A results driven approach to Leadership & Team Training: ideal for leadership, high-performance, sales and critical response teams.
Fusing our 12 Essential Skills, Communication & 360 Assessments with expert coaching, growth & success becomes sustainable & exponential! Scroll down to find out how...
The ATAR Team Coaching Program High-Performance Leadership Training
With offices in Sydney & Brisbane we are here to serve you.
At The Open Mind Institute we understand the complexities associated with teams and leadership.
That’s why we developed the ATAR Program – an innovative and proven process that builds
essential skills, fosters measurable growth and delivers on performance outcomes.
Who we've worked with –
The Challenge is Real –
In 2026 organisations face a range of
pressing challenges to their teams, driven by evolving demands, shifting market dynamics and emerging technologies.
5 of the most significant challenges include >
1. Talent Retention & Acquisition -
With a competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is increasingly difficult. Organisations must develop strategies to attract skilled professionals, provide meaningful career development opportunities, and keep teams highly engaged and motivated.
2. Employee Burnout & Wellbeing -
The boundary between work and personal life continues to blur, leading to increased burnout. Organisations need to prioritise employee wellbeing by offering mental health support, and creating a culture that values rest and rejuvenation.
3. Leadership Development -
Developing effective leaders who can navigate complex challenges, inspire teams, and drive innovation is crucial to success.. Organisations must invest in leadership development programs to cultivate the next generation of leaders and ensure continuity in leadership roles.
4. Change Management -
Organisations frequently have to undergo restructuring, mergers, or technological transformations. Managing change effectively and ensuring employee buy-in is crucial to minimise disruption and maintain productivity.
5. Effective Communication -
Breaking down silos and fostering cross-functional communication and collaboration is essential for driving innovation and achieving organisational goals.
Introducing the Program –
ATAR
The ATAR Program is a comprehensive training & coaching process designed to meet these challenges, elevating performance through the structured life cycle of: Assess, Training, Assessment and Results.
This program combines critical insights from our Essential Skills Assessment (ESA), Communication Attributes Assessment (CAA) & 360 Assessments (optional) fused with expert training and coaching sessions to address deficiencies and strengthen skills.
Through our data-driven results-oriented approach, the ATAR Program ensures measurable improvements and tangible outcomes for leaders and their teams.
Each stage of the ATAR Program is meticulously designed and includes:
ASSESS –
Choose from our Essential Skills Assessment (ESA), the Communication Attributes Assessment (CAA), or 360 Assessments to identify and establish a clear performance baseline.
(Scroll down for further info. on these assessments).
TRAINING & Coaching –
Our Executive Coach delivers the ATAR program combining monthly training workshops ("the evidence-based content") and fortnightly 1:3 coaching sessions ("the application"), enhancing critical knowledge and its application in the field.
Provision of evidence-based tools and frameworks to empower the application of performance across the 12 essential skills (see 'ESA' below).
ASSESSMENT –
In the final worksop the team comes together and takes the ESA &/ or the CAA again, to review and measure their growth and development.
Teams come together to present on their growth areas and to take the same Assessments to reveal their improvement across the 12 essential skills. This is an extremely engaging & insightful experience!
RESULTS –
A comprehensive "Impact Report" detailing the Assessment data and performance results is provided to management, together with recommendations to ensure growth & positive performance is sustained.
The Results –
Our Research & Development team collects and assesses the ESA data that's presented to management in the final impact report. This is the before-and-after results achieved for a recent client whose ELT completed the ATAR program over 6 months:
Leadership &
Decision Making
72% 93%
Resilience & Stress Management
56% 91%
Emotional & Social Intelligence
61% 96%
Critical Thinking &
Problem Solving
67% 92%
Adaptability & Learning Agility
58% 89%
Communication Excellence
62% 95%
The ATAR Assessments:
Essential Skills Assessment (ESA) –
After working with multinationals and companies around the world for ten years and listening to their needs, we found that conventional assessments (like DISC, Big 5, MBTI and SHL) were falling short of drilling down to the essential contemporaneous skills specifically required to excel in today's rapidly changing world.
So in partnership with the University of Queensland's School of Psychology we took it upon ourselves to create our own! Taking a new and innovative approach to 'assessments' the ESA evaluates the most essential skills and competencies for staff & leaders to possess in the 2025 - 2030 period.
Our research and development team assessed future workforce trends, global socioeconomic and technological shifts and researched emerging themes from industry leaders to identify these critical skills.
The Results: We found 12 essential skills that represent the competencies that high performance teams need to possess in order to thrive in an era defined by AI, remote work, and constant change. These skills are:
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Emotional & Social Intelligence
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Self-Awareness & Attention-Control
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Communication Excellence
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Adaptability & Learning Agility
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Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
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Collaboration & Team Dynamics
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Leadership & Decision Making
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Digital & AI Dexterity
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Time Management & Prioritisation
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Resilience & Stress Management
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Innovation & Creative Thinking
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Influence & Stakeholder Management
Communication Attributes Assessment (CAA) –
The CAA is a powerful self-assessment tool designed by The Open Mind Institute to enhance team dynamics by identifying and understanding individual communication styles.
