LEAD

About LEAD

The number of Canadians competing at the highest level of sport continues to grow in number and diversity, in an increasingly demanding and complex sports landscape. Supporting an athlete’s journey requires the development of sport scientists who don’t just excel in their own disciplines, but those who can also cultivate positive environments and empower others to do the same.

LEAD is a Sport Scientist Canada leadership program designed to equip sport scientists with the leadership knowledge, strategies, and skills to enhance the daily training environment and competition environments. It facilitates individual and organizational excellence in safety, health, development, and performance outcomes within the Canadian high performance sport system.

As a participant, you will be provided with the clarity you need to lead from a place of authenticity and strength, the community to support you in your leadership journey, and practical tools to optimize your leadership potential.

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Our Purpose

The LEAD program aims to provide sport scientists the opportunity to:

1. LEARN: Explore leadership concepts and competencies that are necessary to manage the day-to-day operations of an integrated support team in a variety of Canadian high performance sport system environments.
2. ENGAGE: Build productive and effective relationships with athletes, coaches, and fellow IST members and cultivate a culture that empowers others to do the same.
3. ACCELERATE: Identify individual and organizational catalysts, and modulate barriers to attaining and sustaining elite athletic performance on and off the field of play.
4. DEVELOP: Integrate leadership approaches and best practices into the design of organization-specific programs and initiatives aimed at optimizing and sustaining athlete health and performance.

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Eligibility

• HP Certified or Professional member with Sport Scientist Canada.
• In good standing with the relevant certification body for a sport science or sport medicine discipline in Canada.
• Currently working as a practitioner in a leadership role OR working towards a leadership role in the Canadian high performance sport system:
  • Employed or contracted by Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSIN), National Sport Organization (NSO), or Multi Sport Organization (MSO).
  • Working with a pool of Olympic, Paralympic or *NextGen athletes.
• Committed to supporting and advancing fellow practitioners with a goal of becoming a mentor for future LEAD or WiSS cohorts, or engaging as a mentor within the Canadian Sport System for COPSIN or an NSO.
• Priority will be given to applicants who are HP Certified.
• Applicants are expected to consult with their direct report/supervisor to ensure program requirements are supported by the organization.

Note: If your application is successful, your direct report/supervisor will be contacted to confirm their awareness of the program and their endorsement of your participation.

* NextGen definition: athletes identified by the NSO using their validated Podium Pathway who are 5-8 years away from achieving a performance required for a podium result at a subsequent Olympic/Paralympic Games

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Practitioner Development Committee Members

• Michael Cook (Chair) – Volleyball Canada
• Jenn Joyce – Rugby Canada
• Sue Lott – CSIP/Athletics Canada
• Will George – CSIO
• Bryan Yu – CSIAB
• Kerry MacDonald – Volleyball Canada
• Mireille Landry – Skate Canada/CSIO/Athletics Canada
• Veronique Boudreault – Sherbrooke University

Facilitator:  Eva Havaris

Program Structure What can you expect?

1. The program is delivered in two parts:
   1. Part 1 focuses on developing and cultivating your authentic leadership ID and culminates in the development of your leadership action plan.
   2. Part 2 focuses on advanced leadership topics relevant to leading in sport.
2. Online modules to support your leadership development.
3. Supplemental reference material.
4. Personal reflection assignments applicable to your leadership journey and development.
5. Live, online one-to-one individual coaching sessions with the facilitator.
6. Group coaching and discussion sessions with the facilitator and your peers.
7. A two-day in-person group learning workshop during Part Two.
8. Weekly commitment of approximately 4 hours/week.

Part One: Leadership I.D. (September 8th, 2026- November 20th, 2026)

Part One of the program focuses on the development and thorough understanding of each participant’s leadership style. This is achieved by completing modules, assignments, and self-reflection exercises.  Additionally, each participant will self-identify one area of their leadership development that they wish to focus on throughout Part 1 of the program and will be supported by the instructor and their peers to attain personal and professional growth in this area.

