SMG is Australia’s premier leadership development advisor. Since 1998, we’ve partnered with exceptional talent to elevate leadership skills and unlock organisational potential.
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Unlocking executive excellence
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FOR CEOS AND C-SUITE LEADERS
SMG works with CEOs and C-suite leaders to strengthen leadership capability, judgment, behaviour and performance. Each engagement combines senior leadership experience, professional coaching or mentoring discipline and behavioural science, applied to real priorities and organisational context.
Leaders often seek coaching and mentoring during transitions, step-ups in role, increased complexity or visibility, or when they need to strengthen decision-making, stakeholder leadership or performance under pressure.
OUR POINT OF VIEW
Effective development accounts for the leader’s behaviour and psychology, the demands of the role, and the organisation’s strategy, culture, external environment and industry dynamics.
SMG shapes each engagement around that context, combining coaching, mentoring, diagnostics, feedback, practical application and accountability as required.
Independent coaching, mentoring or blended support for CEOs navigating Board and stakeholder expectations, organisation-wide responsibility and executive team leadership.
Support for C-suite leaders to move beyond functional expertise, strengthen enterprise leadership and increase their contribution across the organisation.
Consistent briefing, matching, quality assurance and impact measurement for several leaders, with each engagement tailored to the individual and connected to shared team and organisational priorities.
Never has there been a more rapid time for career transitions. Supporting employees through these critical moments can have a lasting impact, both on the individual and the culture and performance of the organisation. We offer a range of tools to bridge transitions effectively.
Impactful leaders make connections; they work in teams; they take on different roles for different situations; they influence and inspire people to act. Whilst subject matter expertise may result in a promotion, executive presence and impact does not come naturally to all. See how we help leaders be seen, heard and valued.
SMG coaches and mentors bring senior executive and commercial experience from demanding leadership and organisational environments.
Our work is purposeful, ethically grounded and structured around agreed goals, practical application and accountability.
Evidence-informed understanding of behaviour, motivation, relationships and change helps leaders translate insight into effective action.
Each engagement reflects the leader’s role, strategy, culture, stakeholders, industry dynamics and operating environment.
Rigorous selection, matching, supervision and professional development ensure the right fit and consistently high standards.
For sponsored engagements, agreed priorities, success measures and reporting boundaries connect individual effectiveness with role, executive-team and organisational performance.
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Each engagement begins with a comprehensive briefing to understand the leader, their role, organisational context and objectives. SMG identifies carefully selected coaches or mentors, followed by chemistry meetings to determine the right fit.
2
The leader, sponsor and SMG coach or mentor align on development priorities, success measures and the engagement pathway. Confidentiality and sponsor reporting boundaries are agreed from the outset. Diagnostics, 360 assessments and stakeholder interviews may be used to understand strengths, behavioural patterns, drivers, motivators and development priorities.
3
The SMG coach or mentor builds a trusted relationship that supports open reflection and constructive challenge. The work centres on real leadership and business priorities, combining feedback, experienced perspective, practical action and accountability. The approach adapts as the leader's needs and organisational context evolve.
4
Progress is reviewed against agreed development goals and success measures. Observable impact is captured across the individual, role, team and organisation. Stakeholder feedback and further three-way reviews may be included to assess progress and understand whether change is sustained.
MEASURING WHAT MATTERS
Coaching strengthens how leaders perform, how teams work and how decisions are made.
In SMG post-program surveys, 96% of participants reported improved effectiveness in their role, with three in four assessing the improvement at more than 10%.
Participants also reported stronger team performance, greater stakeholder confidence, better decision-making and measurable operational and commercial outcomes.
Every engagement begins with understanding the leader, their role, the organisational context, and the required outcome. From there, SMG shapes the engagement and identifies coaches or mentors with the right experience and fit.
What is the difference between executive coaching and executive mentoring?
Executive coaching is a structured, goal-oriented engagement focused on leadership capability, behaviour, effectiveness and performance. Executive mentoring provides independent counsel, perspective and practical insight from relevant senior leadership experience. A blended engagement combines both approaches, with the SMG coach or mentor moving deliberately between them according to the leader’s needs and context.
How do I know whether coaching, mentoring or a blended engagement is right?
The starting point is the leader’s role, context, objectives and the outcome required. SMG uses the initial brief to recommend the most appropriate form of engagement and potential coach or mentor matches.
How is an SMG coach or mentor selected?
SMG considers the leader’s objectives, organisational context, preferences and development needs, together with the practitioner’s credentials, leadership experience, industry knowledge and working style. Chemistry meetings allow the leader and, where appropriate, the sponsor to test the fit before confirming the engagement.
Is executive coaching and mentoring confidential?
Yes. Session content remains confidential in every engagement. For organisation-funded work, the leader, sponsor and SMG coach or mentor agree development priorities, success measures and reporting boundaries at the outset. We limit sponsor reporting to agreed objectives, progress and outcomes.
Does every engagement use diagnostics or psychometric tools?
No. We use diagnostics, 360 assessments and stakeholder interviews where they add value. SMG does not rely on a single tool or method. We select the approach to suit the leader’s needs, objectives and organisational context.
How long does an engagement last?
The length and structure depend on the leader’s needs and the engagement objectives. Executive coaching engagements commonly run for six to twelve months, with the recommended pathway confirmed after the initial brief.
How is impact measured?
We review progress against agreed development goals and success measures. Depending on the engagement, we may use self-assessment, sponsor and stakeholder feedback, 360 assessments, goal reviews and further triangular meetings. We assess impact across the individual, role, team and organisation.
Does executive coaching involve a psychometric tool?
Executive coaching can draw on a range of diagnostic tools to help the leader and coach understand blind spots and development areas. At SMG, we select tools based on the leader’s needs and context rather than relying on a single approach. If you prefer not to use psychometric testing, discuss this with your coach or mentor and together you can agree on an alternative.
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