Thriving Minds: What Happens When 1,500 People Practice Safe Leadership Together?
By the ConsciousLead Team
What does it look like when over 1,500 people actively work to make psychological safety, empathy, and self-awareness part of their leadership toolkit?
At Materiel Group, a government organization committed to evolving workplace culture, we had the privilege of co-leading that journey. Together, we created a space where leadership became a daily practice—not just a title or a theory, but something lived, felt, and shared.
This is the story of Leadership in Action (LiA)—a bilingual, inclusive program developed by the Diversity and Inclusion Office at Materiel Group, co-facilitated by ConsciousLead’s Dale Allen, Trevor Stevenson, and Cathy Larocque.
💡 From Policy to Practice: The Birth of a Bold Idea
Materiel Group had already laid the groundwork with a powerful Culture Mandate and Culture Evolution Strategy (CES). But as with many organizations, the real challenge wasn’t defining the values—it was bringing them to life.
That’s where the Leadership in Action series began: as an opportunity to take cultural intentions and turn them into embodied, day-to-day leadership practices.
At its heart, this initiative asked a profound question:
What if leadership started with how we treat each other?
👥 A Human-Centered Design for Learning and Growth
The LiA program launched in early 2025 with a hybrid kickoff Townhall attended by over 1,100 people, followed by four virtual integration sessions for staff at all levels—from executives to Culture Ambassadors and general personnel.
Rather than delivering top-down instruction, we created interactive, human-centered experiences where participants could explore:
- The Johari Window, a powerful self-awareness and feedback tool
- The Five Elements Framework, helping leaders reflect on their tendencies and adapt
- The Ls of Conscious Leadership, focusing on empathy, limiting beliefs, and compassionate communication
- Peer-to-peer learning, small group dialogue, and live coaching moments
All sessions were fully bilingual, with live captions, transcription, and simultaneous interpretation—ensuring accessibility and inclusion were built in at every step.
🌀 The Ripple Effects of Safe Leadership
Over 1,500 people participated in the Leadership in Action journey.
What emerged was more than a leadership program—it was a culture shift.
Leaders opened up. Teams connected in new ways. People reflected more deeply, listened more openly, and brought new awareness into their everyday interactions.
Some of the feedback we heard from participants:
“It was fantastic. Great to get the opportunity to learn from our colleagues and their REAL experiences.”
“This was the first presentation that was truly bilingual.”
We saw firsthand how psychological safety can unlock not only better conversations—but better collaboration, trust, and well-being across an entire system.
🌿 Thriving Minds Require Safe Spaces
A thriving mind can’t grow in isolation or under pressure. It needs the right environment.
That’s why programs like LiA matter: they create a safe container for leaders and teams to slow down, reflect, and reconnect—with themselves and with each other.
When people feel seen and supported, they lead from a deeper place. And that’s where real culture change begins.
✨ Bringing Thriving to Your Team
We’re grateful to the team at Materiel Group and the Diversity and Inclusion Office for welcoming us as partners in this deeply meaningful work.
If you’re looking to create a culture where your people—and their minds—can truly thrive, we’d love to connect.
Let’s co-create the conditions where reflection, empathy, and safe leadership are the norm—not the exception.
Interested in bringing a Thriving Minds approach to your team?
[Contact us] or explore our offerings at [our learning centre].