This assessment categorises communication tendencies into five distinct styles, each represented by an animal archetype, offering a clear and engaging framework for self-awareness and growth. Whether in leadership, coaching, or team development, the CAA provides actionable insights to create a more cohesive and productive work environment.
Understanding these styles helps teams understand unconscious biases, navigate differences, leverage strengths, and foster healthier interactions.
By recognising these patterns, teams can adapt their approach to difficult conversations, improve empathy, and achieve more effective communication.
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Deer = Passive, accommodating and avoidant;
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Fox = Assertive, balanced and collaborative;
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Lion = Aggressive tendency, bold and direct;
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Tiger = Passive-aggressive and subtly resistant;
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Owl = Analytical, precise and logical.
By understanding personal communication styles and these core competencies, we ensure that staff and leaders on the ATAR program are empowered to navigate complexities, drive results, and contribute significantly to organisational success.
360 Assessments (Contexualised to your Business) –
TOMI's 360-degree assessments provide a structured, multi-perspective view of an individual’s leadership capability by gathering confidential feedback from key stakeholders to establish a clear, evidence-based baseline of strengths and development areas, informing highly targeted coaching and training interventions.
The 360's are taken again at the end of the program to objectively measure progress, behavioural change, and impact of the leadership development training to measure progress & ROI.
Case Study 2 –
Case Study 1 –
VOLVO is a Swedish multinational manufacturer of luxury vehicles and a globally respected brand synonymous with superior quality, safety and more recently, its commitment to only sell fully electric vehicles by 2030.
"We started working with The Open Mind Institute in August 2022 because we could see that during Covid the pandemic there were some issues around communication within the team, we could also see the impact that some of the supply chain issues had on mental health within the team.
Since working with The Open Mind Institute our NSW & QLD Sales teams have achieved record breaking months and communication has improved significantly.
One of the team members gave me some feedback around the work that The Open Mind Institute had completed with them and the impressive part was the ownership around the team members communication style and the fact that the situation around them had not changed but their way of communicating and dealing with a high pressure environment had changed, leading to a happier environment for them and their colleagues.
I would highly recommend the support of The Open Mind Institute within working teams to bring out the best in collaboration, communication and performance."
- Martin Lambert, QLD & NSW Sales Director, Volvo Australia.
Digital Alchemy: A global company with real world problems, who are achieving incredible results!
Digital Alchemy is a multinational, data-driven marketing agency who have grown to become the largest, and most trusted Database Marketing Services Provider in Asia Pacific, with offices around the world and clients who include PayPal, Adobe, Salesforce, SAP, AWS and Virgin.
“In 2020 we experienced unprecedented levels of uncertainty, resignations and staff mental health concerns. I realised we had to change people's mindset one at a time, over a period of months, not days. For an organisation with several hundred people all over the world, that seemed like a crazy undertaking. TOMI’s leadership coaching program was a massive game changer and helped us to turn things around, one staff member at a time.
In the first year around 100 people in our company completed the program and every year since we targeted a similar number to do the program. We have spun out other programs, i.e. on leadership & effective communication, designed by TOMI to address particular challenges and overall we turned the culture around, and the result has been 100% revenue growth since we started.
Staff retention has increased, culture has improved, and we have seen demonstrable positive change in people's attitude towards the company. Your machines don't make your products, the team that operates them does; your customers don't make themselves happy, your team does. Whether you employ 10 people or 1,000 people, people are at the heart of your success, and the mindset that they have can be the difference between short term success and long term success.
Success is a culmination of many things, but I firmly believe that our relationship with TOMI is a central pillar to our turnaround and success.”
- Regan Yan, CEO, Digital Alchemy.
"TOMI’s leadership coaching was a massive game changer and helped us to turn things around, one staff member at a time."
Case Study 3 –
The ATAR Program Empowers QLD Police Service Leaders
The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is the primary law enforcement agency in Queensland, Australia. Responsible for maintaining public safety, preventing and investigating crime, and upholding the law across one of Australia’s largest and most diverse jurisdictions, the QPS operates statewide through frontline policing, specialist units, and community engagement to protect and serve the people of Queensland.
"I engaged the assistance of Paul from TOMI due to ongoing efficiency impacts within our leadership team caused by differing personalities, priorities and experience. Paul was open and transparent to work with, offering the ATAR Program which catered to what we were trying to achieve both as a team and as individuals.
Paul managed to engage members of my team more than I expected, with many subsequently noting the personal takeaways that they got from the program that have been of benefit to them. As most of the lessons can now be easily shared by those in attendance, they will hopefully be of benefit to our future leaders as well. Thank you, Paul!
- Kimberley Thies, A/Director, Queensland Police Service
QPS SYNOPSIS:-
ATAR was deployed to build effective communication, cognitive performance and cohesiveness among the QPS leadership team, who perform in high-pressure, high-stakes environments where systems are complex, public safety is at stake and results are critical.
