The Leadership Accelerator
A twelve-month programme that takes good leaders to exceptional, combining education, coaching and community. Monthly one-to-one coaching, a weekly leadership gym, and a cohort of twenty-five senior leaders. Our next cohort starts January 2027.
Not frameworks, a real commitment to your outcomes.
Built for senior leaders
Who is this for?
You’re a Director, VP, or senior executive who’s already delivering.
But you know there’s another level, in how you lead, how you’re seen, and the results you create.
You’re ready to take yourself on, commit to causing outcomes beyond what you can immediately see how to deliver, and start leading with the impact you’re capable of.
How you'll grow
Education, coaching and community
Three ways to grow, working together over twelve months, to take you from good to exceptional.
Education
A structured twelve-month curriculum across three leadership dimensions: leading self, leading others, and leading the organisation. Techniques and tools you apply immediately.
Coaching
Senior FirstHuman coaches with fifteen to thirty-five years' experience. Group coaching, monthly one-to-ones, and a weekly 'leadership gym' to work real challenges in real time.
Community
A peer cohort of senior leaders: mastermind pods, a private app community, and a worldwide network for support, accountability, and shared experience.
Our promise
Step into high-impact leadership in twelve months or we keep working with you for free until you do.
Develop your leadership through world-class coaching.
Access seasoned coaches, domain experts, and C-suite leaders who will challenge how you think and lead.
This is not ‘edu-tainment’. You’ll be supported and challenged to reach another gear in your leadership.
Limited cohort of twenty-five to ensure coaching depth.
Structured growth
A programmatic journey across three leadership dimensions: leading self, leading others, and leading the organisation.
'Leadership gym'
Our weekly live session, alternating between content calls (led by FirstHuman faculty or guest speakers) and group coaching.
Professional edge
Proven tools, including the 'Find Your Voice' programme, to sharpen your executive presence and strategic communication.
Career support
Strategic guidance on your next move, whether that's a C-suite role, a bigger remit, or raising your industry profile.
Community
Join our worldwide network of senior leaders for practical support, wisdom, and shared experience across sectors.
The curriculum
What you’ll work on
Three connected themes that take you from who you are being, to how you engage others, to what you make possible across your organisation.
Leading Self
January – April
Seeing the lens you lead through, and inventing who you are being as a leader.
Leading Others
May – August
Engaging people by design rather than by habit; causing committed action.
Leading the Organisation
September – December
Creating potent environments where breakthrough results become possible.
See the full curriculum
By the end of the twelve months, you’ll have stepped into high-impact leadership and delivered your Breakthrough Project: a real result, beyond what you could have predicted when you started.
Click the curriculum to view it full size, or download a copy to keep.
Benefits to you
What you will come away with
- Gravitas under pressure You express yourself boldly in high-stakes moments. Under pressure, you lead with composure.
- Inspire your team and your stakeholders Conversations with your team and stakeholders shift from updates to influence. You leave people enrolled in your vision.
- Play the bigger game You’ve stopped getting pulled into the weeds. You think and operate at the level of the role you want, not the one you’re in.
- Know yourself and connect to others You have the self-awareness and relational intelligence that has people across your organisation trust you instinctively.
- ‘Be the room’ You use your presence to create a productive space around you, where people feel called to contribute.
- Deliver a ‘breakthrough result’ You’ve produced an extraordinary outcome that stretched your leadership, with your Accelerator community behind you.
- Bring others with you You’ve learned to coach other leaders. You evoke accountability, ownership, and ambition in those you lead.
Our next cohort starts January 2027.
Nine reasons to join
Total commitment to your evolution
A structured journey across three leadership dimensions
Leading self, leading others, and leading the organisation.
Monthly one-to-one coaching
A one-to-one session each month during term time with one of our highly experienced FirstHuman coaches.
Monthly guest speakers
Sharing fresh insight, practical tools, and real-world leadership experience.
Peer mastermind pods
With peers who challenge you to follow through, not just talk about it.
Weekly 'leadership gym'
To stretch your thinking and coach you through real leadership challenges.
Career support
Strategic guidance on your next move, whether that's a C-suite role, a bigger remit, or raising your industry profile.
'Find Your Voice' programme
Structured online mini-programme to sharpen your executive presence and strategic communication.
Private app community
With 24/7 peer support always within reach.
Live orientation call
A personal walkthrough with your coach to get you set up and ready to make the most of your Accelerator experience.
