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Leaders for Nature is a cross-sector, all-island leadership programme designed to support professionals across diverse sectors to respond to the ambitions of Ireland’s Climate Action Plan, National Biodiversity Action Plan and the upcoming Nature Restoration Plan with clarity, courage, and collaboration.
Developed by Common Purpose Ireland, Native Events, and Leave No Trace Ireland, and supported by Community Foundation Ireland and SOLAS, the programme will bring together leaders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors in an immersive learning journey. The programme blends individual and peer-to-peer coaching, live online & in-person sessions, and a three-day in-person gathering designed to foster both personal reflection and collective insight.
The first Nature Recovery Leadership Programmes ran in 2024 in the North of England and Scotland. In this film, participants share their experiences of the programmes. We also asked senior leaders why a programme like this one is needed to help restore nature.
Building on the success of these programmes, we are excited to launch the Leaders for Nature Programme in Ireland, developing leadership capacity and fostering cross-sector collaboration to drive collective action for nature in Ireland.
What is Cross Boundary Leadership?
Over 30 years Common Purpose has developed its cross-boundary leadership expertise by working with leaders from many different sectors around the world. The Common Purpose thought leadership of Leading Beyond Authority (LBA) and Cultural Intelligence (CQ) will guide the curriculum.
The ability to produce change beyond your direct circle of control. People who develop this ability are more effective in unfamiliar territory, where the authority (or credibility) gained in their own organisation or sector is often not present.
The ability to cross divides and thrive in multiple cultures. Our simple and empowering CQ framework helps leaders unpack their own culture and confidently work with others.
Why this, and why now?
Collaboration and co-design are critical to addressing complex environmental challenges. Just as natural systems are interconnected, so too are the human systems that affect them. Addressing these challenges requires integrated approaches and coordination across sectors and disciplines.
Through coaching, group work, and cross-sector dialogue, participants will:
- Critically examine the drivers of climate and biodiversity crises at all levels
- Work with people across all sectors for nature-positive, collaborative change
- Reflect on their own leadership and decision-making practices
- Lead ethically in multi-stakeholder environments
How it works
The Learning Journey
1
Self-assessment
An assessment process to identify strengths and blind spots.
2
Individual executive coaching
One-to-one coaching sessions with a professional coach to support your personal leadership development.
3
In-person Gathering
An immersive in-person gathering of the whole cohort focused on cross boundary leadership and personal resilience.
4
Live online sessions
Exploring cross boundary leadership.
5
Peer coaching
Small group sessions to share personal challenges, compare experience, and develop strategies for action.
6
Alumni Gathering
An in-person alumni event to reconnect the Ireland cohort furthering collaboration.
7
Online platform
A learning resource available 24/7.
Who is it for?
Successful applicants will be mid-senior level professionals from all sectors living and working across the entire island of Ireland.
You might be working on:
- Sustainability and responsible business - Shaping strategies that support environmental and social goals.
- Biodiversity and nature-based solutions - Restoring ecosystems or working with nature to address wider challenges.
- Climate action - Reducing emissions or building resilience in ways that also protect and restore nature.
- Sustainable land use, agriculture, water, the built environment (including construction and infrastructure) or supply chains - Wherever your work intersects with the natural world.
"Working with nature teaches us that everything is connected. Species, habitats, communities, and ecosystems - all continuously interacting to create the whole. Common Purpose Leadership programmes help us to understand how to reach across the boundaries that we have created - across sectors and disciplines - to collaborate, to find new connections and to work together. This programme will create the Leaders for Nature that we so urgently need."
"It is so vital that as a nationwide community we lose no more time in our responses... we come together, and with urgency, to collectively tackle the challenges of rapidly declining biodiversity."
Why take part?
Develop cross-boundary leadership skills
Enhance your ability to collaborate across boundaries of sector, geography, culture, and professional discipline; essential for the complex challenge of nature recovery
Improve self awareness and personal resilience
Giving you the tools and the support network to meet the challenges ahead
Develop your coaching capability
To support effective leadership and long term personal and professional growth
Grow new networks
Connect with a diverse group of participants, contributors, and speakers
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Start your journey
Next Steps
Speak with us
Curious to find out more about the Leaders for Nature Programme?
If you'd like to find out more information about the programme, please get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!
Important information
We are also committed to and accountable for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all its forms.
We actively encourage applications from people of all faiths, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, economic circumstances, backgrounds, and those from disabled communities.
If you require adjustments to take part in the application process or to participate in the programme due to a disability, neurodiversity, caring responsibilities, or any other reason, you will be able to provide details in the application form or contact us by phone or email to discuss further.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you have any further questions or would just like to discuss the programme in more detail, please reach out to a member of our team in your specific location who would be delighted to help.
We are a global not-for-profit leadership development organization on a mission to develop people who can cross cultural, social, and institutional boundaries. We work passionately with people to help push the boundaries of what is possible, all so that they can become those who can help us to work better together, be the connectors of our unique lived experiences and lead, with a difference.
Yes! The Common Purpose Charitable Trust was established as a charity in 1989. It is registered with the Charity Commission under the Registered Charity number 1023384.
The benefits of Common Purpose leadership programmes include gaining increased:
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Agility in adapting to changing circumstances and environments.
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Empathy to what other people feel, think and need. Seeing things from their point of view.
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Influence in leading change with limited decision-making power.
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Openness to new ideas, possibilities and perspectives, including views they might deeply disagree with.
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Purposefulness in leading with intentionality, determination, commitment and resilience.
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Self-awareness to their behaviours and outlook, and how they interpret and respond to situations.
When it comes to learning, there is no substitute for the power of real experience and fresh perspective. Our approach uses a robust behaviour and mindset change philosophy rooted in real life leadership challenges and experiences. To turn those experiences into real learning we follow five tried and tested steps that lead to habitual change in how people think, feel and act.
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Experience: Being presented with new experiences. Engaging with leaders across multiple boundaries and being immersed in new environments.
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Reflection: Learning activities to gain a deeper and more personalized understanding of the learning.
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Translate: Exploring how to relate new ideas and thought processes back into the learner’s role or context.
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Practice: Developing a set of leadership practices that can be used to turn new behaviours into habits.
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Assess: Embedding numerous assessments to help learners track their progress pre, during and even beyond the programme.
Experiential learning is a core component of our programmes.
Our programmes create a carefully constructed microclimate to explore real-life leadership challenges in a safe environment, often leading to the types of purpose-driven conversations needed to achieve transformative change.
We also focus on the importance of active learning, by getting people out of their comfort zones and into the world, seeing things, meeting people, taking part, and taking advantage of processes that stimulate multiple neural connections in the brain and promote memory.
Lead, with a difference
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