Organizations tend to differ in business priorities; some may focus on technology, while others focus on the products to drive their business strategies. While these factors are pivotal for all businesses, there is something that no organization can ever overlook—the impact of leaders. As one of the most obvious drivers of business performance, leaders must be equipped with the acumen to lead their organizations to success through agility, innovation, and productivity. Leadership training and development must be at the heart of organizations’ business agenda, especially in today’s rapidly changing world.

As a leading consulting and training firm, Full Circle Connections Inc. specializes in leadership development and helps businesses achieve their desired outcomes through its suite of solutions and services. The brainchild of Dorothy Kudla, the firm is ideally positioned to work with organizations—irrespective of their size and industry—to help align their leadership, people, and culture.

In an interview with Manage HR, Kudla, founder of Full Circle Connections Inc. shares her insights on how the company leverages its expertise to develop great leaders who best fit today’s business needs.

Responding to Market Challenges

The workplace has seen its share of challenges over the last couple of years. With the world shifting into a more hybrid environment and as organizations try to understand the new market and pivot their products and services to meet the new demands of their clients, the work of leaders is more critical and difficult than ever. They are expected to lead innovation, set the new direction, identify priorities and meet the desired outcomes while inspiring, growing, supporting and engaging their team members. And all this is in an environment where relationships are not established, goalposts constantly shift, and the cross-functional interdependencies are unclear. To be a good leader is much harder today than in the past. It is not only about the skills; leaders need to have a high level of self-awareness, understand their direct reports well and know when and how they need to flex in order to best apply the skills.

At Full Circle Connections Inc., our approach to leadership development is pragmatic and intentional and aligned with our client’s business realities. We understand leaders are busy and want to see results fast. Our workshops are bite-size, focusing on developing one competency at a time and are reinforced through microlearning and on-demand support between sessions to ensure skill transfer.

Our goal is to help leaders master leadership in a simple, practical and relevant way so that they can create an environment where the people they influence achieve their full potential, both personally and professionally.

A Modular Approach to Leadership Excellence

Full Circle Connections Inc. begins the design process of the leadership curricula for their clients with an understanding of the current state, the desired outcomes and business priorities. A typical leadership training initiative involves a series of short 2-hour, instructor-led workshops, available in both virtual and in-person formats, each focusing on developing one competency identified as a priority for the business. In between the sessions, leaders have assignments, access to a coach and leadership team support. We have developed a set of 20 different modules to help develop all the necessary competencies a leader needs. These include coaching, feedback, relationship building, agility and adaptability, innovation and creativity, employee motivation, and critical thinking. With a unique modular approach to leadership training, we help new and experienced leaders learn, practice and incorporate skills into their daily practice before moving on to the next. Our programs are impactful and fun! We use technology, like virtual whiteboards, games and activities, to increase interest and engagement in training.
The Strength in Partnerships

Full Circle Connections Inc. has many partners that provide additional tools to strengthen our product offerings. As an authorized partner with Everything DiSC®, we have access to a suite of products that help leaders understand their natural tendencies and preferences and learn how these influence the way they lead others. It is also a great tool for learning about others’ needs and wants, giving insights into communication preferences and motivation needs. We are also partnered with The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team®, a program that enables teams to work more effectively, which is especially important given the hybrid workplace of today.

Keeping the Wheels Rolling Forever

Full Circle Connections Inc. is the result of my passion. When I first became a leader, I struggled a lot, always trying to manage the tension between being supportive and managing performance. I made it my mission to learn how to be a better leader, not to choose between relationships and getting work done efficiently, but to find a good balance that met the needs of my organization and my team. Understanding how to communicate effectively and adapting my natural leadership style to meet the needs of those who reported to me became my focus. When I thought I figured it out (a bit funny in hindsight), I was determined to share my knowledge with others. And 20 years later, my passion has not subsided. I see the work we do at Full Circle as critically important, not just for organizations but the individuals who are trying to do their best and be their best. I have never stopped learning, my curious nature helps me to understand and build strong relationships with my clients. In every workshop, I learn as much as I teach.