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ASCEND

A LEADER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Developing Grit-Proven, Resilient, Adaptive Leaders.

2023 COURSE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN | LIMITED TO 12 SEATS 

ASCEND

A LEADER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Developing Grit-Proven, Resilient, Adaptive Leaders.

03 May - 02 Oct 2023

12 Participants Total

Registration Now Open

Registration Closes 20 April 23

The Ascend Leader Development (ALD) program is focused on enabling leaders to drive a measurable, sustainable enhancement in their leadership capability & performance.

The ALD program uses a staged approach building on a foundation of personal resilience, tested personal grit - setting the conditions for sustainable leadership development & industry-led mentorship.

WATCH OUR ASCEND PROGRAM WEBINAR

Watch our recent 10 min webinar to learn about the Ascend Leader Development Program, our industry-led approach, speakers mentors and key activities. 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Strong Link brings together experts in the fields of cognitive-behavioural therapy, acceptance & commitment theory, emotional Intelligence, adaptive leadership, fitness & nutrition, austere resilience experts, and qualified experienced Canadian Mountain Guides - to enhance critical leader development and leadership performance.

The Ascend Leader Development Program sees participants complete five stages of development, and ongoing support.

 

We commence with a Resilience Foundations Workshop followed by a 3-month Resilience Coaching Program, allowing participants to build personal mental, physical and emotional resilience culminating with the austere grit challenge of their choice.

Participants then meet for a 7-day retreat in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, where they will complete an Adaptive Leadership Skills workshop, and their selected Austere Challenge led by qualified, experienced Canadian Mountain Guides.

After building a foundation of resilience, and tested grit, participants will complete a 3-month group mentorship program and 360 Assessments led by senior industry leader mentors, driving a measurable performance improvement in their leadership skills.

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The ALD program is designed for new or experienced leaders seeking to build & test personal resilience, and enable sustained enhanced leadership performance.

STAGE 1

RESILIENCE FOUNDATIONS WORKSHOP

Enabling Sustainable Personal Change

03 May - 05 May 2023

Live | Virtual

Workshop Objectives

  • Through structured discovery, building on cognitive-behavioural therapy - you will define your core values and purpose, building intrinsic motivation and a positive mindset. Research has shown this to be critical in enabling sustainable behavioural change.

  • Complete a fitness & nutrition planning workshop to enable physical resilience and readiness for the Austere Grit Challenge of your choice.

  • Understand the strategies utilized by high-performance executives, front-line and special forces teams to drive personal mental resilience.

  • Get introduced to mindfulness skills based on emotional intelligence and Acceptance & Commitment Theory (ACT), to enable personal emotional resilience. 

  • Complete a number of leadership assessments and an initial 360 assessment - to understand your current leadership performance profile, and developmental path.

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STAGE 2

RESILIENCE
COACHING

Building Personal Resilience

08 May, 05 Jun, 10 Jul 23

Live | Virtual | 3 x 1.5 hr Sessions | 4:30-6 pm Est

Group Coaching

Leveraging TSL's successful Group-Based coaching program, participants will complete a 3-month fitness workup plan to achieve their selected Austere Grit Challenge Goal, putting the resilience foundations workshop tools and techniques into practice.

Participants will also have the option to check in virtually over a weekly zoom coaching meeting to drive accountability. 

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STAGE 3

ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP

Enhancing Critical Leadership Skills

25 Jul - 27 Jul 2023 | Arrive at YYC 25 Jul 2023

In-Person | Canadian Rocky Mountains | 2.5 Days

Kananaskis Crosswaters Resort

Participants picked up from Calgary International Airport will arrive and spend the first three nights at the pristine Crosswaters Resort within the Kananaskis Mountain Range in Alberta, Canada.

Surrounded by the mountainous landscape, participants can avail themselves of the resort's many amenities, including the five restaurants, bars, cafes, and on-site Nordic Spa.

Participants will complete a 2-day Leadership Skills Development workshop. This 2-day conference-style workshop will focus on the essential leadership skills needed to enable, lead, and cultivate high-performance teams through Adaptive Leadership.

Adaptive Leadership Skills Workshop

Participants will develop a practical understanding of the following competencies.

  • Adaptive Leadership execution.

  • How to utilize the Cynefin framework to enable strategic decision-making.

  • Understand the anatomy of high-performance teams.

  • How to defeat complexity through utilizing a design-thinking methodology.

  • Utilize group-based decision-making techniques.

  • How to identify personal biases & leverage equity, diversity & inclusivity to enable high-performance teams. 

  • Evolving performance management techniques.

    Enabling conflict resolution through increased psychological safety.

    How to craft and execute an Organizational Mentorship Program.

  • How to enable daily-coaching & continuous improvement actions.

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Glacier Lake, AB

STAGE 4

AUSTERE GRIT
CHALLENGE

Test Your Resilience

28 Jul - 30 Jul 2023 | Depart from YYC 31 Jul, 2023

In-Person | Canadian Rocky Mountains | 3 Days

Alpine Air Adventures

Utilizing the resilience techniques instructed & mentored - in partnership with Alpine Air Adventures - each participant will undertake one of three challenges to test their resilience and growth. Each of the three challenges is designed to test mental, physical and emotional resilience - suited to each participant's fitness level. Experienced, qualified Canadian Mountain Guides will lead each participant group. Challenge locations are subject to change based on availability.

CHALLENGE 1

Glacier Lake | Backcountry Trek | Rappel

17.1 km Out & Back | 876m Elevation Gain

For members with minimal outdoor experience. Participants will complete the 3-4 hour hike in, passing Howse Pass, and set up a backcountry campsite. On day two, participants will challenge their resilience by completing a controlled rappel led by a Canadian Mountain Guide. On day three, the group will trek back to the trailhead.