There are eight outcomes associated with Part One including:

1. Develop a clear understanding of your top 5 leadership strengths and how to effectively apply your strengths in the workplace for greater results.
2. Defining your top 3 leadership values to dramatically improve and expand your personal and professional life.
3. Cultivate your unique leadership style so you can be more authentic, effective, and inspirational as a leader every day.
4. Explore leadership skills to be effective in the workplace, particularly when you are facing a challenging or difficult situation.
5. Develop a leadership mindset that will accelerate your personal and professional growth throughout your leadership journey.
6. Integrate tools for a collaborative work environment and more positive outcomes when working with direct reports, fellow IST members, athletes, and coaches, and empowering others to do the same.
7. Develop a personalized leadership action plan to help you integrate best practices into the design of organization specific programs and initiatives.
8. Leadership Profile Assessment: Utilize the PrinciplesU Assessment Tool to help understand your personality archetype your tendencies, your talents and understand opportunities and areas for growth.

Part Two: Senior Leadership Topics (December 3rd, 2026 – February 25th, 2027)

Part Two is designed to guide participants to develop a deeper understanding of advanced topics in leadership and enhance leadership skills in several areas. Topics covered will include:

• Conflict as a Catalyst for Positive Outcomes: You will learn about conflict styles, your relationship to conflict, and the opportunity for positive outcomes and change in the workplace when you embrace conflict and the art of confrontation as a catalyst.
• Building a Culture of Excellence and Accountability:  Accountability is one of the least understood, but most important advanced leadership concepts, especially when it comes to developing excellent culture and great teams. Utilizing the concepts from the book “5 Dysfunctions of a Team” participants will reflect and assess a working environment and team of their choosing to uncover opportunities to develop better team cohesion,  trust, and accountability.
• Building Great Teams: We will explore the essence of building great teams – right people, excellence in role definition, and effectively attributing ownership and accountability across a team.
• Communicating for Impact: Giving and receiving feedback is an essential part of a healthy and growth-oriented workplace and team environment.  To be an effective leader, you play a paramount role in establishing a work environment where team members embrace and seek out feedback as the norm and foundation for a thriving team. Learn about the leadership behaviours associated with giving and receiving effective feedback and how to create an environment to normalize this practice within your team.

Program Schedule

* Program lessons and assignments will be released Friday mornings at 9am ET

* Live group coaching sessions will be held on Thursdays from 1-2:30pm ET via Zoom

* Individual coaching sessions will be held Fridays

* Leadership Action Plan Presentations will be held Friday, November 20 from 11am ET – to 5pm ET. You will be required to attend virtually the full day session.  Breaks will be provided throughout the day.

Part One – Leadership I.D.
Date	Topic	Format
September 8	Welcome Email with Thinkific login Instructions	Email Correspondence
September 17	Program Kick Off Session, Introductions and Setting the Stage	Live, Online via Zoom
September 24	Group Discussion Developing Your Leadership Mindset	Live Online via Zoom
September 25	Individual Coaching Session #1	30 min online session with facilitator
October 1	Group Discussion – Tapping Into Your Strengths	Live Online via Zoom
October 8	Group Discussion – The Power of Words	Live Online via Zoom
October 15	Group Discussion – Rebuilding Trust	Live Online via Zoom
October 29	Group Discussion – Prioritizing Joy	Live Online via Zoom
October 30	Individual Coaching Session #2	30 min online session with facilitator
November 5	Group Discussion – Your Leadership Presence	Live Online via Zoom
November 20 (Friday)	Leadership Action Plan Presentations	Live Online via Zoom
Part Two – Senior Leadership Topics
Date	Topic	Format
December 3	Part Two – Orientation	Live Online via Zoom
December 4-January 4	Complete leadership profile assessment work Read 5 Dysfunctions of a Team	Information Distribution TBC
January 15	Individual Coaching Session #3	30 min online session with facilitator
February 2026	In Person Workshop on Senior Leadership Topics including Embracing Conflict, Communicating for Impact and Influence, Building a Culture of Excellence and Accountability, Building Great Teams	In Person- Toronto, February 9-11, 2027
February 25	Program Finale	Live Online via Zoom