wellways
people leader and aspiring leader
leadership program
OrganisationAL Profile
Wellways Australia is a leading not-for-profit organisation supporting people experiencing mental health challenges, disability, and those requiring community care. Operating across eastern Australia, Wellways provides services under the NDIS, mental health recovery programs, carer support, and suicide prevention initiatives.
With a strong focus on inclusion and lived experience, Wellways empowers individuals and families to live meaningful lives and participate fully in their communities. The organisation also advocates for systemic change to promote mental health awareness, social justice, and better access to support services.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Wellways engaged the Australian Leadership Academy (ALA) to deliver a tailored Leadership Masterclass for the Gippsland and Housing Services Senior Management Team. The bespoke program was created to strengthen leadership capability, foster a high-performing team culture, and enhance the collective effectiveness of the managers across the region.
The program focused on critical leadership concepts including personal responsibility, adaptive leadership, and the ability to lead through disequilibrium. Managers explored how to navigate ‘heat’ in the system, address work avoidance, and distinguish between technical and adaptive challenges—enhancing their capacity to lead through complexity and loss.
A key element of the program was deepening the understanding of the distinct roles of leadership and management. Managers developed practical skills in high-performance conversations and peer coaching, asking powerful questions, and deep listening—empowering them to influence others and lead more effectively.
The masterclass also supported the development of a unified management team through a shared vision and focus on trust, healthy conflict, commitment, accountability, and collective results. The masterclass enabled stronger connections, alignment, and momentum toward common goals, reinforcing Wellways’ values and purpose-driven leadership.
People Leader and Aspiring Leader
Leadership Program
people leader and aspiring leader
program Feedback
ALA’s leadership program was
motivational and challenging?
96% strongly Agree
ALA’s approach supported
the needs of the leaders?
96% strongly Agree
The Wellways leaders actively
participated in the program?
98% strongly Agree
ALA’s leadership facilitator
was credible and effective?
100% strongly Agree
“the program was engaging
and welcoming,
Thank you!”
Grace Hill
Senior Family Peer Worker
“just really
amazing,
very helpful
and insightful”
Crystal Peter
Intake Service Navigator
To what extent would you recommend the Australian Leadership Academy?
93% highly recommend
Adaptive Leadership Capability
Participants explored the core principles of Adaptive Leadership, including leading with personal responsibility, navigating disequilibrium, identifying work avoidance, and responding to loss and complexity. ALA’s agenda-setting methodology helped leaders surface their most pressing adaptive challenges and take meaningful action.Leadership and Management
The masterclass clarified the distinction between management and leadership, emphasising leadership as a practice that mobilises people to face challenges and grow. Leaders examined their default responses and practiced shifting from technical fixes to adaptive approaches where required.High-Performance Conversations
Leaders strengthened their ability to engage in high-performance conversations and peer coaching. The program focused on using powerful questions to surface insights, hold others accountable, and foster reflective dialogue that supports change.Team Culture
The team co-created a shared leadership vision and reinforced the conditions for a high-performing culture. Key focus areas included building trust, embracing healthy conflict, committing to shared goals, and achieving collective results. The program supported alignment, unity, and long-term leadership effectiveness.
Program outcomes:
“Practical tools, real application, the HIGH-PERFORMACE CONVERSATION framework has strengthened my leadership practice”
Ashton Foster
Mental Health & Wellbeing Practitioner
“strengthened my leadership
by empowering team members
to take ownership and
stay focused on what matters”
Michael Needham
Acting Senior Wellbeing Worker
“The high-Performance conversations approach to leadership has strengthened
my supervision practice, and
helped me develop capability
within the teams I lead”
Christopher Turner
Program Practice Coordinator
