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AND-E CASE STUDY

Strengthening the leadership pipeline at AND-E with the Rise Above methodology

AND-E implemented a 12-month leadership programme to strengthen progression readiness among mid-senior women and reduce hidden barriers affecting retention, confidence and succession.

 

The biggest shifts were seen in areas directly linked to leadership effectiveness, including:

  • self-doubt and hesitation

  • people-pleasing and over-functioning

  • fear of conflict

  • difficulty setting boundaries

  • exhaustion and overload

  • reliance on external validation

 

These are all patterns known to slow progression, increase burnout risk and weaken leadership confidence.

 

Behavioural change translated into practical business impact.

 

Participants reported:

  • speaking up earlier in decisions

  • escalating risks sooner

  • delegating more effectively

  • setting clearer expectations

  • handling conflict more directly

  • asking for support, recognition and resources with confidence

 

Participant endorsement was exceptionally strong:

  • 100% would recommend the programme

  • Average recommendation score: 9.9 / 10

  • 91% described the programme as very impactful or transformational

 

These results indicate stronger progression readiness, reduced burnout risk, and a more robust leadership pipeline.

“This is a structural initiative that goes to the heart of the issue the insurance industry faces as a whole – a lack of women in senior leadership roles, 

This isn’t mentorship over lunch. This is about rewiring leadership from the inside out.”


Pamela Avornyo

Head of People Development, AND-E

THE CHALLENGE

AND-E identified a risk within its leadership pipeline.

 

Talented women were reaching mid-senior level but not progressing at the expected rate, limiting succession depth and increasing the risk of losing experienced leaders.

 

This was not a capability issue. The women involved were already high-performing and credible.

 

The challenge sat beneath the surface.

 

Like many organisations, AND-E recognised that women's progression can be affected by behavioural and cultural patterns that are rarely addressed through traditional leadership training, such as:

  • over-responsibility and over-working

  • reluctance to self-promote

  • conflict avoidance

  • perfectionism

  • pressure to be both authoritative and likeable

  • difficulty setting boundaries

 

Left unaddressed, these patterns can lead to slower progression, higher stress, reduced confidence and weaker succession readiness.

 

AND-E wanted a programme that went beyond skills training and tackled the root causes affecting leadership confidence, retention and progression.

Work Place

THE SOLUTION

AND-E partnered with Michelle Minnikin to design Elevate, a 12-month diagnostic-led leadership programme based on the methodology now used in the Rise Above Corporate Programme.

 

The programme focused on strengthening leadership capacity by addressing the underlying behavioural patterns that often affect how women experience authority, visibility and decision-making at work.

 

Key features included:

  • 12-month structured development

  • baseline, midpoint and end-point diagnostics

  • monthly workshops and peer sessions

  • real-world workplace application

  • in-person intensives

  • internal capability building through train-the-trainer delivery

 

Unlike traditional programmes, the focus was not only on skills such as confidence or communication, but on the deeper patterns that can quietly limit progression, increase pressure and make leadership more costly than it needs to be.

 

By addressing these factors directly, participants were able to lead with greater clarity, stronger boundaries and more confidence in senior environments.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR ORGANISATIONS

When leadership development addresses the real drivers behind behaviour, not just visible skills, organisations see stronger outcomes.

 

The programme helped AND-E:

  • strengthen its succession pipeline

  • retain high-potential women

  • increase leadership confidence

  • reduce burnout risk

  • build more sustainable performance

  • create internal capability for future cohorts

 

The Rise Above Corporate Programme builds on the same methodology, providing a structured, evidence-based approach to developing confident, resilient and progression-ready female leaders.

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