Leadership Development dashboard

A live view of how Leadership Refinery builds leadership capacity for organizations across Québec and beyond.

"We brought them in for a two-day alignment session. Within six weeks our VP team had a shared decision framework they actually used."
— Director of People, Montréal fintech (42 employees)

Current engagement pulse

These numbers reflect active and recently completed engagements as of Q1 2026. They are not lifetime totals or marketing claims; they describe what is happening right now.

14
Active coaching cohorts
6
Organizations in diagnostic phase
78%
Cohort completion rate (target: 80%)
4.3
Avg. participant rating (out of 5)
"The diagnostic surfaced a gap we'd been dancing around for two years: our mid-level managers had no shared language for giving feedback."
— COO, Québec City logistics firm

Applied leadership frameworks

We don't sell a single methodology. Each engagement draws from the framework most relevant to the challenge. Here is what we work with and when each one applies.

Situational calibration

Leaders learn to read the readiness of each direct report and adjust their coaching style accordingly. Best for organizations where managers default to one communication mode regardless of context. Typically delivered in three half-day sessions over four weeks.

Decision architecture

A structured method for distributing decision rights across a leadership team. We map which decisions are reversible (and therefore delegable) versus which require escalation. Useful when growth has outpaced the org chart. Two workshops plus a follow-up review.

Feedback loop design

Most feedback training teaches people how to give feedback. This framework focuses on building the systems that make feedback routine: cadence, format, psychological safety scaffolding. A five-week program with weekly 90-minute sessions.

Transition coaching

For leaders moving into a new role, whether promoted internally or hired from outside. The first 90 days shape everything. We pair the leader with a coach for bi-weekly sessions and provide a structured stakeholder mapping exercise.

Conflict navigation

Not conflict resolution in the HR sense. This is about equipping leaders to use productive tension as a tool for better outcomes. We teach the difference between task conflict and relationship conflict, and how to keep conversations in the productive zone.

Leadership workshop in a modern conference room with collaborative whiteboard exercise

What we actually do in the room

Most of our work happens in small groups of eight to twelve leaders. We avoid lecture formats. A typical session opens with a real scenario drawn from the participants' own week, moves into structured practice, and ends with a commitment each person states out loud. The discomfort is intentional. Growth lives there.

How an engagement unfolds

01

Diagnostic conversation

A 60-minute call with the sponsor (usually the CEO or VP People). We ask what prompted the inquiry, what has been tried before, and what success would look like in concrete terms. No pitch deck. No proposals yet.

02

Observation and interviews

We spend one to two days inside the organization. We sit in on meetings, interview five to eight leaders, and review existing feedback data if available. This step costs nothing beyond travel expenses; it is part of our intake process.

03

Design proposal

Based on what we observed, we propose a specific engagement. It names the framework, the cohort size, the session count, the timeline, and the price. Typical engagements run between eight and sixteen weeks.

04

Delivery and iteration

Sessions happen on-site or via video, depending on geography. After every third session we check in with the sponsor to adjust pacing or emphasis. We do not follow a rigid script.

05

Close-out and sustained practice

The final session includes a retrospective and a 90-day practice plan each participant builds for themselves. We offer optional quarterly check-ins at a reduced rate for teams that want ongoing support.

Typical timelines

Diagnostic to proposal: 10 business days.

Shortest engagement: 4 weeks (transition coaching for a single leader).

Longest recent engagement: 7 months (organization-wide feedback loop redesign for a 200-person company).

Most common: 10 to 12 weeks for a cohort of 8 to 12 mid-level leaders.

Capability map

This table shows what we cover, what we don't, and who each capability area serves. If your need falls in the "not us" column, we will say so during the diagnostic call and refer you to someone better suited.

Capability areaWhat we doWhat we don't doBest for
Executive coaching1-on-1 coaching for C-suite and VP-level leaders, focused on decision-making and stakeholder managementLife coaching, career counselling, personality assessments as standalone productsLeaders in their first 18 months at a new level
Team alignmentFacilitated sessions to build shared operating norms, decision rights, and meeting structuresTeam-building activities, ropes courses, personality-type workshopsLeadership teams of 4 to 15 people experiencing friction or ambiguity
Manager developmentCohort-based programs teaching feedback, delegation, and coaching skills to first-time and mid-level managersTechnical skills training, compliance training, HR policy workshopsOrganizations with 20+ managers who lack a shared management language
Organizational diagnosticsInterview-based assessment of leadership gaps, culture friction points, and structural misalignmentsEmployee engagement surveys, compensation benchmarking, org design consultingCompanies preparing for growth, merger integration, or leadership succession
MontréalHome base and most engagements
Québec CityRegular on-site work
Ottawa / TorontoPeriodic engagements
RemoteAvailable for any geography

Fit check

Not every organization is ready for this kind of work. Here is an honest look at who benefits most, who might benefit later, and who should look elsewhere.

Strong fit

  • You have at least 5 people in leadership roles
  • The sponsor (CEO or VP) will participate, not just observe
  • You can commit to a minimum 4-week engagement
  • You have a specific challenge, not just "leadership training would be nice"
  • Budget of $8,000 to $45,000 depending on scope

Possible fit, needs conversation

  • Fewer than 5 leaders (we may suggest a different format)
  • Primarily remote team with no in-person option
  • Recent leadership turnover creating instability

Not the right fit

  • Looking for a motivational speaker or one-time event
  • Need HR policy development or compliance training
  • Want a vendor who delivers a fixed curriculum without customization

Questions we hear often

How do you measure whether the engagement worked?
We agree on observable outcomes at the start. These might include things like "managers conduct weekly one-on-ones with a consistent format" or "the leadership team resolves disagreements in the meeting where they arise instead of in hallway conversations." We check these at the close-out session and again at the 90-day mark if the team opts for follow-up.
Do you use any specific assessment tools?
We use a proprietary interview protocol during the diagnostic phase. We do not sell or resell third-party assessment products like 360-degree surveys or personality inventories. If an organization already has that data, we will review it, but we do not treat it as the foundation of our work.
Can you work in French?
Yes. About half of our engagements in Québec are delivered entirely in French. Materials, facilitation, and coaching sessions are all available in both languages. We do not use translated templates; the French content is written natively.
What happens if the engagement is not working?
After every third session we have a check-in with the sponsor. If something is off, we adjust. In rare cases where the fit is genuinely wrong, we have ended engagements early and refunded the unused portion. We would rather lose revenue than damage a client relationship.

Request a diagnostic conversation

Tell us a bit about your situation. We will reply within two business days to schedule a 60-minute call. No cost, no obligation.

Please fill in your name and a valid work email address.
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Or reach us directly: [email protected] · +1 514 448-7460

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Disclaimer

The information on this website is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of the date of publication. Leadership Refinery makes no warranties regarding the completeness or accuracy of any content. Results described in testimonials or case references reflect specific client situations and are not guaranteed for future engagements.

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