Live sessions
Exclusive live sessions with exceptional speakers
Our content sessions bring you insight from FirstHuman faculty and exceptional guest speakers like these.
High Performance
Culture
Jason Lippert
CEO, Funtown
High-Stakes
Leadership
Gretchen Haskins
Fmr CEO & Board Member, HeliOffshore
Values-Based
Leadership
Howard Behar
Ex-President, Starbucks
Adaptive
Strategy
Steve McCrone
Author and Strategy Expert
The FirstHuman difference
FirstHuman has worked with thousands of executive leaders, gaining deep insight into the challenges they face and how to help them achieve breakthrough results.
Along the way, we’ve built a network of experts and executives committed to fostering extraordinary leadership.
Now, we’ve distilled that experience into a powerful offer with a promise: step into high-impact leadership in twelve months, or we keep working with you for free until you do.
Live orientation call
Before you dive in, you’ll have a one-to-one orientation call with your coach.
They’ll show you around the online community, familiarise you with who else is in your cohort, and guide you through writing your first post. You’ll also see where the session recordings live, and how to get the most from the Accelerator.
Monthly one-to-one coaching
A one-to-one session each month during term time with one of our highly experienced FirstHuman coaches.
Monthly guest speaker
Each month during our content terms, we host an exceptional guest speaker who brings fresh insight, practical tools, and deep experience.
These are thought leaders, authors, industry experts, and senior executives who have walked the talk and bring a wealth of real-world perspective.
Sessions are interactive, giving you the chance to ask questions and engage directly.
Whether the focus is on influence, resilience, or navigating change, these conversations are designed to stretch your thinking and inspire new possibilities.
It’s your opportunity to learn from the best—right inside the Accelerator.
Private app community
Leadership doesn’t stop at 5 p.m.
With 24/7 access to the community, there’s always support at hand.
Whether you’re navigating a difficult conversation, facing a crisis in confidence, preparing for a big presentation, or simply need a sounding board, you can tap into a network of experienced peers at any time, and post a question for a coach whenever you need to.
Post a question, share a win, or ask for input—day or night, someone’s listening.
This constant access to support, insight, and encouragement helps you stay centred, resourced, and ready—whenever leadership moments arise.
Career support
Strategic career guidance to help you navigate your next move, whether that’s a C-suite role, expanding your remit, or raising your industry profile.
Peer mastermind pod
As part of your journey in the Leadership Accelerator, you’ll be matched with a small peer group of three to five members who share similar goals, challenges, or industry backgrounds.
These curated connections provide a trusted space for deeper conversation, accountability, and mutual support.
Meeting regularly, your group becomes a sounding board where you can test ideas, share progress, and explore insights together.
Whether you’re navigating a major shift or working toward a breakthrough, your peers will help you stay focused and inspired.
It’s about growing together—with others who truly understand the context you’re leading in and the stand you’re taking for your leadership.
Weekly 'leadership gym'
Every Tuesday there’s a live session for your cohort, alternating between content calls and group coaching.
Content calls are interactive leadership sessions led by FirstHuman faculty, or workshops with guest speakers.
Group coaching calls are optional drop-in sessions: your space to work through real leadership challenges in real time, with ‘hot seat’ coaching in front of the group and peer coaching. Bring your challenge, and leave with insights and a positive path forward.
Limited to a cohort of twenty-five.
Twelve-month programme.
Our next cohort starts January 2027.
Testimonials
Senior leaders who have all worked with FirstHuman's coaches and methodology, the same approach at the heart of the Accelerator.
Ana Alastruey Izquierdo
Presidente del comité
World Health Organisation
Celine Jones
Partner
Capital Law
Jim Evans
Operations Director
HeliOffshore
Margarita Kitova-John
GP
Lantern Clinic
Ayesha Hakim Rahman
Acting Deputy Director
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Vicky Bhogal-Hunt
Head of Air Traffic Services
Air Navigation Solutions
Anthony Kashani-Nejad
Senior Surveillance Manager
HSBC
Stephen Plunkett
Safety & Compliance Manager
Offshore Helicopter Services
Your coaches
The FirstHuman team
Our partners and associates will be your guides. They bring a wealth of experience from senior corporate leadership roles. Our commitment is to walk alongside you, fostering your growth and equipping you to transform your leadership.
What people say
What senior leaders say about working with FirstHuman
The programme blew a lot of minds in the best possible way, mine included. The group sessions were rich, vulnerable and inspiring. I love FirstHuman!
