Frequently Asked Questions

Below you'll find answers to the questions we get asked the most about our programs, how they are delivered and our field of expertise.

What is leadership?

  1. What is Leadership?

    1. At The Humphrey Group, we define leadership as the ability to inspire others. Any time you communicate with the goal to inspire someone else, you are leading. No matter what your role and title, we all have opportunities to inspire others at work. Sometimes inspiration involves influencing someone else’s thinking, sometimes it involves motivating them, and sometimes it’s purely about connecting with them.

  1. What kind of leadership development training do we offer at The Humphrey Group?

    1. All of our leadership development programs focus on how to use communication to inspire others. We believe leaders need three main skillsets to communicate inspirationally: reflection, connection, and persuasion. We think of these as the 3 streams. We have Spark modules and Signature Learning Experiences in each of these 3 streams.

  1. What is inclusive leadership?

    1. Inclusive Leadership centers on the values of equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice. Inclusive leaders know how to use their communication and behavior to create an environment where everyone feels safe, valued, and respected. This involves empathy, humility, vulnerability, and self-awareness. These leadership qualities create the psychological safety and trust required for innovative, high-performance teams.

  1. Why do Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion matter in the workplace?

    1. Diversity, equity, and inclusion matter because people matter. Research has shown that diverse teams perform better than homogenous teams and that they are more innovative. Inclusive leadership allows us to make the most of the diversity on our teams and reap the benefits of that diversity. Equity is crucial to include because it creates the fairness necessary for all people to feel safe, valued, and respected. These skills are a must-have leadership competency for leaders today.

  1. What kind of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training does The Humphrey Group offer?

    1. We offer two types of DEI training. We offer programs for specific equity-seeking groups that are designed to create a space reserved for people who identify with a given group. These programs teach practical leadership and communication tactics in a safe, community-led environment. Examples include our Taking the Stage program (for women-identified people); our Proud to Lead program (for LGBTQ2+) people; Visible Leadership (for racialized people); and Enabling Leaders (for disabled people). All of these programs are designed and taught by members of these communities.

    2. We also offer an Inclusive Leadership program which is for anyone who wishes to learn the tactical behaviors needed to create inclusive work environments.

 

 

What is leadership communication?

  1. What kind of Communication training do we offer at The Humphrey Group?

    1. All of our communication programs focus on how to speak as a leader. We have 3 streams of programs that build skills in Reflection, Connection, and Persuasion. We believe these are the key skill sets that leaders need to communicate inspirationally in today’s work environment. Click here to learn more about our 3 streams.

  2. How do you speak as a leader?

    1. Speaking as a Leader begins with mindset and clarity of thought and it ends with delivering in a way that is consistent and authentic. It requires that you move away from an informational approach to communication and towards an inspirational, audience-centered approach.

  3. Do leaders speak differently from other people?

    1. Yes, leaders speak differently from other people. First, they treat every communication as an opportunity to inspire others. And second, they are able to influence, inspire, and connect with others because they bring an audience-centered vision and an authentic conviction to each interaction.

  4. Does every manager need to be a leader?

    1. Yes!, To be effective, managers must move from directly working to shaping ideas and beliefs. This is the difference between a manager and a leader. but even more than that, every person has the potential to be a leader. Anytime someone communicates with the intention to shape someone’s thinking you are leading. Whether or not you manage other people, you have an opportunity to lead every day.

  5. Do Leaders have a different mindset from anyone else?

    1. Yes, mindset is one of the things that sets leaders apart. Leaders take the time to clarify their beliefs and take care to put their convictions at the center of their communication. They have a positive, “big picture” approach to communicating that helps others see the possibilities, solutions, and benefits of a given situation.

  6. Can anyone/employee become a leader?

    1. If your goal is to inspire someone else, you are leading. Sometimes this means persuading someone to see things your way. Sometimes this means reflecting on how you wish to be perceived and the impact you want to have. And sometimes this means focusing on building connections and relationships to build trust.

  7. What is the relationship between leaders and followers/?

    1. Leaders provide the vision and big picture. They give us the vision for where we want to go. They motivate and empower everyone else to help us get us there.

    2. Great leaders also know when to be followers, they know when to defer to someone’s expertise and experience, and when and how to let others shine.

  8. Is communication key to becoming a leader?

    1. Communication is at the core of leadership. Leadership is about your relationship with other people and helping them buy into and act on your ideas. All aspects of leadership require excellent communication.

  9. What is Authentic Leadership?

    1. Authentic leadership is about tapping into your values to lead from a place that is true to who you are as a whole person. It requires that you integrate many different parts of yourself and “bring your whole self to work.” Authenticity is a powerful way to inspire others and encourage them to show up authentically as well.

  10. Do Leaders need to be good at building and maintaining relationships?

    1. Yes, leadership is based on relationships. No one achieves their vision alone! Leaders must be able to identify key relationships and build and maintain them in order to achieve their goals.

How are our courses/ programs delivered?

  1. How are The Humphrey Group’s programs delivered?

    1. The Humphrey Group’s programs can be delivered in-person, virtually, or in a blended format.