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Mount Assiniboine, BC

CHALLENGE 2

Mount Assiniboine | Nub Peak | Scramble

33.5 km Trek-In | 1115 m Elevation Gain

Participants will conduct a 9 hr 26.7km trek into Magog Lake from Mount Shark Trailhead with over 741m in elevation gain. On day two they will complete a 6.8km hike out & back to the summit of Nub Peak, where they will be able to overlook the Assiniboine Valley, with Mount Assiniboine (The Canadian Matterhorn) prominent on the landscape.

On day three, participants will be extracted by helicopter back to the Mount Shark helipad, as they view the Canadian Rockies from the air.

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Mount Athabasca, AB

CHALLENGE 3

Mount Athabasca | Summit Attempt

12.7 km Out & Back | 1566 m Elevation Gain

For participants with a moderate to high fitness level - Participants will complete one day of Glacier / Alpine Training.

 

On Day two, each group, led by a Canadian Mountain Guide, will conduct a non-technical summit attempt of Mount Athabasca.

 

All technical equipment will be provided. Participants will need their own camping gear and clothing - full kit & equipment list to be provided.

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STAGE 5

LEADER MENTORSHIP

Enabling High-Performance Leadership

7 Aug, 4 Sep, 2 Oct 2023

Live | Virtual | 3 x 1.5 hr Sessions

Group Leader Mentorship

Led by Senior Industry Leaders, each 4-person group, will complete a Leadership Development Plan over a 3-month period. Guided by experienced mentors in industry, each participant will focus on applying principles of resilience and Adaptive Leadership in order to craft and execute a personal leadership development plan.

 

Participants will also complete 2x360 Assessments to drive a measurable performance improvement within the stakeholders of their teams.

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Mentor

Nancy Barber

COO Ret'd | Bombardier

Top 100 Women in Canada

President | Women In Aerospace Canada

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Mentor

Dave Hyem

VP Ret'd | Boeing

Board Member | TWI Institute

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Mentor

Jaime Engdhal

Senior Director, Advanced Weapon Strategy

Northrop Grumman

United States Naval Test Pilot School Graduate

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STRENGTHEN

ONGOING DEVELOPMENT

Sustaining Growth

12-Month Development Support

3-Month Check-Ins

Having completed the Ascend Leader Development Program and building strong connections between participants. You will be invited to reconnect at the 3, 6, 9 & 12-month time frame. These check-in sessions will also enable participants to stay connected and build lifelong supportive professional relationships. Participants will also complete industry assessments on personal health & wellness and productivity to measure the sustained impact of the ALD program. TSL will also provide additional learning, networking and mentorship resources to support sustained resilience development.

Life-Long Professional Connections

At the 12-Month check-in, all participants can join follow on quarterly check-ins at no additional cost. Participants will engage with continuing ALD Program cohorts, building a professional, supportive network of resilient, grit-proven, adaptive leaders. 

BONUS

THE CANADIAN ROCKIES EXPERIENCE

Experience The Rockies

As we transition from Stage 3 at the Crosswaters resort and the campsites for Stage 4, you will be treated with morning and afternoon site visits of some of the most famous scenic mountain sites in the world, time permitting including:

  • Spray Lakes

  • Lake Minnewanka & Lake & Two Jacks Lake

  • Lake Louise & Moraine Lake

  • Peyto Lake

  • Bow Lake

KANANASKIS 
NORDIC SPA

Canadian Rockies Final Day

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At the conclusion of the Austere Challenges, all groups will return to the Crosswaters Resort, where they will be granted complimentary access to the Kananaskis Nordic Spa. Participants will then depart from Calgary International Airport on 31 July 2023.

ALL - INCLUSIVE

Included in Program Cost

  • All travel to & from Calgary International Airport (YYC) and throughout the Canadian Rockies trip.

  • All meals

  • All accommodations

  • All alpine technical equipment for Challenge 3

Airfare is not included.

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Lake Louise, AB

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Moraine Lake, AB

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Lake Minnewanka, AB

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Two Jack Lake, AB

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Peyto Lake, AB

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Bow Lake, AB

2023 COURSE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN  | LIMITED TO 12 SEATS

ADMISSION

Participant Requirements

Participants enrolling in the TSL Ascend Leader Development Program should have the minimum level of fitness required to complete a 3-month workup for their challenge of choice. 

TSL CREDENTIAL CERTIFICATE &
LETTER OF RECOGNITION

Awards & Recognition

Participants who complete the ALD program will be awarded a TSL Credential & Digital Badge, outlining their performance and accomplishments - visible and distributed through Credly. ​

Participants will also receive a personalized TSL Letter of Recognition, signed and noted by each mentor.

PROGRAM COST

All stages are included in the cost per participant. Cost does not cover airfare. 

Please note all payments are conducted in Canadian Dollars. US & Euro costs are approximations.

Regular Cost Per Participant

CAD

$8,160 + Hst 

US

$5,899 + 13% VAT 

EURO

$5,574 + 13% VAT 

Early Sign Up Cost

15% - Early Registrant Discount

TSL has recently enabled a 15% reduced cost benefit for early registrants. 

CAD

$6,069+ Hst 

US

$4514 + 13% VAT 

EURO

$4121 + 13% VAT 

BROCHURE

Download the ALD Brochure

Would you like a copy of The Strong Link Ascend Leader Development Program Brochure?

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REGISTER

The Strong Link Ascend Leader Development program develops sustainable, grit-tested, adaptive leadership skills needed to drive high performance.

We welcome a total of 12 participants annually; spots are limited.

Register now to reserve yours.

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