The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, the Sport Law & Strategy Group and Coaching for Excellence have launched the Sport Leaders Program to help sport executives from provincial, national and multi-sport organizations enhance their leadership skills. Piloted in April 2017 with 10 sport executives, the Program includes the Nova Profile personality assessment, two coaching conversations, and a two-and-a-half day retreat that runs from April 25-27 in a beautiful log cabin in Mont Tremblant, Quebec. Places are limited so please act fast if you are interested in participating – deadline for registering is March 9, 2018.

Consider this a leadership development “boot camp.”  The intent is for sport leaders to gain access to new ways of relating to self, others and the world around them. 

Leaders will:

• Learn how to skillfully create an empowering, values-driven culture
• Develop insight into leadership strengths and blind spots, including how to manage using multiple intelligences
• Develop an understanding of different leadership styles and ways to apply them
• Adopt strategies to ingrain values/ethically-based communication styles and practices
• Increase awareness of different energy states to maximize human potential
• Experience different approaches to address difficult conversations
• Participate in peer-to-peer discussions that address real-life problems in a supportive learning environment

“The Sport Leaders Program Retreat” led by Dina Bell-Laroche and Caroline Thibaudeau was a truly remarkable session that, as a leader in sport for several years, encouraged me to explore my strengths and understand my weaknesses all from an internal, reflective perspective. As leaders we are continually faced with challenges and opportunities. It is critical that at the end of the day we work to create an environment for the organization we lead, with its volunteers, staff and partners, to succeed. While we may not have all the answers, it is important we continually learn and improve through experience. The Sport Leaders Retreat in some ways pushed a reset button to remind me to utilize my strengths in a focused manner, acknowledge areas in need of strengthening and to commit to improve on a regular basis.  A powerful and valuable leadership program that I would recommend.” Casey Wade, CEO, Canoe Kayak Canada

Importance of leadership development:

A number of factors motivated us to offer this unique executive leadership program for sport leaders. We share a belief that the complexities of managing in the 21st Century are requiring us to enrich and embody leadership skills that give rise to exceptional performance.  Many sport executives have expressed an interest in continuing to develop and hone their leadership skills and in response, we have developed the Sport Leaders Program.

“It’s always difficult to break away from the urgent demands of the day-to-day business however, I felt that the Sport Leaders Retreat was an excellent opportunity to slow down, reflect, learn more about myself, enhance my leadership skills and connect with other sport leaders in a very unique environment. I would definitely recommend this experience to other sport leaders and I am looking forward to part 2.” Penny Joyce, COO, Diving Canada

Here’s what you need to know:

Location: The retreat will be held in the Laurentians approximately two-and-a-half hours from Ottawa. We have been very deliberate about the location and the venue as we know that this contributes significantly to the experience. To have a virtual tour, here’s the link:  www.rcntchalets.com.

Dates: Arrival time is by 2:00 p.m. on April 25 and a departure of noon on April 27, 2018.

Program Facilitators: Dina Bell-Laroche and Caroline Thibaudeau are both certified integral and International Coach Federation coaches and have partnered together to design and facilitate the Sport Leaders Program. 

Participants: Any sport executive (E.D., CEO, COO) from NSO, MSOs or PSOs can apply for the Sport Leaders Program.

Investment: The cost is $2,000 + HST which includes a NOVA PROFILE assessment; pre (1) and post (1) retreat individual coaching sessions; facilitated two-and-a-half day retreat; all nutritious meals; private  accommodation in a wonderful log cabin; experiential activities; access to relevant leadership materials; and two peer learning group sessions. For those looking for financial assistance, the Ontario Job Grants Program is a good choice.

Next steps: Please confirm your interest by emailing Paul Noble at pnoble@cces.ca by March 9, 2018. Please note there are only 10 spots available and spaces will be allocated on a first come, first to say ‘yes’ basis.

“Personal growth and continuous development through reflection, education and conversation should be a priority for all sport leaders. The Sport Leaders Program led by Caroline Thibaudeau and Dina Bell-Laroche provided a unique opportunity to engage with other sport leaders to accomplish just that. The immediate impact and gained insights from this interactive retreat will continue to help me grow as a sport leader.”  Natasha Johnston, E.D, Ringette Canada

“The Sport Leaders Retreat is a valuable opportunity to surround yourself with likeminded peers from your profession to professionally and personally enhance yourself.”  Ian Moss, COO, Gymnastics Canada