Lab to Leader: open course
For individual learners and small groups
If you’d like to register yourself – or one to three colleagues – for the Lab to Leader programme, our upcoming open cohort offers the ideal solution.
Six live virtual modules: 90-minute sessions delivered by our expert facilitator.
Personalised 1-to-1 coaching: tailored to your goals and development priorities.
CliftonStrengths assessment: gain insight into your key strengths and leadership potential.
Digital learning toolkit: access supplemental resources for further growth.
Next dates: 2026 cohort 1
Virtual training modules: 29 Jan, 5 Mar, 26 Mar, 30 Apr, 4 Jun, 25 Jun
One-to-one coaching session: July
Module content
Module 1. Leading and managing your team
1.1 Engagement, Psychological Safety and Emotional Intelligence
- Engagement science – understand what drives engagement and motivates different individuals
- Apply the 12 key engagement predictors to improve your team’s performance
- Explore the link between emotional intelligence and effective leadership
- Build self-awareness and emotional intelligence across the team
- Recognise why psychological safety is critical to team success
- Use practical steps to strengthen openness, trust and healthy challenge
1.2 Leading and managing your team
- Management – what does it mean and how do we do it day to day?
- Leadership behaviours, skills and knowledge
- Developing a flexible leadership style
- Managing up – working productively with your manager and senior colleagues
Module 2. Coaching and mentoring your team
2.1 Coaching and mentoring your team
- Setting clear objectives for yourself and your team
- Giving and receiving effective feedback
- Coaching models
- Skills practice
- Carrying out an effective one-to-one
Module 3. Personal impact
3.1 Personal impact and influence
- Circle of control – identifying what you can control and influence, and what you can’t do anything about.
- Discovering your natural influencing style.
- Developing a flexible influencing style to increase your impact
- Adapting your tone and body language to create the impressions you choose.
- The difference between intention and behaviour.
- Increasing your visibility
3.2 Communicating and presenting with impact
- How to present yourself confidently
- Using your voice to create impact
- How to ‘fake it till you make it’
- Delivering clear and impactful messages
Module 4. Challenging conversations
4.1 Different types of challenging conversations
- Different types of tricky conversations and how to manage them
- Managing challenging attitudes and behaviour
- Communication skills during challenging conversations
4.2 Handling challenging emotions
- The role of words, tone and body language
- Identify your own trigger points and how to manage these
- How to gain the other person’s attention / buy-in
- Five communication styles and which ones are used in different situations
4.3 Preparing for your own challenging conversation
- Questions to consider before you have a challenging conversation
- Anticipating the other person’s responses and how you’ll respond
- Optional skills practice using scenarios written for your own organisation
Module 5. Strategy, politics and power
5.1 Strategy
- Where would you like to get to, and how are you going to get there?
- Thinking strategically about your career
- Planning strategically for yourself and your team
- Working ‘on the business’ as well as ‘in the business’
- Seeing the bigger picture
5.2 Widening your influence and network
- Identifying key stakeholders
- Stakeholder mapping
- Power and politics
- Understanding the political landscape and how to influence it
- Increasing your personal profile at work
- Building networks, coalitions and support processes
- Making the most of networking opportunities at conferences etc.
Module 6. Resilience
6.1 Developing personal resilience
- Managing physical resilience and your energy through the working day and week
- Building emotional resilience
- Dealing with pressure and overcoming setbacks
- Reframing and Cognitive Restructuring – identifying thinking patterns to deal with setbacks positively
- Making the most of your own time – switching off and recharging
- Mindfulness
6.2 Supporting wellbeing in your team
- Identifying signs of poor wellbeing in colleagues
- Feeling confident to talk to your team about wellbeing
- Sign-posting and referring employees to additional help
- Using the circle of control to manage pressure
- Creating a team culture that supports wellbeing and high performance
Programme elements
Options to suit your learners
Virtual training
Six 90-minute interactive online sessions led by an expert trainer and coach form the core of the programme. Designed for scientists, they focus on developing practical leadership skills directly applicable to research and innovation.
Individual coaching session
One-to-one executive coaching sessions provide a chance to focus on personal challenges and development needs. Often run before and/or after the main programme, they can also incorporate a Strengths assessment or 360-degree debrief.
Gallup Cliftonstengths diagnostic assessment
A research-based tool that identifies each participant’s unique talents and how to develop them into strengths. The report provides a foundation for coaching and team discussions, helping learners understand how they work, think, and collaborate.
Post-programme e-nudges
After the programme, participants receive a series of follow-up emails that encourage them to implement their learning and provide useful practical tips and advice.
Resources portal
An online portal provides access to useful videos, articles, interviews and book suggestions that build on the content of the training.
Prices and booking
Dates and prices
Next course:
2026 cohort 1
Virtual training: 29 Jan, 5 Mar, 26 Mar, 30 Apr, 4 Jun, 25 Jun
One-to-one coaching session: July
Prices:
£995 (+VAT) per participant
How to book
To book your place, just complete the booking form:
Got a question?
Please contact us via info@cambridgeexec.co.uk.