ATAR was delivered over 6 months using a combination of remote coaching sessions in groups of 3 (allocated in accordance with the CCA assessment results), and in-person experiential learning workshops.
The final results were significant, with a noticeable improvement in emotional regulation resulting in 91% of the leaders improving stress tolerance, resilience, and pressure management.
In terms of communication & leadership, 90% achieved increases in effective communication, assertiveness, and visibility, and in terms of organisational culture, the leadership team experienced a 51% increase in mean extraversion, correlating to an increased willingness to hold difficult conversations using the frameworks delivered in the training resulting in stronger team cohesion and rebuilding the foundations of a healthier organisation culture.
These results exceeded typical six-month natural variation by 2–4 times, validating the impact of sustained, structured leadership development.
Test the ROI Before You Commit –
Not ready for a full-scale rollout? Experience the positive ATAR Pulse with a 90-minute no-risk 'Pilot Training Workshop' for high-stakes teams
The Concept: High-performance coaching shouldn't be a leap of faith. The ATAR Pulse is a condensed, high-impact version of our flagship program designed to show you exactly how much your team’s performance can shift in just 30 days.
How it works:
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Baseline Assessment: Select 3 of the 12 Essential Skills you'd like to see your team improve in. Your team takes the ESA, experiences the dynamic workshop, applies the learnings in the field, then after 30 days, they take the ESA again to reveal your ROI.
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The 90-Minute Worksop: Paul engages your team through a dynamic dive into 3 of the 12 Essential Skills most critical to your current challenges, evidence-based frameworks, and accountability measures are provided.
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30-Day Field Application: We don't just "train and leave." Your team applies the learnings in the field with built-in accountability measures activated, and the positive ripple effect starts to ensue accross the workplace.
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The Progress Reveal: After 30 days, we re-assess and present you with the data-driven Impact Report showing the "needle move" in the 3 selected areas, i.e. effective communication, collaboration & decision making.
The Result: You get a clear, data-backed business case for the full ATAR program. If we don’t move the needle, you’ve gained invaluable team data. If we do, you have the proof to go all-in.
Summary –
As we approach the next 5 years, organisations have to equip their leaders & teams with the necessary skills to meet rapid advancements in technology and navigate shifting dynamics, otherwise risk being left behind.
The Open Mind Institute is empowering organisations & their leaders to achieve this through our expert training and strategic assessments that measure growth and prove return on investment, that extends to:
Ability to Successfully Navigate Change
Utilisation of Emotional & Social Intelligence
Leveraging a Growth Mindset in Uncertainty
Critical Thinking & Creative Problem Solving
Strengthened Team Cohesion
Integration of AI & Digital Dexterity
Enhanced Trust & Rapport with Stakeholders
Application of Adaptive Leadership
The ATAR Program is ideal for:
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Executive Leadership Teams
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High Performance Teams
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Critical Response Teams
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Health & Safety Teams
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Sales Teams
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Strong Cross-Pollination b/w Departments
In terms of supporting evidence for decision makers, research* shows that investing in skills like
emotional intelligence and adaptability leads to:-
- Higher employee engagement (+21%).
- Lower turnover (-31%).
- Increased productivity (+17%).
Future-Proofing Workforces:
Organisations prioritising these skills are better equipped to:-
- Stay competitive in the face of automation and AI disruption.
- Navigate global challenges and complex workforce dynamics.
Alignment with Organisational Goals
This skills & frameworks acquired in the ATAR supports key organisational objectives, including:-
- Leadership development.
- DEI initiatives.
- Digital transformation and innovation readiness.
* Research derived from Gallup analytics 'State of the Global Workplace' report, Daniel Goleman's research on EI & workplace performance, McKinsey's reports on 'Future of Work' trends, HBR, WEF 'Future of Jobs Report' & Deloitte insights on leadership development & digital readiness.
Return on Investment (ROI) –
What our clients have to say –
I have completely changed the way I look at problems, myself and how I deal with people.
Within the space of three months, I have completely changed the way I look at problems, myself and how I deal with people. My performance results have increased exponentially, and I have more time to focus on me and on my relationship and I put it all down to these coaching sessions."
Peter Morris, Director.
They provided insightful & unbiased guidance, they've helped tremendously.
I'd recommend The Open Mind Institute's coaching service for anyone seeking the tools to get clear and deliberate about where they want to go and set themselves up to get there."
Ellis Spooner, Executive.
I'm able to use a growth mindset to achieve positive results and to inspire my team.
TOMI's workplace coaching program has helped me to change the way I deal with stress and workplace challenges.
I also have greater job satisfaction and work life balance.
Jenny Tran, Manager.
Frequently Asked Questions –
Get in Touch –
Want to find out more about how our program can improve the lives of your employees and enhance your business?
Simply leave your details and a convenient time below and one of our expert coaches will be in touch to listen to any pain points that you may be encountering, provide some initial guidance and speak with you about how we can tailor a solution to your organisations needs.
Alternatively, feel free to give us a call on
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