Ryan Wyeth
Director of Business Ops., Paramount Commerce
My experience with FirstHuman has been very enlightening, very rich… The possibilities are limitless… This course has unlocked many things for me both professionally, personally, and I’ve met some great people.
Vicky Bhogal-Hunt
Head of Air Traffic Services, Air Navigation Solutions
I’d describe my experience working with FirstHuman as really interactive, really enlightening, very thought-provoking. It’s been fantastic… I would absolutely recommend FirstHuman. They’re really professional, really engaging, fantastic experience and background.
Jim Evans
Operations Director, HeliOffshore
It is the best coaching program I have ever took. It has been constantly in my mind till today to become a great leader in my career.
Corrine Lim
Director, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics
It’s not an easy journey, it’s something that you take on — it’s a challenge, it’s an adventure. … Whenever [Phillida] gives me insights about my journey or my career or experiences, to me that has a very special meaning, and she drives me more into becoming a better person.
Celine Jones
Partner, Capital Law
What I liked about FirstHuman is it starts with the individual, so it starts with me, and I think that’s what set it apart… everybody that was on the programme is amazing in their own way, so much inspiration, so much learning from each other.
Ayesha Hakim Rahman
Deputy Director, London Borough of Tower Hamlets
My experience with FirstHuman had a significant impact on the cohesiveness and performance of my team, it allowed me to set the foundations for the creation of a healthier workplace and allowing for improved talent retention. The coaching was extremely focused, engaged and helped me navigate complex professional and personal situations. I would highly recommend FirstHuman.
Arcangelo Grisi
Global Head, Surveillance, Wells Fargo
Book a call with a coach
Still have questions, or want to know if the Accelerator is right for you?
Book a discovery call with Richard Atherton, one of our senior coaches.
FAQs
How much time do I need to commit?
Two elements are core to the programme, both during term time: the content sessions every other Tuesday, and your monthly one-to-one coaching session.
Group coaching runs on the alternate Tuesdays and is optional. Drop in when you have a leadership challenge to work on or a question you’d like answered. It continues through the holiday breaks.
Core (term time): ninety minutes every other week, plus one hour a month for your one-to-one.
Optional: ninety minutes every other week, all year round.
What is the structure of the programme?
Our weekly ‘leadership gym’ is a ninety-minute live session on Tuesdays at 4:00 PM GMT / 11 AM EST, alternating between content calls and group coaching calls.
Content calls are either interactive leadership sessions led by FirstHuman faculty, or workshops with guest speakers. They run over three terms (spring, summer and autumn) – two Tuesdays per month – with breaks for Easter, summer and Christmas.
Group coaching calls are optional drop-in sessions, combining ‘hot seat’ coaching in front of the group with peer coaching. They run on alternate weeks to the content calls during term time, and continue through the holiday breaks.
One-to-one coaching sessions are arranged at your convenience, and peer pod calls are arranged by pod members themselves.
Who is this for?
It’s for senior leaders and emerging executives who are ready to grow their impact, deepen self-awareness, and create breakthrough outcomes with their leadership.
The Leadership Accelerator is designed for those who have leadership responsibility within their organisation. Ideal participants will have titles that include EVP, Director, MD, SVP, VP, Head of. You’ll typically manage a team of five or more full-time employees.
Can I join at any time?
The Accelerator runs in cohorts of twenty-five. Our next cohort starts in January 2027 and applications are open now. If it fills up, we’ll offer you a place in the following one.
What’s included in the twelve-month programme?
Live orientation call with your coach to get you set up
Content sessions every other Tuesday in term time, led by FirstHuman faculty and guest speakers
Monthly one-to-one coaching with a senior FirstHuman coach during term time
Optional group coaching on alternate Tuesdays, all year round
A three-theme curriculum: Leading Self, Leading Others and Leading the Organisation
Your Breakthrough Project, a live result you work on throughout
A peer mastermind pod and career support
A private app community with 24/7 peer support
Secure your place
Apply today
Places are limited to twenty-five per cohort, and our next cohort, starting January 2027, is filling now.
Money-back guarantee
This programme has been developed by corporate leaders for corporate leaders and is based on our nuanced understanding of what is needed to become an exceptional leader.
We’re confident in the value this programme provides. The coaching, live sessions and peer connections will broaden your knowledge base, increase your confidence and transform your ability to lead.
But if it doesn’t work for you, then we offer a “No Conditions Refund Guarantee” — if for any reason you’re not satisfied during the thirty days after joining the programme, we will refund 100% of your money.
Just email refundme@firsthuman.com