Program
From Trust to Traction
Program at a glance
FORMAT
DURATION
SUITED TO
FACILITATED BY
Do your leaders?
- Waste time managing politics rather than driving results?
- Avoid hard conversations until issues become crises?
- Lose good people whose frustrations were never addressed?
- Watch projects stall because no one will say what needs to be said?
- Struggle to collaborate because trust has quietly broken down?
If you can't have good feedback, trust breaks and delivery slows.
Safety
Most feedback is never given because leaders fear being seen as harsh, worry about backlash, or fear saying something wrong. When it doesn't feel safe to speak up, problems get buried and resurface as tension, avoidance and blow-ups.
Productivity
Without clear feedback, trust drops and people stop collaborating. Work slows down, silos deepen, quality suffers and unresolved conflict quietly burns hours that should be spent delivering.
Client Impact
When the internal team isn't working well together, clients notice. Over time, a feedback-avoidant culture can turn toxic, push good people out and give competitors an opening to win your accounts.
The From Trust to Traction Journey: Where are your leaders?
Avoidant
Leaders sidestep feedback or soften it to the point of uselessness. Issues fester beneath the surface, trust erodes quietly and performance drifts without anyone naming why.
Reactive
They speak up only when forced, usually when emotions are already high. The message lands poorly, defensiveness rises and outcomes are hit-and-miss.
Proactive
They raise issues early and invite feedback in return. Course correction becomes a normal part of working together, not a drama or a surprise.
Skilled
They are clear, specific and fair. They handle defensiveness without escalating and relationships stay intact even after a hard conversation.
High-Trust
Truth is safe. Feedback is routine. Teams move fast because friction gets resolved while it is still small, not after it has become a crisis.
Structure, Skills and State
Structure
Leaders use a simple, repeatable format so feedback stays specific, fair and future-focused. Set intention, name the behaviour, explain the impact, agree the next step. The structure removes the guesswork and keeps the conversation on track.
Skills
Leaders build the micro-skills that make feedback land: asking permission, staying curious, listening properly and handling defensiveness without backing down or escalating. They also learn to receive feedback without justifying or counter-attacking.
State
Leaders shift from ‘feedback is conflict’ to ‘feedback builds trust and performance’. They regulate their reactions so they can be direct and respectful, even under pressure and even with people who push back.
What participants receive?
- A clear, repeatable feedback structure that is direct, respectful and changes behaviour
- Practical language to set the conversation up well and keep it future-focused
- Tools to handle defensiveness, emotion and pushback without escalating
- Techniques to receive feedback without reacting, explaining or derailing
- Confidence to address issues early, protect trust and lift delivery
Who This Program is Ideal For
- Leaders who need to ask for higher performance without damaging trust or morale
- Managers who want feedback to be a normal, fast and specific part of how the team works
- Teams where friction, avoidance or tension keeps resurfacing
- Cross-functional leaders dealing with behaviours that slow delivery
- Organisations building a speak-up culture that keeps work moving
Who This Program is not ideal For
- Individual contributors who do not lead, collaborate or manage performance
- Teams seeking technical, compliance or policy training
- Leaders who are comfortable with silence or avoidance as a management style
- Anyone looking for conflict resolution, mediation or HR case management
What participants say
Arabella is an exceptional advisor and strategist. She played a pivotal role in aligning my global leadership team at Block Inc by fostering clarity, cohesion, and strategic alignment. Any leader looking to elevate their leadership with authenticity would greatly benefit from connecting with her.
Thank you so much for facilitating this awesome course for us. I have learnt so much about myself and working with others.
Very accommodating to the different circumstances of all participants. Excellent at making the online course format not feel like an awkward game of marco polo.
Arabella was fantastic. Her professionalism, knowledge and passion is infectious and genuine. I would highly recommend her to others.
Arabella is an outstanding communicator. She has taught me how to understand people, the decisions they make and how to influence their thought processes to drive better outcomes.
I thoroughly recommend Arabella's program for anyone who wants to lift their business conversations to the next level.
With 18 years of experience, Arabella has worked globally with CEOs and senior leadership teams across sectors, including Telstra, AstraZeneca, eBay, LinkedIn, Deloitte and AMEX. She has spoken on over 500 stages internationally on influence, communication, negotiation and leadership.
She co-authored the communication section of Macquarie University's Global Online MBA, with 66,000+ enrolments.