When you are responsible for a development budget, you need something more useful than being told that everything is bespoke. You need to know whether a provider is likely to be within reach, what the investment will cover and how to compare it with the alternatives.
There is a practical reason why organisational programmes do not all carry the same fee, but there should still be a clear explanation of what changes the cost and a straightforward proposal once the scope is understood.
The work begins before the first workshop
A programme may involve conversations with the sponsor, understanding the challenges leaders face, adapting content, preparing facilitators and deciding how the learning will connect with work between sessions. Some briefs need a substantial amount of this preparation; others can be addressed through an established programme with relatively little adaptation.
It helps to know how that work is priced. A delivery day may sit within a wider project fee, or preparation may be quoted separately. Neither arrangement is inherently better, provided you can see what you are buying and there are no surprises later.
Two proposals offering six workshops can therefore be quite different. One may cover the workshops alone, while the other includes individual coaching, work with the sponsor and opportunities to review how leaders are applying what they learn.
The biggest choices affecting the investment
The number of leaders, the length of the programme and the amount of individual coaching make a significant difference to the scope. Delivery across several locations or cohorts adds further time, and the experience required of the facilitators should reflect the people and complexity involved.
At PasedaLeader, the conversation may lead to a series of workshops, a programme for emerging leaders or an executive leadership retreat. Our Unmasked programme uses a series of 90-minute workshops that build on each other, while other work can involve half-day or full-day sessions. Individual coaching may be relevant alongside that group work, but it should have a purpose rather than being added automatically.
Your leaders' time belongs in the calculation too. Ask what they will need to attend and do between sessions, so you understand the commitment beyond the supplier's invoice.
What belongs in the quote?
You should be able to identify the delivery, preparation, materials, individual support and sponsor involvement included in the price. VAT treatment, travel, venues, accommodation and assessments need to be clear, along with anything that becomes payable if the scope changes.
For example, adding another group of leaders may require additional delivery, whereas a change to the examples used in a workshop may be part of the agreed adaptation. Agreeing this at the start helps both parties work together without repeatedly reopening the commercial conversation.
Payment and cancellation arrangements also deserve attention before you commit, particularly where dates are being reserved for an extended programme.
Making a sensible decision within your budget
A high fee cannot tell you whether the work is right for your organisation. Equally, a cheaper programme may become an expensive choice if it leaves the original problem untouched and you need to commission more support afterwards.
Start with the issue you want to address and the budget you have available. A focused programme with enough support for people to apply the work may be more useful than a much broader curriculum delivered too thinly.
We work in partnership with organisations to shape development around their needs. Give us an indication of the leaders involved, the situation you are trying to improve and the budget you are working within, and we can discuss a realistic scope and a clear proposal.
