AdVance Leadership

Effective leadership drives organizational growth and resolves the persistent challenge of engaging and retaining employees. Yet only a handful of companies create concrete plans to develop their current and emerging leaders. These companies that attempt leadership development on their own rarely achieve the results they desire.

Organizations need AdVance Leadership’s systematic process and practical tools to develop leaders.

The one-of-a-kind leadership training company introduces a highly methodical approach that saves businesses time and effort when investing in building successful leaders. Unleashed Leadership, their proprietary development model, tackles 95% of leadership challenges by focusing on seven key traits. An onboarding assessment provides an overview of an organization’s leadership performance, which determines the strategies and habits necessary to drive growth.

AdVance Leadership’s method is embodied by its core value of “ridiculous practicality.” Emphasizing practical steps over theoretical discussions provides leaders with the best tools to address their challenges. This distinct approach ensures managerial development becomes an integral part of organizational culture.

“We don’t just provide leadership training; we help companies establish a culture of leadership development,” says Dr. Garland Vance, co-founder and CEO.

The Makings of a Strategy-Driven Model

The architects of the groundbreaking model are Garland and his wife, Dorothy Vance, both leadership trainers.

With a doctorate in leadership, Garland brings a wealth of expertise and a rich background in research and implementation to the table. An established thought leader in the industry, he is also the author of the acclaimed 2019 book, Gettin’ (un)Busy, which received recognition from Forbes and won the Author Elite Award for the best business and investing book in 2020.

Dorothy is credentialed as a Leadership Growth Coach and Gallup-certified Strengths Coach, adding further depth to AdVance Leadership’s offerings. Together, they aid companies facing employee retention and engagement issues and lacking the know-how to develop leadership bench strength.

AdVance Leadership addresses these gaps by employing three key strategies to enhance the skills of current leaders and cultivate a larger pool of capable leaders to support organizational growth initiatives.

The first strategy is defining leadership. Unless a company shares a common understanding of “leadership,” they struggle to develop current leaders and find future ones.

The second strategy is engaging managers throughout the company in “leadership conversations.” Leaders are often hesitant to share struggles, fearing they be perceived as weak or incompetent. By engaging leaders throughout the company in conversations, they develop a network of supporting relationships.

The final strategy is identifying critical traits of leadership using AdVance’s proprietary Unleashed Leadership methodology. Leaders can become overwhelmed by how much they need to know and grow in order to lead others. Unleashed Leadership shrinks this challenge by utilizing seven traits that solve 95% of leadership issues.

Over the last five years of working with AdVance Leadership, a Fortune 1,000 company with people-first management discovered the advantages of this strategic approach. The organization experienced massive growth, largely due to efforts focused on developing a robust leadership bench through a customized program supported by AdVance Leadership’s innovative model.

Unleashing Leaders, One Trait at a Time

The Unleashed Leadership methodology provides invaluable insights into leadership dynamics by evaluating each leader based on the seven traits— Character, Competence, Capacity, Clarity, Community, Culture and Consistency. Five best practices accompany each trait, adding up to 35 potential practices in total. Each of these contains a highly practical tool that leaders can use to grow in their roles.

Each trait is assessed for individuals, as well as for the company as a whole, pinpointing the biggest overall challenges. The assessment also provides valuable quantitative data on tools and habits required for leadership development, complemented by insights gathered through extensive conversations with senior executives.

We Don’t Just Provide Leadership Training; We Help Companies Establish A Culture Of Leadership Development

Following the assessments and conversations, AdVance Leadership gathers the necessary qualitative data and customizes the training program. They also incorporate into the program any preexisting leadership tools the company uses. This ensures the creation of impactful training programs that mitigate organizational challenges.

The Unleashed Leadership model is ideal for identifying underlying issues hindering an organization’s progress. In one instance, executives believed their company suffered from poor Culture based on employee feedback. However, the assessment revealed the root challenges lay in Clarity and Capacity. Leaders were overwhelmed with competing priorities and lacked the time and focus needed for skills development, which negatively impacted Culture.

AdVance Leadership worked with leaders to gain Clarity by establishing a singular goal to keep teams focused. On the Capacity front, they implemented communication tools to prioritize daily tasks and reduce the everyday workload for each employee. The result was an increase in workforce productivity and leadership effectiveness, ultimately improving Culture.

Transforming Organizations with Intention

According to Dr. Vance, “When companies invest in leadership development, they should expect the participants to experience massive personal growth that boosts employee productivity and company revenue. But many programs merely communicate information without any kind of impact.”

AdVance Leadership’s programming drives participants to implement new tools, thought patterns, and behaviors. To fuel those changes in participants’ lives, AdVance Leadership utilizes a simple, yet thoughtfully designed philosophy – aptly named the Formula for Transformation. It comprises three key elements—content, commitment, and community—that foster intentional development for individuals and teams alike.

Leveraging the seven traits of Unleashed Leadership, the content element breaks down complex concepts into remarkably practical, achievable steps. Content is delivered through a series of live training and virtual follow-up events.

The second element in the Formula for Transformation is commitment. Each participant commits to a personalized growth plan that helps them propel organizational objectives. When every leader commits to growth, the whole company grows.

The final element, community, brings leaders together, regardless of hierarchy or department. AdVance Leadership creates an environment where each leader can excel through supportive and encouraging relationships. This approach helps combat isolation often experienced in managerial roles.

“One differentiator is that we believe that leaders flourish when they support and push each other toward excellence,” says Dorothy Vance, co-founder of AdVance Leadership.

Their emphasis on community extends beyond formal training sessions. The company’s trainers engage with participants outside the classroom. Frequent feedback emphasizes the impact of these lasting connections. Participants claim they not only become better leaders, but also better parents, spouses, and community members.

Reshaping Leadership Experiences

A multitude of innovative approaches enables AdVance Leadership to transform the leadership development landscape. One offering employs experiential learning that takes the seven traits outside of the classroom. Examples include visits to museums and historical sites in Washington D.C., where clients learn real-world examples of the effects of a leader’s Character. Another experience includes studying public transit in major cities to demonstrate how systems and processes shape Consistency. A client favorite utilizes a trip to Walt Disney World to observe a Culture of excellence in customer service or to participate in a game that builds strengths-based Community.

Historically, AdVance Leadership has focused their work with large companies. Over the next few years, they will add opportunities for smaller companies as well. These include the launch of a podcast and series of books – both focusing on cultivating a culture of leadership through the seven traits of Unleashed Leadership.

They also expect to release a multi-company Unleashed Live experience. This in-person, quarterly gathering will enable smaller enterprises and startups to develop their current and future leaders. It will provide avenues where leaders from various organizations can network, build community together, and unleash their leadership capabilities.

Through these endeavors, AdVance Leadership makes its mark in systematically developing holistic leaders to transform the way companies operate. Whether partnering with flourishing companies aspiring to reach greater heights or providing the extra guidance needed to propel organizations struggling to develop their leaders, AdVance Leadership is the answer to unlocking their full potential—one trait at a time.