FROM 'EXPERT' TO 'LEADER'

Practical support for your first people leadership role

A 2-day in-person program for technical professionals who are now responsible for people,

not just projects

Our Next Program Begins In:

Wednesday 20th & Thursday 21st May, 2026

Mastering the Shift from Doing to Leading.

You’ve built your career on being the expert, the person others turn to when quality, precision, and results matter most. Now, you’ve been asked to step up, or perhaps you’re ready to do so yourself.

Moving from technical mastery to people leadership is a leap, one that brings both opportunity and uncertainty. Leadership doesn’t come with a handbook, and the habits that made you successful as an expert aren’t necessarily the ones that will help you thrive as a leader.

A safe pair of hands is no longer enough. To shape strategy, influence direction, and create meaningful impact, you need to be seen and to see yourself as a leader who inspires confidence and drives results through others.

This two‑day program is designed to help you make that shift with clarity, confidence, and practical skills you can apply immediately.

The Expert to Leader Program is designed specifically for professionals who want to:

  • Move beyond day‑to‑day project work and start contributing to the bigger picture.

  • Build simple, repeatable frameworks that make their expertise clear and easy to share.

  • Be valued for their ideas, coaching, and leadership, not just their technical know‑how

Who is this Program for?

  • Engineers

  • IT & Digital Professionals

  • Accountants & Finance Professionals

  • Risk, Compliance & Quality Specialists

  • Clinical and Healthcare Professionals

  • Operations & Logistics

  • Other professionals stepping into people leadership

Why You'll Love this Program

⚙️Designed for technical experts

 

You are already great at the technical work, this program helps you get great at leading people. It is designed specifically for engineers, IT professionals, nurses, accountants and other technical experts who are new to leadership or moving into a people leadership role for the first time.

🧰 Practical tools you can use immediately 

You will not get fluffy theory or buzzwords. Across two focused days, you will walk away with simple tools, frameworks and knowledge you can use with your team the very next day.

🦺 A safe place to learn the "people stuff"

You will learn alongside others who are in the same boat, not in a room of seasoned executives (apart from the facilitator). Small groups and real scenarios give you a safe space to practise and get comfortable before you try new approaches with your own team.

Donna Benjamin - Program Director

Program Director - Donna Benjamin

Led by an expert practitioner who has walked the path from expert to executive

The Expert to Leader Program is facilitated by an experienced people and strategy adviser who has spent her career working in organisations full of technical experts — engineers, IT and digital professionals, clinicians, finance and risk specialists and the leaders who rely on them. She has seen, time and again, talented specialists promoted into leadership roles without the tools, support, or guidance to make the shift from “safe pair of hands” to confident people leader.

Across large corporates and high‑growth scale‑ups, she has led people, culture, and organisational development functions, coached emerging and senior leaders through the transition from individual contributor to people leader. The program focuses on building self‑awareness, clarity about the role of a leader, and the practical mindset shift from doing the work yourself to leading others, aligning teams to organisational priorities, and delivering sustainable results through people.

Facilitator testimonials

Inside the Expert to Leader curriculum

Format at a glance

  • DISC Profile (completed pre-program)

  • 2 Day intensive Workshop

  • Optional one-on-one tailored coaching to support you embed your learnings and increase confident

  • Limited to a small gropu so you can practice, get feedback and work on real world scenarios from your world.

  • Curated resources & tools

What we cover:

Day 1

Day one is focused on making the transition from mate to manager and setting the foundations for effective leadership. Key focuses are:

* What leadership actually is (beyond a title) 

* Self Awareness using DISC: how your style shows up, especially under pressure

* Moving from ‘doing’ to ‘delegating’ without dropping quality

* Personal Leadership Effectiveness: where you create (and lose) impact

Day 2

Day 2 focuses more on leading others and getting the best from your team. Key focuses are:

* Setting direction and expectations without micromanaging

* Using what we know about motivation to get the best from your team

* Having hard conversations and giving clear, fair feedback

* Your 90-day leadership action plan

Post Program - Optional Add-on

  • 3 x 1:1 coaching to support you and help you embed your learnings and personal leadership action plan

Program Dates

Brisbane

Wednesday 20th & Thursday 21st May, 2026

Alcove Co Working Space: Level 1, 70 Eagle Street, Brisbane.

Program investment

The Expert to Leader Program is a premium, small‑cohort experience designed to provide you with the skills, knowledge and tools to help set you up for a successful transition from subject matter expert to a confident and capable people leader and get the best out of your team and deliver results.

Participant Eligibilty

  • Transitioning from a technical, individual contributor role into people leadership or new to leadership.

  • Committed to self-awareness and ongoine professional development

  • Looking for knowledge, skills and frameworks to support confidence

Expert to Leader - Program Only

For technical experts wanting to learn how to transition into being a successful people leader

Personalised DISC Profile Report

 

2 Day In Person 'Expert to Leader' Program

 

Personal Leadership Action Plan 

 

LImited Cohort of Professionals to ensure personal learning experience

 
AU$3,200
AU$2,800

Early Bird Pricing (until 10th April)

Expert to Leader with Coaching

For committed leaders who want to help implmenting their

personalised learning plan and increased confidence.

