.

1. The Leadership Sphere
Background Information

2. Who are we?
WE ARE AN ENERGETIC AND FOCUSED CONSULTING FIRM
The Leadership Sphere is an energetic and focused consulting firm specialising in creating breakthrough performance. This is achieved
through rigorous leadership and culture consulting, team and workshop facilitation and coaching at senior levels.
The Leadership Sphere was formed in 2007 by Phillip Ralph and Associates who have a long history of supporting organisations to create
breakthrough performance. The Leadership Sphere (TLS) partners with organisations to achieve sustainable high performance through a
powerful multi-disciplinary approach, focusing in the areas of leadership development, team development and cultural transformation.
We use a variety of proven and validated tools, techniques, interventions and models drawn from and developed from many disciplines
including systems, psychodynamics, positive psychology, appreciative inquiry, and learning and behavior
Our prestigious clients include a wide range of major companies across the public sector and private industry, many of whom are Top 100
ASX companies. We have services in all states of Australia and in the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Hong Kong,
Singapore, Spain and the Netherlands.
Key outcomes we deliver include:
 Cultural change and alignment to drive business objectives;
 Leadership development; and
 Team development.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to help leaders achieve sustainable and positive change by unlocking energy and potential at the individual, team and
organisational level.
HOW ARE WE DIFFERENT?
Our point of difference is a structured systematic approach to achieve realistic and sustainable positive change. More specifically, our
clients expect and we ensure that:
 The desired change happens (individual, team and organisational transformation).
 We operate a transparent business model. There is a clear scope of work and costs.
 We deliver what we say we're going to deliver.
BENEFITS OF OUR APPROACH
 LEADERSHIP CAPABILITY IS ENHANCED TO IMPROVE OVERALL BUSINESS PERFORMANCE.
 INCREASED INDIVIDUAL, TEAM AND ORGANISATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND PRODUCTIVITY.
 THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CONSTRUCTIVE CULTURE THAT IS 'FIT-FOR-PURPOSE' (EG. SERVICES ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY).
 DESIRED CHANGES ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN LEADING TO BETTER RESULTS AND LESS WASTAGE.
 THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAMS THAT WORK EFFECTIVELY AND DELIVER.
 A REDUCTION IN STAFF TURNOVER WHILE TALENTED PEOPLE ARE MORE ATTRACTED TO YOUR ORGANISATION.

3. Our Approach to Creating Breakthrough Performance
THE THREE PILLARS OF HIGH PERFORMANCE
Figure 1 (below) describes our approach to creating high performance organisations with highly committed people and informs our
approach regardless of specific program needs. All three pillars are important, particularly so in an environment of constant change and an
increasingly competitive market. The three pillars act as an overarching philosophy and framework with which to approach an
organisation, no matter what they strategy, challenges or environment.
Performance alignment occurs where all aspects of the organization’s design fit together and are aligned with or fit the strategic objectives
of the firm: (1) strategy must be distinct, focused and values-based; (2) the organization must fit the strategy and (3) design levers must be
internally consistent (policy, practices, behaviours).
Psychological Alignment is where employees say ‘I love working here’. While the ‘hard’ aspects of an organization such as structure, the
performance management system and incentives can move people to work together (if only temporarily), when employees love the
company mission and values, high commitment results.
Capacity for Learning and Change is the ability of management/leaders to instil the capacity for learning and change in the long term is
critical. Most firms do not adapt and lose their performance edge (with many dying). In fact, it could be argued that the capacity for
WHO DO WE WORK WITH?
 CEOS AND SENIOR TEAMS
 SENIOR EXECUTIVES/LEADERS
 HIGH POTENTIAL/FAST TRACK EMPLOYEES
 LEADERS IN TRANSITION
 ORGANISATIONS THAT WANT HIGH PERFORMANCE

