My Workshops
My foundational leadership curriculum consists of three workshops — Leadership and the Middle Path, Leading One-to-One, and Leading Teams — developed by Chris Holmberg of Middle Path Consulting, a globally recognized expert in organizational and leadership development. Refined since the 1990s and used by over 160 startups and Fortune 100 companies, these frameworks have a proven track record of helping leaders and teams solve problems more effectively.
The curriculum follows a deliberate progression: from building your own collaborative problem-solving capabilities, to coaching and developing others, to building and managing high-performing teams.
And while each workshop stands on its own, the real payoff comes when your leadership team goes through the full curriculum together. The result is managers who know how to develop their people, strengthen their teams, and drive results — all grounded in a shared language for solving problems, making decisions, and holding each other accountable.
Leadership and the Middle Path
In this intensive two-day workshop, participants learn actionable techniques for:
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Thinking systemically and solving problems collaboratively
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Making better decisions and avoiding common cognitive traps that derail problem-solving
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Forming strong agreements and holding others accountable
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Handling conflict productively
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Focused on the individual leader, this is the foundation of the curriculum — and the starting point for teams that want to transform how they work together. It's offered both as a public workshop throughout the year and privately for startups and growing organizations.
My team now has a shared language for solving problems and tools for having more 'data-rich' conversations. I use Russ' Middle Path frameworks daily and recommend them highly."
–Peter Bui, Senior Software Engineer, Patreon
Leading One-to-One
Over two days, participants gain strategies and practices for coaching and developing the people they lead. They learn how to:
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Work effectively with others—especially those with different work styles (includes the use of the Everything DiSC Workplace® assessment, profile, and job-aids)
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Set goals, delegate productively, and give constructive feedback
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Hold performance management and career development conversations
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Help others develop problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills​
This workshop is designed for anyone in a coaching relationship — people managers, project managers, and other leaders for whom it's essential to understand and influence others one-to-one.
"I found Russ' frameworks for solving problems and navigating challenging discussions to be incredibly valuable. If you are looking to enhance your leadership abilities, solve problems more effectively, and have more productive conversations, I highly recommend Russ and the middle path workshops."
–Amar Virk, Product Lead, Stripe
Leading Teams
Building on the first two workshops, this one-day program helps participants:
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Manage by mission and develop a cohesive team
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Understand team dynamics and assess team effectiveness
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Diagnose and intervene in team problems
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Run effective meetings and manage day-to-day team​ operations
This workshop brings everything together, applying the curriculum's collaborative problem-solving frameworks to real-life one-to-many leadership challenges.
"As a result of working with Russ, our leadership skills have tangibly improved. We've achieved a stronger team dynamic and a more effective approach to problem-solving. This transformation has not only boosted our productivity but also brought our team closer together."
–John La Gue, Chief Operating Officer, trainwell
Practice Sessions
Every workshop includes follow-up practice sessions, held four to six weeks later. These sessions help participants integrate the frameworks into their daily work and build peer-coaching skills — turning new knowledge into lasting habits.
In-House Options for Teams
These workshops aren't just for individuals. With six or more participants, I can deliver them inside your organization — virtually or in person.
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One of the greatest advantages of bringing the curriculum in-house is consistency: your managers and leaders learn a single, shared framework for collaborative problem-solving — for leading, developing others, and managing teams. That common language quickly becomes a foundation for better decisions, clearer agreements, greater trust, and stronger collaboration across your organization.
Whether you're looking to develop a single leadership team or build a company-wide culture of collaborative problem-solving, I can tailor a program to fit.
Ready to invest in your leadership development? Contact Russ today.