Leading & Living Local: Real-World Leadership for Local Government

In Local Government, the ability to lead through trust, clarity and presence is what separates good leaders from great ones.
Leading & Living Local is a neuroscience-informed leadership program built specifically for councils.

Helping frontline and influential leaders lift performance, strengthen identity, and lead with impact from within their own communities.

What is Leading and Living Local?

Leading & Living Local is practical, applied leadership development tailored for Local Government leaders who need to lead through complexity.

You’ll learn how to:

Influence across teams, functions and stakeholders

Navigate local pressure with confidence and integrity

Build trust, credibility and traction (up, down, and across your organisation)

Apply neuroscience-backed tools to shift mindset and behaviour

Grounded in evidence and designed with real council challenges in mind, every module translates insight into action.

Who is This Program for?

This program is for council professionals who are new to formal leadership or influencing from technical or advisory roles, and are ready to grow their impact.

It’s built for:

Supervisors, team leads and field-based leaders

Individuals ready to improve their leadership identity and day-to-day influence

Professionals who lead through training, comms, or technical expertise

Not the right fit if you’re:

A senior executive or portfolio/middle manager

Not currently in a people-facing or influencing role

TESTIMONIALS

What Our Participants Say

"As a supervisor working in a small council, I found the program actually talked about the real challenges we face day-to-day. The content was practical and I felt like it was made just for us.""

Tanya, Works Supervisor

"It helped me see how my mindset was affecting how I show up and gave me tools to change it. Talking to others and realising we’re all facing similar stuff was good as well.”

David, Supervisor

"The facilitators get what it’s like working in councils. It was really relevant, and gave us stuff we could use straight away. I’m already using what I’ve learned in my team meetings and it’s making a big difference.”

Lisa, Team Leader - Community Engagement

Two Access options

Program Structure

Step-by-step guidance. Practical tools. Real-world leadership impact.

Introduction Session:
Line Managers

Introduction Session:

Participants

Module 1:
Where do I fit?

Module 2:
Communication and the Brain

Module 3:
Influence

Module 4:
Bias and Building High Performance

Module 5:
Enabling Performance

Module 6:
Delivering with Impact

Progress Reflection:
Participants & Line Managers

Are you...

A Local Government professional who leads others or influences teams - but often feels caught between community expectation and internal pressure?

Wish you had...

A grounded, practical way to build trust, communicate with clarity, and lead with greater presence and confidence?

Struggling with...

Balancing the demands of your role while living in the same community you serve?

A Personal Message...

I’m Chris, founder of Grey Matta Solutions, and someone who proudly spent over two decades working in and alongside Local Government.

I’ve lived the complexities of this work.

I’ve been on the ground and in the office. I’ve seen firsthand how hard it is to lead when you’re not just managing teams but you’re also managing expectations from the community you live in. It’s a unique pressure. And it’s one that outsiders don’t always understand.

Leading & Living Local is one of the programs I’m most proud of. It’s not just another leadership course. It’s a program that speaks directly to the people doing the real work in councils: team leads, supervisors, and those in advisory or technical roles who are expected to show up, step up, and lead well, sometimes often without the title or formal authority to match.

This program was built from the inside out. It’s grounded in neuroscience, shaped by real-world council experience, and designed to help leaders show up with clarity, presence, and influence (not just at work, but in life).

Whether you're stepping into leadership for the first time or you're someone who's quietly making things happen behind the scenes, this program is for you.

We built Leading & Living Local to honour the work you do - and to help you lead it well.

Chris Phillips

Founder of Grey Matta Solutions & The Grey Matta Academy

GOT QUESTIONS? LET'S ANSWER THEM!

Frequently Asked Questions

We know committing to something new can feel overwhelming, so we’re here to clear up any concerns you have.

What level of leader is this program most suited to?

This program is best suited for emerging leaders, team leads, supervisors, and those in informal leadership roles who influence others but may not hold senior titles.

Can my Council sign up multiple people at once?

Yes, we welcome small teams or cohorts from the same council to participate together and build a shared language around leadership.Contact us and we’ll tailor a multi-seat package that fits your team’s needs.

What if I don’t have time to commit to this?

We get it, work is demanding. That’s why the program runs fortnightly, with a combination of practical workshops, reviews, and cohort coaching that fit around your schedule.

What's the time commitment, really?

The program runs fortnightly and is designed to be manageable for busy council professionals. Each module is 2.5 hours, with additional short coaching and reflection sessions, all scheduled with your workload in mind.

How is this different from a traditional leadership course?

It’s built specifically for Local Government, using neuroscience-based tools, local language, and real challenges - not corporate buzzwords. It’s practical, human, and focused on real impact in your role.

What happens after the program ends?

We want your progress to last. That’s why we include reflection sessions, line manager integration, and practical takeaways you can keep using well beyond the final module.