Facilitated by the Association of Business Mentors (ABM)

Senior leadership often brings isolation, leaving little room for open, candid dialogue. This morning session provides a confidential space to step away from day-to-day firefighting and bring your most pressing leadership challenge to the table. Guided by an experienced ABM mentor, you will work alongside fellow CEOs to test your thinking, share experiences, and receive constructive challenge. Expect to leave with fresh perspectives, renewed clarity, and practical next steps for the months ahead.

For senior organisation leaders, genuine influence extends beyond directing strategy; it relies on cultivating meaningful rapport, understanding member needs, and driving consensus across complex networks.

Drawing on core principles of performance technique, this interactive, practical workshop explores a vital element of leadership impact: true persuasion requires a willingness to listen and adapt. Participants will discover how deep audience awareness and intentional listening can build trust, resolve conflicting agendas, and create lasting unity across boards, committees, and membership bases.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Evaluate Drivers of Personal Influence: Examine the core mechanics of executive rapport and how flexible communication styles foster trust among key partners.
2. Apply Intentional Listening Techniques: Utilise active listening strategies to identify underlying member priorities, navigate differing viewpoints, and establish common ground.
3. Adapt Delivery for Consensus: Practise versatile communication methods to adjust messaging responsively, encouraging deeper engagement and long-term commitment.

Facilitated by the Association of Business Mentors (ABM)

Building on the morning's discussions, this afternoon peer group offers a fresh opportunity to tackle a different operational or strategic hurdle currently keeping you awake at night. Whether you are navigating organisational restructuring, culture change, or member retention, this facilitated roundtable enables deep, peer-to-peer problem solving. Bring your live issues, ask better questions of your peers, and benefit from the collective wisdom of leaders who truly understand the realities of running a membership organisation.

Leadership communication is rarely low-stakes. Whether rallying key stakeholders, advocating to policymakers, steering board governance, or inspiring member communities, executive impact relies on two crucial elements: setting a compelling strategic narrative and projecting authoritative, resilient presence under pressure.

In this high-level, interactive two-part masterclass, performance experts from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD) join forces with acclaimed comedian and broadcaster Sara Barron. Together, they offer a practical, sophisticated framework designed to refine executive storytelling, elevate C-suite presence, and master high-stakes room dynamics.

Part 1: The Craft of the Strategic Narrative 
Mastering the art of vision-setting and stakeholder alignment. Drawing on advanced dramatic and vocal performance disciplines, this immersive session focuses on the mechanics of compelling executive narrative. RCSSD experts will guide leaders through physical and vocal refinement, demonstrating how deliberate framing, presence, and intentional purpose transform complex sectoral challenges into memorable, action-oriented stories.

Part 2: Executive Command and High-Stakes Pressure
Putting strategy into practice when the room gets tough. Building directly upon RCSSD’s foundational framework, Sara Barron applies hard-won insights from stand-up comedy and live broadcast to the unique pressures of executive leadership. Leaders will explore the physical and psychological friction that arises during contentious board meetings, major keynote addresses, and live media exposure. Through practical, real-time exercises, participants will test tools to manage performance friction, handle unpredictable room dynamics, and project unshakeable poise.

By the end of this executive session, participants will be able to:

1. Set High-Impact Strategic Narratives: Employ advanced physical, vocal, and narrative techniques to articulate organisational vision and galvanise board members, stakeholders, and membership bases.
2. Master C-Suite Performance Friction: Identify and reframe personal stress responses and internal friction during high-stakes public speaking, board presentations, and media encounters.
3. Command Unpredictable Live Environments: Utilise proven live-performance strategies to navigate challenging audience dynamics, maintain authoritative command, and adapt fluidly under scrutiny.