The Paradox of
First-Time Leaders
Step Confidently into Leadership: Master the Paradox of Being a First-Time Leader
Becoming a leader for the first time is a pivotal moment—filled with both excitement and uncertainty. You've worked hard for this promotion, but now that you're in the manager's seat, the reality of leading others may feel overwhelming. Are you finding that your enthusiasm isn’t quite enough to inspire your team?
This is a critical stage in your leadership journey, where the path forward may seem unclear, and self-doubt can creep in.
How sure are you of the direction you're taking?
How comfortable do you feel in your new role?
What kind of leader are you truly becoming?
As seasoned leaders and coaches, we understand the unique challenges of this transition.
That’s why we've designed "The Paradox of the First-Time Leader"
— a group program tailored to support you during this strategic yet often solitary time.
Join us to gain the clarity, confidence, and connection you need to thrive in your new role.
The challenge
These statistics underscore the profound impact that leadership quality can have on a team's motivation, engagement, and loyalty, making it crucial for first-time leaders to develop the necessary skills and insights to lead effectively.
- A study by Gallup found that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement levels. Poor leadership can significantly diminish motivation, leading to decreased productivity and overall performance.
- Research by the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) indicates that ineffective leadership is one of the primary reasons for low employee engagement, with only 30% of employees in the UK reporting being engaged at work.
What our clients say
"Paradox has been a transformational program for our new leaders, equipping them with essential skills to excel in today’s ever-changing environment. The training has empowered those that have participated to hit the ground running, enabling them to trust their own instincts and lead with confidence."
Terri Fanz-Falzone, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Vice President, Human Resources, ENGEL North America
"This training is such an amazing support for our entire team. We can see so many positive changes already, especially in terms of engagement, self-reflection, positive leadership."
Barbara Lax, CEO & Founder,
Little Green House, Switzerland
What we did exceptionally well, according to our previous participants...
"The coaches handled the large group setting very well, and the individual coaching sessions were the highlight of the program for me."
"Very useful, and definitely something to leverage in my day-to-day activities with my team."
"The breakout groups were great - encouraging and allowing participants to share with each other"
"Framing the content and challenging thinking"
The solution
- 8 interactive live webinars of 90 minutes : each month, a new topic is studied with a highly engaging coaching approach and a mix of leadership insights, group discussions and self-reflection (6 modules charted below + introduction and closure)
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3 hours (3 or 4 sessions) of individual coaching for each participant spread over the course of the program
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3 mastermind circles : 60 minutes of powerful live group discussions to deepen the learnings of the program
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A learning platform where participants share and discuss between sessions, find additional resources on each topic, and do some prework to actively prepare for each webinar
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... ALTERNATIVELY, we can also deliver an intensive version of this program face to face in 4 half day sessions
And for whom...
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1st line supervisors recently appointed in a leadership position
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1st line supervisors who want to enhance their leadership skills or improve team engagement
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Leaders of leaders who want to set their supervisors for success
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HR managers who want to better support leaders or help improve people engagement
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Any leader who wishes to take some time to assess the different components of their role
Dates for 2025
Remote Program (100% live on-line) will take place at:
9:00am (CET) French speaking Program
3:00pm (CET) English speaking Program, on the following dates:
- September 30th 2025: Introduction (90mn) – Includes a section on how to maximise your coaching time
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October 14th: Paradox 1 (90mn) - Me or Team: should I take care of me or my team first?
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November 4th: Mastermind 1 (1h Group Coaching)
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November 18th: Paradox 2 (90mn) - Leading or Working: if I lead all the time, when do I get my work done?
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December 2nd: Paradox 3 (90mn) - Helping or Judging: if I develop people, how can I also evaluate them?
- December 16th: Mastermind 2 (1h Group Coaching)
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January 6th 2026: Paradox 4 (90mn) - Today or Tomorrow: am I supposed to focus on short-term or long-term?
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January 20th: Paradox 5 (90mn) - Adapt or Control: if things keep changing, how can I control anything?
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February 3rd: Mastermind 3 (1h Group Coaching)
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February 17th: Paradox 6 - Authentic or Political: if I handle politics, how can I be authentic?
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March 3rd: Conclusion (90mn)
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Throughout: 3 hours of coaching individually planned for each participant
Your investment
Super early bird: 1'300CHF (1 365€)* - register by June 27th 2025
Early bird: 1'500CHF (1 575€)* - register by July 31st 2025
Standard: 1'900CHF (2 000€)* - register by September 19th 2025
* This is the price by participant excluding VAT
Your program manager
Isabelle Verdon
This journey is led by our program manager, with the support of our team of certified leadership coaches. Depending on the schedule and participants, you'll benefit from the expertise of one or more of our high-profile coaches, each bringing a wealth of experience to guide you through your leadership journey. Meet all our coaches here.
Register now!
Please choose the program you wish to register for based on the information provided above.
2 options are available:
- Remote, French speaking 9:00am (CET)
- Remote, English speaking 3:00pm (CET)
Not the right time?
If you're interested but not quite ready for the course, or it's not the right time, sign up for our waiting list!
Les paradoxes des leaders débutants
Préférez-vous suivre ce programme en français ?