Leadership in Action: Inside Credo Bank’s Advanced Training for Branch Managers
It was in the heat of July 2025, beneath the sun-soaked skies of Tbilisi, when I walked into the training halls of Credo Campus — a place buzzing with possibility. Over two separate 2-day sessions, more than 25 seasoned Branch Managers from Credo Bank joined us — myself and my co-facilitator, Anna Aslanova — for what we had carefully designed to be more than just another leadership training. This was an immersion. A reset. A rare chance to pause and rewire leadership at its roots.
These managers weren’t new to leading teams. They’d already walked the path of responsibility, taken decisions under pressure, and carried the weight of their branches. But even seasoned leaders need a moment to sharpen their edge, to reflect, and to remember the WHY behind the work.
A Training Ground for the Mind and Spirit
We didn’t come with slides or scripts. We came with questions, with frameworks, and with experiences that asked our participants to dig deeper. We started with what matters most: self-leadership. Because how we lead ourselves defines how we lead others.
What followed were two days filled with:
Raw reflection
Real conversations
Simple tools that unlock deep change
Shared learning across teams
And above all, personal commitment to growth
Our goal was not to pour knowledge into their minds, but to stir the wisdom already within.
What We Worked Through, Together
Designing Team Agreements
We began with alignment — not imposed from the top, but shaped from within. Managers explored what agreements they could co-create with their teams to invite ownership and trust. We asked: "What do you want to stand for as a leader?"
Seeing the Invisible in Team Dynamics
With nothing more than a string, we illustrated the complexity of team interdependence. Each tug, each movement, shifted the entire group. It was physical proof that in teams, everything is connected — and every action matters.
Core Values as Daily Tools
We didn’t just talk about values. We brought them to life. Participants examined how values guide their leadership decisions, motivate teams, and create a culture of meaning. We tied the abstract to the everyday.
Naming and Shifting Toxic Behaviours
This was our truth-telling space. We called out the hidden saboteurs: blame, defensiveness, contempt. And we offered antidotes — like the COIN feedback model — that managers practiced immediately. Awareness turned into action.
Listening Beyond Words
Using the Co-Active Coaching model, we explored the Three Levels of Listening. Managers realized that true leadership begins with what’s not said — with the sigh, the pause, the hesitation. We practiced hearing those too.
What We Witnessed
The energy in that room was real. Not the kind you hype up — the kind that comes from truth, courage, and commitment.
Participants left lighter and stronger. More certain of what they want to create in their teams. More prepared to lead through complexity. And most importantly, more connected to their own leadership essence.
“The best training I’ve attended so far.” — Participant Feedback
“This was a highly practical and unique training. I will definitely use it in my work.” — Participant Feedback
“Every topic covered here can absolutely be applied in practice. I already have a sense of how much time it will take to implement, and I hope to use a large part of it in my daily work.” — Participant Feedback
They didn’t just learn techniques. They transformed their posture as leaders.
Why It Mattered
Because in a fast-moving world, it is the self-aware leader who builds teams that thrive. Because growth isn’t in the tools — it’s in how we choose to use them. And because the best kind of leadership isn’t taught — it’s awakened.
Anna and I didn’t give these managers anything they didn’t already have. We simply gave them the mirror, the time, and the space to remember who they are.
If you’re looking to bring this kind of grounded, transformative leadership work into your organisation, reach out. Let’s create something your team will remember — and carry with them.
