The Leadership Lab

82% of managers are ‘accidental’, taking on leadership roles without having ever received formal management or leadership training (Chartered Management Institute).

Stepping into a management position without practical training or guidance is incredibly challenging. Suddenly, you’re leading a team and expected to have all the answers, but you’re missing the roadmap for how to actually manage people.

Research shows that the vast majority of managers enter their roles ‘accidentally’. They excel in their day-to-day work and are promoted, but soon realise people management requires an entirely different skill set. Without proper development, frustration builds. It becomes difficult to get the best out of people, navigating the “hard stuff” feels impossible, and both the business and the team suffer.

The Leadership Lab has been created to prevent this frustration. Designed as an engaging, CPD-accredited* training course, each pathway empowers managers to handle complex team dynamics with confidence, bridging the gap between textbook theory and real-world capability.

*CPD accreditation pending, will be in place before cohort starts.

The Leadership Lab Overview

Every cohort of the Leadership Labs shifts the focus from passively consuming content to driving real behavioural change. You can expect:

With a maximum of8 people per group, everyone gets the space and support they need.

With a maximum of8 people per group, everyone gets the space and support they need.

Real-world application with Field Tests, Evidence Logs & pairing with a Lab Partner.

Live group coaching alongside facilitated sessions and a comprehensive Lab Manual which acts as an ongoing toolkit

CPD Accredited earning27 points (22 live delivery +5 applied field test hours)*

Plus evaluation data & completion certificate

2 year Alumni Support including 24/7 access to the digital hub and quarterly hot topic and Q&A webinars.

Choose Your Pathway

The Leadership Labs provides targeted content for every phase of management. We are currently launching our first two pathways for early 2027.

Aspire: For Aspiring Managers

Aspire is built specifically for individual contributors who have recently been identified as future managers or high-potential employees. If you want to proactively build the confidence and skills needed to lead others, and you are ready to shift your mindset from delivering results yourself to achieving results through a high-performing team, this foundational programme will give you the roadmap you need.

    1. From expert to manager: Defining the manager’s role and shifting your mindset.

    2. Lead yourself first: Building self-awareness, wellbeing, and confidence.

    3. Flexing for impact: Adapting management styles, handling challenging behaviours, and creating inclusive environments.

    4. Communicating with confidence: Adapting communication style, understanding the needs of others and presenting with confidence

    5. Delivering feedback that drives performance: Structuring impactful feedback and handling courageous conversations.

    6. Bring out the best in people: Inspiring, motivating, and understanding how others learn and develop.

    7. Let go to grow: Time management, prioritisation, and effective delegation.

    8. Turning groups into teams: Understanding team dynamics, phases of development, and managing workplace tensions.

    9. Think clearly, decide confidently: Problem-solving and improving decision quality.

Further details coming soon – launching February 2027.
Email: Leadershiplab@hannahsatchwell.co.uk to be the first to hear more.

Activate: For New & Existing Managers

Activate is designed for managers who truly want to be brilliant and make a positive impact, but find themselves feeling frustrated or stuck when navigating the”hard stuff” like conflict management, communication, and team alignment.

    • Building your leadership brand: Define the leader you want to be and strengthen your credibility, influence and executive presence.

    • Coaching for performance: Develop a coaching approach that supports growth, improves performance and creates genuine accountability.

    • Influence beyond your team: Build stronger stakeholder relationships, manage upwards effectively and navigate organisational dynamics with confidence.

    • Leading through change: Understand and respond to resistance, communicate change effectively and help others build resilience.

    • High-Performing teams: Create the psychological safety, clarity and shared habits that enable teams to perform at their best.

    • Communicating with impact: Communicate ideas with clarity and confidence through compelling stories, purposeful meetings and presenting ideas confidently.

    • Maximising performance: Give feedback that makes a difference, motivate individuals and raise performance across the team.

    • Working smarter: Take greater control of time and priorities, including running more effective meetings.

    • Decision advantage: Make sound, explainable decisions by involving the right people and using AI to sharpen your thinking, without handing over responsibility.

Timings: email leadershiplab@hannahsatchwell.co.uk for cohort dates and times.

Thrive and Elevate

More information coming soon

Email: Leadershiplab@hannahsatchwell.co.uk to be the first to hear more.

Investment

Standard Price

The standard price for each full Leadership Lab pathway.

£1,450 per person (+VAT)

Self-funding

For those self-funding your development is payable in four instalments.

£1,740 per person (including VAT)

Monthly instalments of £435

Special introductory
offer

For the very first cohort starting in January 2027, there is an introductory rate of £1,150 per person (+VAT).

For those self-funding your development the rate inclusive of VAT is £1,380 payable in four monthly instalments of £345.

Please note: All attendees for Cohort 1 need to be onboarded by mid-December. Once the 8 places are filled, applicants will be added to a waiting list for the next intake.

Secure your place

"Hannah absolutely hit the spot with the bitesize training programme she designed and delivered for our managers. I’m absolutely delighted – her delivery style, course content, and engaging interaction were hugely impactful. Our managers have come away inspired to approach their roles and responsibilities with renewed perspective.”

– Nicole Dyer, HR Manager, ACV

What clients have to say …

Your Facilitator

The Leadership Lab is led and designed by Hannah, a Chartered CIPD professional with 25 years of experience leading HR, OD, and L&D across global, commercial and non-profit sectors.

CMI and ILM certified in coaching, as well as a qualified Insights Discovery practitioner, Hannah combines deep expertise with practical insight to build confident leaders.

Learn more about Hannah

FAQs

  • Traditional training often involves a full-day of theory with little support on how to implement it. Leadership Labs uses a bitesize, action-oriented approach. You receive practical, evidence-based tools combined with group coaching, ensuring you have the headspace and accountability to apply what you learn in the real world.

  • Many businesses are supportive of investing in professional development , as it directly benefits the team, culture, and bottom line. If you need help pitching this investment to your manager or HR department, get in touch and we can provide a summary of the business benefits.

  • Because of the highly interactive group coaching element, we strongly encourage attending every session to get the most out of the programme and build trust within your peer network.

    However, we understand that urgent business priorities happen. Let us know as early as possible, and we will ensure you receive the materials and your cohort’s recording to catch up.

    NB. Recorded sessions will stop before the group coaching section due to higher confidentiality being required (last 30 mins per session)

  • We keep groups small, with a strict maximum of 8 people per cohort. This guarantees a safe, confidential, and highly personalised space where everyone has the opportunity to be listened to, understood, and challenged.

  • The time commitment is 2.5 hours live session plus around 30 mins for the Field Test and write up between each session. Sessions will be held every two weeks for 18 weeks (9 sessions and 9 Field Tests). The total commitment over 18 weeks is c.27 hours.

  • You can swap one person for another up to a week before the cohort starts.

  • Most management training stops the moment the final session wraps up. For the Leadership Labs alumni, the support continues with exclusive access to our community and ongoing resources long after your official cohort finishes.

  • You get two full years of bonus access to quarterly live Q&A webinars covering advanced management topics, delivered by industry experts. (Note: These alumni sessions kick off once our first two cohorts are completed, and your two-year access begins from that point).

“As a manager, I found Hannah's Bitesize Sessions genuinely valuable. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day demands of managing projects and deadlines, so having dedicated time to reflect on leadership, communication and people management was incredibly worthwhile. Thank you for helping me become a more thoughtful and effective manager.”


– Elissa Park, Marketing Manager, ACV