Personalised DISC Profile Report

 

2 Day In Person 'Expert to Leader' Program

 

Personal Leadership Action Plan

 

Limited Cohort of Professionals to ensure personal learning experience

 

3 x One-on-One online coaching sessions post program with one of our

experienced coaches

 
AU$3,950
AU$3,550

Early Bird Pricing (until 10th April)

Best Value

Frequently Asked Questions?

Is this program suitable if I not yet in a leader role and considering whether leadership is for me?

Yes, it is suitable and this is a great opportunity to “try on” leadership in a structured way.

The program is specifically designed for technical experts who are considering a move into leadership, as well as those who have recently stepped into a people leader role. You do not need to currently manage a team to benefit.

Across the two days, you’ll gain a clear understanding of what the leader role actually involves, how it differs from being an individual contributor, and whether it aligns with the kind of career you want to build. If you’re “leadership‑curious” and want to make an informed decision before you step up (or before you step further in), this program is a strong fit.

How large is the cohort?

The cohort is intentionally kept small so you receive a personalised learning experience and meaningful interaction with the facilitator and peers. In most cases, the maximum number of participants is around 20, which allows for discussion, coaching, and tailored support.

For in‑house programs, a larger group may be accommodated by arrangement, depending on your organisation’s needs and the desired level of interaction.

How interactive are the sessions?

The sessions are deliberately interactive, with a mix of concise teaching, guided reflection, small-group and pair discussions, and practical activities you can apply to your real work. You will be encouraged, but not forced to contribute, and there is plenty of space for questions, discussion, and learning from peers as well as the facilitator

Tell me more about the optional coaching sessions?

As part of the Expert to Leader Program, you have the option of receiving individual coaching to help you apply what you’ve learned to your real work context. These sessions are focused on your specific goals, challenges, and leadership environment, so the support feels practical rather than generic.

Coaching sessions take place post the workshop to consolidate learning, work through real scenarios, and keep you accountable for putting changes into practice. Sessions are delivered online, scheduled at mutually convenient times, and are strictly confidential.

Coaching may explore topics such as the shift from individual contributor to people leader, building self‑awareness and confidence, navigating “mate to manager” dynamics, delegating effectively, and aligning your team’s work with organisational priorities and results or what ever areas you wish to focus on.

I am a member of a professional association, does the program qualify for ongoing CPD activity?

Many professional associations require members to complete a set number of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours each year to maintain professional membership. For example, Engineers Australia requires members to complete 150 hours annually, with at least 15 hours related to business and management skills. The "Expert to Leader Program' is a leadership‑focused, two‑day program and will typically meet the criteria for “professional and personal leadership development” activities for professional bodies.

You will receive a completion certificate after successfully attending the full two days, which you can usually submit to your professional association as evidence of CPD. Please note, this program is not formally accredited with any specific professional body or association, so if you require CPD points for registration or professional status, please check your association’s guidelines or contact them directly before enrolling.

Do you run in-house programs for organisations?

Yes. The Expert to Leader Program can be delivered in‑house for your organisation and tailored to your context, leadership framework, and technical disciplines.

In‑house delivery allows you to bring a cohort of your technical experts together, use real organisational examples, and align the content with your strategy, values, and ways of working.

Group size, format (two consecutive days or split sessions), and coaching options can be customised by arrangement.

If you’d like to explore an in‑house program, please get in touch to discuss your needs and pricing.

Is there any pre-work required?

Yes. Before the program, you’ll complete a DISC behavioural profile. DISC is a simple, research‑based tool that helps you understand your natural communication style, how you respond under pressure, and how this may differ from the people you work with.

We use your DISC results in the program to build self‑awareness, explore your strengths and blind spots as a leader, and develop practical strategies for leading, communicating with, and influencing others more effectively. Your profile report is yours to keep and refer back to after the workshop.

Is this program only for a particular industry?

No. The program is designed for technical professionals across a range of disciplines, including engineering, IT and digital, finance, risk and compliance, clinical and healthcare, operations, logistics, and other specialist fields where people often move from expert roles into leadership.

What level of experience is this Program best suited to?

The program is best suited to early‑stage and emerging leaders: typically professionals with several years of technical experience who are either in their first people leadership role or preparing to move into one in the near future or exploring whether people leadership is for them.

What if I'm an introvert or not naturally "outspoken"?

You do not need to be extroverted to be an effective leader. The program helps you understand your natural style (including through DISC), and shows you how to lead in a way that feels authentic, rather than forcing you into a one‑size‑fits‑all leadership stereotypes.

If you have a question that we have not addressed above, you are welcome to ask us a question directly here:

Step into the next chapter of your career

If you are ready to move from a reliable technical expert to a recognised leader in your field, the next step is to secure your place. Hurry, places are limited.

Next Brisbane cohort begins in May.
Places are limited and confirmed on a rolling basis.