Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian Macleod
Hi Ian, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I provide leadership training services to individuals and businesses with a focus on fundamentals of performance management, leveraging my 15 years management experience at a large non profit organization that culminated in senior roles with 5 large teams and about 80 staff reporting to me. I also have 5 years experience training and onboarding new leaders, as well as ongoing development for a large leadership team.
I was rather fortunate to work at an organization that valued leadership development and provided routine trainings. When applying what I learned, it was inspiring to see how you can alter the trajectory of a struggling employee, build someone’s confidence, and develop future leaders, while also contributing to organizational goals. I sincerely believed that leadership training was a standard practice at all organizations. As I continued to connect with others, I found that many leaders were promoted to managerial positions but given little to no guidance, resources, or tools to be successful. They often are left to figure it out on their own.
During the pandemic I began sharing my leadership knowledge and experience through social media in the interest of helping new managers. I have now created hundreds of videos related to leadership development and work humor and gained thousands of subscribers and followers, with over 400,000 views on YouTube and 4 million views on TikTok. I not only love learning but sharing that knowledge with others.
My professional network and friendship circle has expanded across the globe to content creators, published authors, and TEDTalk Speakers. I’ve been featured on numerous leadership podcasts and partnered on various forms of content. I’m passionate about the positive, lasting impact performance management and organizational development can make on any workplace and am equally focused on my own development. In addition to a Business Administration Bachelor’s degree, I have various certifications in Human Resource Management, Strategic Leadership, AI for Business, Employment Contract Law, Agile Leadership, and Instructional Design. I am currently working towards a Master of Science in Management & Leadership at University of Houston.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Developing my small business, Gro Up Leadership, has been a rather knotted, winding road with various bumps along the way. I never intended to start a business. I set out to share my experience and knowledge I had gained in management and leadership with others. Some viewers of my YouTube and TikTok videos reached out for further assistance and I decided to create a more formal training and consulting service. I didn’t set out with a specific intention of starting a business but a desire to help people.
I sincerely believe development of leaders can greatly improve morale, retention, and performance. The challenge is those who could benefit most from foundational leadership training are overwhelmed with putting out constant fires and have no capacity for development. Senior leaders who have climbed the corporate ladder or began a successful start-up. who never received leadership training don’t see the value of development and again insist new leaders simply figure it out on their own.
Helping managers develop their leadership skills is something I’m passionate about and good at. Convincing managers that leadership development will improve their current workplace issues is a skill I’m still developing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I provide leadership development training and consulting for individuals and businesses with a focus on foundation leadership skills and performance management. This includes topics like setting clear expectations, delivering feedback, coaching, creating accountability, and holding meaningful conversations. Although I believe every leader at every level could benefit from enhancing these skills, my target audience is entry to mid level managers. I combine business and management theory with practical experience and examples, along with some engaging work humor.
What sets me apart from others in leadership development is my combination of academics and experience. I’ve networked with many peers in this space and they often have either-or, but not both theory and practice. I understand how to and have experience in apply great leadership concepts and theories to your unique situations.
I offer a variety of universal trainings on various leadership and management topics but can customize to your specific needs. I’m flexible in providing as brief or as extensive training and consulting required to meet your goals.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
As shared, I was extremely fortunate to work for an organization that valued leadership development and provided considerable onboard and ongoing training to me when I was promoted into leadership. Executive leadership promoted an environment that fostered support and ongoing development. Innovative ideas were often introduced in the interest of improving work culture, employee morale, and performance. I was encouraged to seek out and practice new ideas. I thought this was how all work environments operated and was rather shocked and disappointed to learn that unfortunately many businesses don’t prioritize development and growth. I consider myself lucky to have developed as a leader at that organization.
Pamela Villars and Ryan Soisson are outstanding business consultants who provided mentoring and guidance to me early on as I started venturing into training and consulting. I was also fortunate to develop strong connections with a global group of leadership related content creators who routinely connect to share ideas, experiences, resources, and support. There have been several clients who believed in me and my services early on as I was still developing my business. I’m extraordinarily grateful to them for seeing the benefit I could provide.
In all honesty, this consulting and training business isn’t highly lucrative as there is a great deal of ups and downs. I could probably charge more for my services and spend more time marketing and selling. But what makes it all worth it is the connections I get to make with both clients and peers. The aha moments and successes people have experienced as result of my consult, training, or video content makes it all so rewarding.
Pricing:
- $1299 for our 12 hour leadership fundamental training
- $199 for 3 hours of coaching or consulting
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gro-leaders-up.com/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GroUp512
Image Credits
All images by Ian MacLeod
