At a leading global medical research institute, respectful behaviour and strong leadership are not separate conversations. Laboratory teams work under real pressure, tight funding, competitive publication opportunities and long hours in close quarters. That pressure shows up in how people lead and influences how people interact with each other. This institute partnered with Enmasse to build capability on both fronts, developing the people who lead labs to create a culture of innovation and research rigour, and where team members have the confidence to speak up when something isn't right.

Research institutes carry a particular kind of pressure. Laboratory Heads and Managers are often appointed for their scientific expertise, and they are responsible for building high performing teams under constant time and funding pressure. The leadership program provided Laboratory Heads and Managers with the capability and confidence to optimise engagement, performance, respect and inclusion with a very diverse team.

The institute needed two things at once. Its lab leaders needed practical, transferable communication and leadership skills. And its broader teams needed the confidence and the tools to step in as active bystanders, to continue to build upon a strategic priority of inclusiveness and belonging.

Enmasse delivered two connected programs.
Leadership Development A structured program for Laboratory Heads and Managers, run across three workshops over two weeks, with two cohorts. The program centred on:

• A framework for identifying and adapting to four key communication preferences
• Practical guidance on harnessing engagement and motivation for individual team members through structuring effective one on one meetings
• Tools for creating a strong culture of belonging
• Reflective activities and case studies for peer discussion and capability development

Active Bystander Program A face to face program delivered across 17 sessions since May 2025, giving teams the tools to recognise and respond to disrespectful behaviour in the moment. Sessions covered:

• The 4 D's of Bystander Intervention (Direct, Delay, Diffuse, Demonstrate support), giving people real options beyond staying silent or confronting head on
• A structured framework for planned conversations to reduce behavioural risks
• Scenario based discussion using real workplace situations, from personal conversations crossing into workplace behaviour to dismissive comments made in front of colleagues
• Grounding in the institute's own policies and issue resolution pathways, so teams knew exactly where to turn for support

Running both programs side by side meant leadership capability and everyday respect were being built at the same time, reinforcing each other rather than sitting in separate silos.

The leadership program also saw 100% of participants satisfied or strongly satisfied with the learning, and 95% agreed the facilitator encouraged participation throughout every session.

When people leading under pressure get practical, usable tools rather than generic leadership theory, they apply them immediately. And when bystander training gives teams a clear framework rather than just a message to "do something," confidence to act follows fast, in this case lifting by close to 28% in a single session. Together, the two programs show that building a genuinely respectful, high functioning research culture means investing in leaders and teams at the same time.