Last week, I had the opportunity to work with two very different client groups on back-to-back days.
On the surface, both engagements fell under the broad category of leadership development.
In reality, they couldn’t have been more different.
On Tuesday, I facilitated a session for approximately 50 leaders as part of a life sciences company’s launch of a new workforce philosophy. This was a significant milestone for the organization and represented months of planning, alignment, and preparation. The goal wasn’t simply to communicate information. It was to help leaders build capabilities in areas such as feedback, empathic listening, and coaching while creating commitment to the organization’s broader vision.
The experience needed to be engaging, practical, and highly interactive. These leaders had heard the concepts before. What they needed was an opportunity to practice, discuss, and understand how the philosophy would come to life in their day-to-day leadership.
The very next day, I was with a smaller Market Access team that had been formed within the past several months.
Their challenge was entirely different.
Rather than focusing on enterprise-wide change, they were focused on strengthening collaboration and accelerating team effectiveness. To support those goals, we used a behavioral assessment to explore individual work styles, communication preferences, and areas where greater adaptability could improve team performance.
The session was highly interactive, but for a different reason. The objective wasn’t capability building around a new philosophy. It was helping team members better understand themselves, their colleagues, and ultimately the customers they serve.
Two days, Two clients, and Two distinct goals…And two very different experiences.
As I reflected on those engagements, I was reminded of a point I made in my first blog post: experience matters.
Neither group needed more information. They needed an experience designed around the outcome they were trying to achieve.
That’s where leadership development, coaching, and facilitation often succeed—or fail. The temptation is to start with content. A model. A framework. A favorite workshop. Then look for opportunities to apply it. I’ve found the opposite approach is far more effective:
- Start with the client.
- Understand their goals.
- Listen to their challenges.
- Design an experience that meets them where they are.
- Then facilitate in a way that allows people to engage, contribute, and learn from one another.
When that happens, the content becomes more than information. It becomes relevant. Practical. Actionable…And that’s when meaningful change begins.
Whether you’re launching a new initiative, developing leaders, strengthening a team, or preparing for future growth, the question isn’t simply, “What do people need to know?”
It’s “What experience will help them get there?”