You have a leader with the potential. You just can't trust the follow-through yet.
They're smart. They work hard. But under pressure they still rescue their team's decisions, avoid the hard conversation, and let the standard slip. Preparation is a 12-session, cohort-based program that builds foundational leadership disciplines and readiness. It is the first step toward GDD, not the full GDD operating system.
Promoting someone before their behavior is ready is expensive. So is waiting too long.
We've worked with more than 2,000 leaders across 200+ organizations, and the pattern is the same: the leaders who struggle after a promotion almost never lack knowledge. They lack practiced behavior under pressure. Preparation closes that gap one leader at a time - so you know, with evidence, whether they're ready before you hand them more.
The program ends with what we call Evidence of Installation™ - in plain terms, a behavioral audit of the foundational behaviors taught in Preparation. The leader demonstrates those behaviors in real work, under real pressure, or the program isn't complete. This confirms readiness for the next step; it does not mean the full GDD operating system has been implemented.
The Preparation Path
Two phases. Twelve sessions. The first step toward GDD.
Preparation develops foundational behaviors and weekly disciplines that help a leader stay steady under pressure and prepare them to work with GDD. It is not the full Human Performance Operating System™. Phase 1 is available as a standalone purchase at $6,500 per seat. Leaders decide whether to continue to Phase 2 - not before.
Phase 1
Foundation
Sessions 1-6. Define winning and establish identity, begin a practical weekly rhythm in session one, name the guardrail you refuse to trade, build the ownership standard, develop early-signal recognition, practice recovery protocol, lock the Phase 1 behavior checkpoint.
- Define winning and establish identity
- Name the guardrail you refuse to trade
- Build the ownership standard you will hold
- Begin a practical weekly rhythm in session one
- Develop early-signal recognition
- Practice the recovery protocol under pressure
- Lock the Phase 1 behavior checkpoint
Phase 2
Guide the Leader™
Sessions 7-12. Practice coaching-mode behavior, replace directive habits with ownership transfer, build tolerance discipline, practice tradeoff discipline in live decisions, continue the MMI (Monday Morning Implementation) cadence, Evidence of Installation™ behavioral audit.
- Guide the Leader™: practice coaching-mode behavior
- Replace directive habits with ownership transfer
- Build tolerance discipline for standards
- Practice tradeoff discipline in live decisions
- Continue the Monday Morning Implementation cadence - a short weekly check where the leader declares what held and what slipped
- Evidence of Installation™: behavioral audit
Pricing
Locked pricing. No surprises.
You pay for behavior demonstrated, not attendance. Phase 1 is a complete, standalone purchase within Preparation - not a complete GDD system implementation. Continuing to Phase 2 is a decision you make after you see the results.
Phase 1: Foundation
$6,500
per seat - stands alone
Full 12-Session Bundle
$12,500
per seat, Phase 1 + Phase 2, Evidence of Installation™
“Using Steve's approach enabled our management team to break down complex topics of communication, trust and accountability, and find more wins with our team members and clients.”
Josh Eling
President & CEO, Huron Community Bank
2,000+
Leaders Developed
DEC GDD Foundations is a separate six-session offering for emerging leaders.
The six-session GDD Foundations offering for DEC emerging leaders, separate from LLI’s 12-session Preparation program. It begins a weekly rhythm in the first session within each participant's role and authority. Preparation remains LLI's distinct 12-session, two-phase program with the pricing shown above; DEC is not a shorter name for that program. Any continued development has its own scope and a separate enrollment decision. Neither offer installs GDD across an organization; full organizational installation begins with the CEO.
Hear it from the participants
Historical participants from the DEC Emerging Leaders Academy describe what changed in how they lead. The academy name is retained here as the identity of the original testimonial.
Captions can be turned on with the CC control in the player. You can also watch on Vimeo.
From the DEC Emerging Leaders Academy
Historical participant reflections from the DEC Emerging Leaders Academy. The current DEC GDD Foundations offer is a separate six-session installation.
“The leadership operating system is a repeatable model for how to manage and lead a team.”
Zac Sepanik
General Manager, NBS Commercial Interiors
“The process helped me understand the kind of leader I actually am and gave me the tools to become the leader I want to be.”
Michael Mannina
Assistant Clinical Manager, Henry Ford Health
“It taught me to think differently about leadership and how to apply those ideas in my day-to-day work.”
Dr. Issra Mehdi
Senior Strategist, DTE Energy
Built For
Who This Is For
Built For
- Individual leaders who need foundational disciplines and readiness before an organization considers broader GDD work
- Rising leaders being prepared for greater scope and authority
- DEC emerging leaders exploring the separate six-session DEC GDD Foundations offering
- Leaders referred ahead of an Executive/Team or Enterprise Installation
Not For
- Leaders looking for a seminar or a certificate for attending
- Organizations ready to implement GDD across a full leadership team at once (see Executive/Team Installation)
- Anyone unwilling to bring real work into the sessions between meetings
You pay for behavior demonstrated, not attendance.
Phase 1 is a complete, standalone purchase at $6,500. If the leader does not demonstrate the foundational behaviors covered by the end of Phase 1, that outcome is the diagnostic - we will tell you plainly whether continuing to Phase 2 is the right next step, not push it regardless. Completing Phase 1 does not represent a complete GDD system implementation.
What your Monday looks like when it works
The leader you were worried about walks into Monday with a clear picture of what winning looks like this week. Their team brings them recommendations, not problems. When something slips, they name it the same day - to their team and to you - and fix it without being asked.
You stop wondering what's happening in their department when you're not there. You stop rehearsing the conversation about whether they're ready. You have watched them hold a standard under pressure, and you have the evidence in hand when the bigger role opens up.
Apply with a conversation
We only take engagements that fit. Tell us where leadership is breaking down - no pitch, no pressure.
See the scope and price
You see the installation path and locked, transparent pricing before the work begins.
Decide with evidence
You move forward only if the fit is clear. If it's not, we'll tell you.