4. Our Leadership Model
THE SEVEN SPHERES OF LEADERSHIP MASTERY
The Seven Spheres of Leadership Mastery is based on a meta-analysis of studies conducted around the world. It integrates the findings of
these studies into one model that has shown to enable leader, team and business success. It is based on the philosophy that real change
- both within the corporate world and beyond, occurs through effective and inspired leadership. The core philosophy that drives us is
that the notion of leadership in organisations is fundamentally flawed – in that leadership is often confused with the exercise of
authority which are very different propositions. This principle is fully explained in detail together with practical strategies for leaders and
those charged with leadership development in organisations in Phillip’s new book, Leadership Without Silver Bullets: A Guide to
Exercising Leadership. Therefore, our definition of leadership is:
Leadership is a shared relationship, where people are positively influenced to mobilise
themselves around their toughest challenges, in service of a mutual purpose consistent with
fundamental values.
WHY DO ORGANISATIONS CHOOSE TO PARTNER WITH US?
 ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY IS ENHANCED TO HELP ACHIEVE STRATEGIC GOALS
 PEOPLE BECOME CLEARER ABOUT WHAT IS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS
 PEOPLE FEEL ENERGISED AND ENGAGED BY THE PROCESSES WE DEPLOY
 A SYSTEMIC VIEW MEANS VALUABLE RESOURCES AND DOLLARS ARE ALLOCATED WHERE THEY NEED TO BE
 WE MEASURE WHAT WE DO
 HIGHER STAFF RETENTION AND ATTRACTION MEANS YOU HAVE THE BEST PEOPLE TO DO THE JOB
 LEADERS HAVE THE AWARENESS, SKILLS AND TOOLS TO INSPIRE AND SHIFT THEIR TEAMS AND THE ORGANISATION
 ENTROPY (LOST ENERGY IN THE SYSTEM) IS MINIMISED
 PEOPLE FEEL VALUED AND THEIR EXPERIENCE OF WORK IS MORE FULFILLINGE
 WE BUILD INTERNAL CAPABILITY TO EMPOWER CLIENTS TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE WORK WITHOUT HAVAING TO RELY ON
OUTSIDE SOURCES

5. Our Programs and Services
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
All our programs are highly customised to fit the needs of each organisation. We work with our clients to design, build and deliver
relevant and effective programs that work in the context of strategy, business objectives and culture. Leadership is the engine of high
performance in organisations – it’s as simple as that. Our leadership programs are based on our successful Seven Spheres of Leadership
Mastery – a central model used in our consulting practice, based on research, leadership theories and models and our own experience in
working with leaders. The principles and depth that underpins each sphere have helped thousands of leaders and organisations to be
more successful.
Programs primarily focus on three key areas:
 Intrapersonal awareness and skill building
 Interpersonal skills (relationship and team)
 Building and leading high performance teams and organisations
HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAMS
Effective teams, along with real leadership, are the most important drivers of organizational performance. We know that in many
contexts real teams can produce extraordinary performance beyond what those same individuals could achieve acting in isolation.
However we know from working with thousands of teams over a long period that becoming a high performing team requires on-going
commitment and focus. Our High Performance Team programs focus on supporting teams to establish:
 A deeper sense of purpose
 Relatively more ambitious performance goals compared to the average team
 Better work and behavioural approaches
 Mutual accountability; acknowledgement of their joint accountability towards a common purpose in addition to individual
obligations to their specific roles
 Complementary skill set, and at times interchangeable skills
CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION
Culture change work is one of the biggest challenges a CEO and executive team will face. The unexpected potency of culture can be both
a blessing and a curse for organizations as they ponder strategic and human resource issues. Yet culture change is not impossible, it just
takes a clear, planned approach. There is a lot of confusion about what a values-based culture is and how it actually enables success.
Our philosophy is that there are really two areas of focus in any cultural transformation: (1) the need to become a values-based culture
and (2) develop a culture which is ‘fit-for-purpose’. A fit-for-purpose culture simply means a culture that enables an organisation to
implement its strategy successfully. We have an excellent track record of supporting organisations to achieve meaningful and
sustainable cultural transformation.
SUPPORTING PROGRAMS
The Leadership Sphere has expertise in a number of leading programs that have demonstrated results over the long-term. Programs are
highly customised to meet the needs of the organization. Programs include:
 Executive coaching/Leader as Coach/Advanced Coaching
 Navigate™- an innovative program to manage and lead change/Adaptive Leadership
 Performance conversations/real dialogue training
 360 Degree assessment and debrief
 Talent Development
 Keynote speaking
 Trusted Partner training (particularly adapted for professional services)

6. About Us – In Brief
The Leadership Sphere was formed in 2007 by Phillip Ralph and
Associates, who have a long history of supporting organisations to
create breakthrough performance.
The Leadership Sphere (TLS) partners with organisations to achieve
sustainable high performance through a powerful multi-disciplinary
approach, focusing in the areas of leadership development, team
development and cultural transformation.
Our point of difference is a structured systemic approach to achieve
realistic and sustainable positive change leading to breakthrough
performance.
Our prestigious clients include a wide range of major companies
across the public sector and private industry, many of whom are Top
100 ASX companies.
We have services in all states of Australia and in the United
States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore,
Spain and the Netherlands.
Ground Floor
The Leadership Sphere 454 Collins Street
Melbourne Vic 3000
Australia: 1300 100 TLS (857)
International: +61 3 8319 4055
Fax: +61 3 8080 1686
www.theleadershipsphere.com.au
support@theleadershipsphere.com.au