Lead with Confidence: Practical Leadership Foundations

Lead with Confidence provides practical leadership foundations for people ready to lead themselves, others and their community with greater impact.

Leadership today asks more of us than technical skill or good intentions. It calls for self-awareness, emotional intelligence, resilience, strategic thinking and the confidence to influence with integrity.

Lead with Confidence is a practical three-part leadership workshop series designed for emerging and established leaders who want to strengthen the way they lead in their workplace, community organisation, business, board, committee or volunteer role.

Delivered by Cr Karen Foster GAICD, the series blends self-leadership, practical leadership development, governance insight and reflective coaching. Each workshop builds on the next, while also standing alone as a complete learning experience.

What makes this program different?

This is not a theory-heavy leadership course. Delivered in a series of three workshops, this program is is strengths-based, values-driven and practical, with a strong focus on self-awareness and self-leadership as the foundation for leading others well. Participants will be encouraged to reflect honestly, build practical skills and develop the confidence to lead with purpose, discipline and integrity.

The program creates a safe and supportive space for participants to explore who they are as leaders, how they make decisions, how they influence others and how they can create genuine value in the roles they hold.

Not just a leadership program, Lead with Confidence is an invitation to discover your potential, strengthen your voice and help shape not only your own future, but the future of our region.

Leadership begins with self-awareness.
This workshop helps participants understand their values, strengths, patterns and default behaviours. It explores the importance of personal responsibility, intentional action, boundaries, standards, resilience and self-care.
Participants will explore:
- self-leadership principles
- personal values and strengths
- patterns and default behaviours
- radical self-responsibility
- intentional decision-making
- leadership presence, confidence and charisma as behaviours
- boundaries and standards
- resilience and self-care
Good leadership requires the ability to step back, set direction and make thoughtful choices.
This workshop focuses on what it means to lead strategically, including how to work at the right “level”, clarify priorities, make trade-offs, empower other and turn strategy into action.
Participants will explore:
- what it means to think and lead strategically
- vision, priorities and trade-offs
- moving from doing to directing
- accountability, empowerment and the balance between the two
- turning strategy into execution
- focus, discipline and strategic courage
- designing days that support effective leadership
Leadership is ultimately measured by the value it creates.
This workshop helps participants understand formal and informal power, build political intelligence, step into authority and focus their leadership effort where it matters most.
Participants will explore:
- formal and informal power structures
- political intelligence in the workplace and community
- managing across an organisation or system
- stepping into authority
- choosing the right battles
- leading for impact, not just activity
- courageous conversations and accountability
- measuring and sustaining impact
- becoming a leader who creates genuine value

Who this program is for:

This program is suitable for people who are:

· stepping into a leadership role for the first time

· leading a team, project, committee, business or community initiative

· wanting to build confidence, clarity and influence

· seeking to lead more intentionally rather than reactively

· interested in strengthening their personal leadership style

· ready to reflect, learn and apply practical leadership tools

You do not need a formal title to benefit from this program. If you influence others, make decisions, support people, shape culture or contribute to community outcomes, this series is designed for you.

Program structure

The series includes three full-day workshops, each running from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

Participants may attend individual workshops, although the full series is recommended for those wanting a deeper leadership development experience.

About the facilitator

Cr Karen Foster GAICD is an experienced leader, speaker and facilitator with a strong commitment to lifelong learning.

Karen is a sitting second-term Councillor who has served two Mayoral terms and one term as Deputy Mayor. She brings a wealth of community leadership experience developed through entrepreneurship, governance and community service.

A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Karen is also an experienced Non-Executive Director, Board Chair, Independent Chair, coach, mentor and facilitator. Her approach to leadership development blends coaching, mentoring, peer support and delivery tailored to different learning styles.

Karen lives in Peek Wurrong Country, Port Fairy, in the Maar Nation of south west Victoria

Why LGSC is offering this program

Leadership Great South Coast exists to grow and connect leaders who contribute to stronger communities across our region.

This program supports that purpose by offering accessible, practical leadership development for people who are ready to grow their confidence, strengthen their influence and lead with greater clarity.

Whether you are leading in a workplace, business, community group, volunteer setting, boardroom or local initiative, Lead with Confidence provides a practical foundation for leading well.

Book your spot now

Further Details

Full program (All three workshops):

$1200 (excl. GST)

Individual Workshops:

$600 (excl. GST) per workshop

If you think finance is a barrier for you, please get in touch with us. We are committed to making our programs as accessible as possible and are happy to work with your employer and/or external funders to remove any financial barriers.