A plan on a page is just the start. Leaders bring it to life.
Your strategic plan won't talk to anyone. Your leaders will.
Kia ora,
I've been walking alongside boards to craft their strategic plans, and I love it. There's nothing quite like watching a group of leaders arrive with a blank page and leave with a plan, a roadmap and a whole lot of possibility.
But here's the confession. The plan is rarely the problem.
The plan is fine. The plan is lovely. It's got headings.
The real test comes the Monday after: the corridor conversation, the team meeting, the email that lands a bit sideways. That's where a plan either comes to life or quietly gathers dust in a shared drive. A plan doesn't change a culture. Leaders do, one conversation at a time.
Where plans come alive
Think about the best hui or meeting you've ever been in. Something shifts. Someone says what they've really been thinking, someone else says "me too", and the whole group leans in. Ideas fly. People swap, borrow and spark off each other.
That energy is what turns a strategic plan from words into movement. It happens when leaders can listen well, ask braver questions and have the hard conversations calmly.
And the best bit? It's learnable. Communication isn't a personality trait. It's a set of skills you can build, practise and get better at.
That's what I do. I grow people, one conversation at a time.
"Working alongside Mary-Anne has been a transformative experience for my growth as a leader. She has an incredible ability to combine professional insight with the most positive energy! If you are looking for someone who will challenge you to step up and outside of your comfort zone, equip you with practical leadership tools, and lift your spirits and confidence with their incredible vibe, I cannot recommend Mary-Anne enough!"
SENCO / Leader, Totara Grove School
Why the outside view is worth gold
I've led across many sectors, and I know how easy it is to stay inside your own four walls. Stay insular for long enough and groupthink creeps in. Everyone nods. Nobody stretches. The same ideas go round again.
An external voice asks the questions that are hard to ask from the inside, brings fresh thinking from beyond your sector, and gives you the momentum to move. You don't need a new plan. You need your leaders ready to carry it.
With over ten years in business, I've learned that the right questions matter more than tidy answers. Here are the ones I'm asking leaders now:
Your team has changed. Has the way you talk to them?
Who in your organisation is waiting for a conversation you haven't had yet?
If someone new walked into your next hui, would they see a team that's thinking, or a team that's nodding?
What is the plan asking of your leaders that nobody has equipped them to do?
And here's what you get from working with me:
Practical tools you can use on Monday morning, because the thinking stays fresh and current
More than one lens, drawn from leading across many sectors
A learning partner, because I never stop learning and I share it with everyone I work alongside
Two one-day workshops to build the leaders your plan needs
In 2027 I'm bringing two one-day, in-person workshops to the regions.
Critical Conversations: want to get better at hard conversations?
Stop putting off difficult kōrero and get the tools you need to be confident. You'll:
Learn the four types of critical conversations
Pinpoint what's holding you back
Keep calm and handle reactions
Build trust and respect with your team
Leave with tools that are practical, actionable and real
Hamilton Tue 16 March · Auckland Thu 18 March · Wellington Tue 11 May · Christchurch Thu 13 May
Coaching Conversations: want to get better at coaching conversations?
You'll:
Apply a practical coaching structure in one-to-one conversations
Practise listening, reflecting and summarising without taking over
Use practical coaching questions to help people think for themselves
Leave with clear next steps for how to implement coaching in your own context
Auckland Tue 10 August · Hamilton Thu 12 August · Wellington Tue 26 October · Christchurch Thu 28 October
Early bird pricing runs until Friday 4 December 2026: $415+GST per person (was $550+GST), or $1,800+GST for a team of five (was $2,200+GST).
To book your spot, email me at mam@mary-annemurphy.com.
Want more than a day?
Leadership coaching, in-house programmes, professional learning communities, retreats, keynotes and more are all at momentumlearning.ac.nz, or just ask me.
Ready?
Your plan is on a page. Now let's get your leaders ready to bring it to life. Grab your early bird spot before 4 December and I'll see you in the room. Email me at mam@mary-annemurphy.com.
I'm cheering you on all the way.
Ngā mihi nui,
Mary-Anne
Mary-Anne Murphy | Momentum Learning