Introduction to Leadership

A full-day workshop for new and emerging leaders stepping up from colleague to supervisor.

Stepping up from colleague to supervisor is one of the hardest transitions in any workplace. This workshop prepares new and emerging leaders for the shift — building capability in planning and prioritising, delegating, decision making, and giving effective feedback. Participants also use the DISC model to understand their own leadership style and how to work well with different people on their team.

Duration: Full day  ·  Delivery: Online or in the ACT  ·  Cohort: 8-20 participants

Aligned to the APS Craft Capability Framework and APS Workforce Strategy 2025.

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Short Courses → Introduction to Leadership

What your team will learn

Practical leadership skills for the step up from colleague to supervisor.

By the end of the workshop, participants will understand the principles of effective leadership. They will recognise their responsibilities as a supervisor—to themselves, their team, and their organisation. They will develop self-awareness and understand their style as a team leader. They will understand and practise the interpersonal skills required of a leader. They will also understand the role of effective, personalised communication in leadership.

What we cover

    • The step up to supervisor — Making the shift from colleague to leader, with reference to the APS Integrated Leadership System.
    • Planning and prioritising — Setting direction and managing competing demands for your team.
    • Delegating well — Giving work to others in a way that builds capability and trust.
    • Decision making — Making sound decisions as a leader, including in ambiguity.
    • Providing effective feedback — Giving feedback that actually changes behaviour.
    • Your leadership style — the DISC model — Understanding your own work preferences and how to relate to others on your team.

Workshop format

One full day, delivered to your team as a closed cohort.

McMillan’s Introduction to Leadership full-day workshop combines instruction, group activities, and case studies. Participants use the DISC model during the day to understand their own leadership style and how to work well with different people.

At a glance

    • Length: 1 day
    • Audience: New and emerging leaders (including graduates)
    • Delivery: Online (live, facilitated) or in-person in the ACT
    • Cohort size: Minimum 8, maximum 20 participants
    • Approach: Facilitated instruction, group activities, case studies, and the DISC model

Who the workshop is for

For new and emerging leaders making the step up from colleague to supervisor.

Introduction to Leadership is designed for people stepping into their first leadership role, or preparing to. Content and examples are tailored to your cohort’s context before delivery.

Typical cohorts

    • Graduates being prepared for future leadership responsibilities
    • New team leaders and supervisors in their first leadership role
    • Emerging leaders identified as future team leaders
    • Whole cohorts of new supervisors building a shared foundation together

When this workshop is a good fit:

    • You have new supervisors moving up without formal leadership training
    • Graduates need foundational leadership skills before their first team leader role
    • New team leaders need a practical starting point, not a theoretical model
    • You want a shared leadership foundation across a cohort of emerging leaders

How McMillan delivers

An evidence-based delivery approach grounded in adult learning principles and applied consistently to every workshop.

Every workshop follows the same delivery cycle—a consistent approach we apply to every workshop we run.

Our delivery cycle

    1. Initiate — We confirm outcomes, audience, delivery mode, schedule, and success measures. You get a Delivery Plan covering scope, responsibilities, evaluation, risks, and dependencies before we start.
    2. Design and tailor — Where contextualisation is needed, we shape content, scenarios, and activities to your workplace. You get finalised session materials before delivery.
    3. Deliver — We deliver online or face-to-face at your location. Sessions are interactive, practical, and designed for the roles and settings your team actually works in.
    4. Evaluate and close — We capture participant and stakeholder feedback and agreed measures of impact. You get an evaluation summary you can share with your executive.

This same delivery discipline sits under every workshop McMillan runs — non-accredited short courses and nationally recognised qualifications alike.

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Let's talk about your training needs

Tell us who you are and what you’re after — Ben or Lauren will get back to you.

Prefer to call? Phone us on (02) 6230 0266.

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