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Welcome
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The DesignWise Blog shares best practices for designing transformative programs, expanding human capacity, and navigating complex organizational challenges - along with honest reviews of popular leadership training solutions.
Essential Leader Skills


A/E/C Firms Need to Develop Their Leaders. Where Do You Start?
Many A/E/C firms know they need stronger leadership but aren’t sure whether to begin with coaching, training, team development, or a broader strategy. The best first step is to identify what is changing, what leaders need to do differently, and what currently stands in their way.
Hanna Richards-James
6 min read


How to Build Executive Presence Using Emotional Intelligence
Build executive presence through four learnable emotional intelligence skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Discover practical strategies to communicate with greater confidence, manage reactions, read the room, build trust, and strengthen your leadership impact.
Hanna Richards-James
3 min read


Expand Leadership Capacity: The Competitive Advantage
Leadership training alone doesn't change behavior. Leaders need both the skills to know what to do and the capacity to do it when the stakes are high. Discover why horizontal and vertical development work together to build stronger leaders, healthier teams, and thriving organizations. Read the latest on the DesignWise blog.
Hanna Richards-James
3 min read


Why Everything DiSC® Is One of the Most Valuable Investments You Can Make in Your People
Everything DiSC® helps people communicate more effectively, build stronger relationships, and work better together by increasing self-awareness and understanding of others. As a Certified Everything DiSC® Facilitator through Wiley, I go beyond the assessment to help leaders and teams turn insight into lasting behavior change through practical, engaging learning experiences that improve collaboration, trust, and leadership effectiveness.
Hanna Richards-James
4 min read


The Communication Skill That Changes Everything: Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue
The Standard in Effective Communication. Backed by 30 years of research, Crucial Conversations skills represent the standard in effective communication and the marker of high performance individuals and organizations.
Communication Training that Transforms Business Results
Hanna Richards-James
3 min read


This Listening Habit Will Change Your Relationships
Leadership doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes the most transformational shift starts with one habit — truly listening. Listening may sound simple — but it’s one of the most powerful leadership skills you can build. In this video, leadership development designer and coach Hanna shares two practical listening formulas you can start using today to strengthen relationships, build trust, and increase engagement on your team.
Hanna Richards-James
1 min read
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