Elevate: Power and Conflict with Frank Handy

Senior leadership requires navigating complex relationships and competing demands within high-stakes school environments. 

Power and Conflict provides a comprehensive framework to master the invisible power dynamics that shape your decision-making and professional culture. By combining the Diamond Power Index 360-degree peer assessment with expert coaching and workshops, you will identify your unique sources of influence and gain the confidence to resolve conflict.

Note: This program was also known as Leading Through Conflict and was delivered as part of Elevate 2025. If you have already participated in this program, we encourage you to consider Elevate: Resilient Leadership with Heather De Blasio. 

• Master the dynamics of power. Distinguish between your formal rank and personal power to understand how your role influences your emotions, perceptions, and daily behaviour.
• Avoid common leadership traps. Identify the three unconscious ways authority can be misused to ensure your leadership remains ethical and relational.
• Navigate complex school conflicts. Apply a comprehensive framework to analyse and resolve conflicts by understanding how power dynamics affect your school community.
• Identify personal power sources. Pinpoint your specific strengths and sources of influence using your personalised 360-degree report.

Frank Handy

Frank Handy is the current chairperson for the Independent Office of School Dispute Resolution and has more than 25 years’ experience in helping people resolve disputes, particularly in education, industry associations and workplaces.

Frank has worked in Australia, Canada, the UK, the US and other countries, resolving disputes, consulting for organisations and educating people about conflict management, with a wide variety of private and government organisations.

Roles

This program is designed for:

• principals with 5 or more years in the role
• executive class principals
• school-based or Intensive School Support school leaders with responsibility to lead a complex or challenging school, such as a turnaround or transformation school.

School sectors 

This program is available to the following school sectors: 

• Victorian Government
• Catholic
• independent. 

Delivery

Over approximately 6 weeks, you will engage in:  

• Diamond Power Index 360-degree peer assessment
• Coaching session with Frank Hardy: online, 1 hour
• 2 full day workshops: in-person, approximately 1 month apart
• Group discussion and coaching session: online, 2 hours.

Completion requirements 

To successfully complete this program, you must attend and complete all components of the program.

Please note that you may choose to complete either Elevate: Power and Conflict with Frank Handy or Elevate: Resilient Leadership with Heather De Blasio, but not both. 

Financial support

• Government school participants can claim CRT funding for up to 20 days across the program.
• Travel and accommodation subsidies are available for eligible schools.

Fees and financial support