Jon Dunning, Leadership Coach
New Zealand, Australia, Asia-Pacific
Helping individuals seamlessly transition from mate to manager
Many of my clients want to smoothly transition from exceptional team members to inspiring leaders capable of driving individual and team success in high-stakes industrial and corporate environments.
They want to:
- Successfully step into a leadership role without losing the respect and camaraderie of former peers, instead gaining their trust and loyalty as their manager.
- Manage challenging discussions about job performance, responsibilities, and workplace conflicts confidently, turning potential tensions into opportunities for growth and development.
- Lead a previously underperforming team to achieve and surpass their targets through improved communication, collaboration, and problem-solving strategies.
- And transform the team environment into a space where every member feels valued, heard, and motivated to contribute, reducing staff turnover and boosting morale.
I understand when people tell me that managing and leading staff is hard
My practice is based on 35 years of doing just this in a wide range of sectors and cultures across three continents.
I know what it’s like to help team members through difficult times, discuss sensitive topics with staff, address difficult behaviours that disrupt a team, or address poor performance that impacts productivity.
Many clients and participants tell me that they appreciate that I share learnings from hands-on experience doing similar jobs rather than just offering dry theoretical models they can try and apply.
Great leaders develop more leaders, not followers
My mission is to help individuals develop into strong, effective, and empathetic leaders who are focused on their team as well as their bottom line or sales target.
I was a team leader, manager, people leader, and senior manager for over three decades.
I made many mistakes and it took a while to realise that leading others was more about support, guidance and contribution than position, direction and management.
After benefitting from the investment of some great leaders I worked with, I decided that I wanted to spend the rest of my working life doing that for others.
About me
As a manager, I understood that good leadership was less about me and more about others.
If I modelled the right behaviours, asked the right questions, and helped folk be involved and engaged (not just told/instructed) in the activity’s ‘why’, they were more likely to enjoy their work, collaborate more widely, and share skills and knowledge.
I like working with those at the beginning or middle of their leadership journey.
I wish I had had good support and guidance earlier in my career, as I would have done things differently.
New leaders tend to be more open to ideas at these stages; offering the tools, the thinking, and the opportunity for great self-awareness earlier helps improve our workplaces, communities, and the world.
- Coach Inc program graduate (International Coach Federation accredited)
- VMI (Vertical Mindset Indicator) Practitioner License
- VMI Assessment/Debrief and VMI for Teams
- Design Sprint Master – AJ&Smart / Google Ventures
- Facilitator/Coach – Institute of Managers & Leaders AU
- Facilitator/Coach – Institute of Managers NZ and Skills
- Coach – Massey University Executive Development EMBA programme
- Mentoring Coach – NZ Police Waitamata
Organisations I've worked with
As worked with
Leadership development coaching for individuals and organisations
Coaching
Tailored confidential support that unlocks your potential and achieve your goals – for individuals and groups.
Leadership development
Leadership training programmes and courses that cover a range of leadership needs.
Contract facilitation and training
Tailored confidential support that unlocks your potential and achieve your goals – for individuals and groups.