[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
The Eagle GIS Leadership Development Program
[/vc_column_text][us_separator size=”large”][vc_column_text]In a rapidly evolving geospatial landscape, technical excellence alone is no longer enough. Organisations need leaders who can translate spatial insight into business value, inspire high‑performing teams, and guide clients and communities through complex change. The Eagle GIS Leadership Development Program was created with this purpose in mind: to intentionally develop confident, capable leaders who can shape the future of GIS‑enabled organisations.
The programme supports GIS Managers and senior GIS professionals to strengthen their leadership skills. This includes GIS managers aspiring to broader management or executive roles, as well as experienced professionals preparing to move into GIS leadership positions.
Participants came from a wide variety of industry sectors and organisations: from central government and local government as well as from the technology, forestry, and utilities sectors.
Attendees have highlighted both the value of learning from experienced leaders and the opportunity to share perspectives with peers across the geospatial community:
“Today was a truly inspiring day. It was fantastic to share experiences and gain deeper insight into what it means to be a leader alongside a group of like‑minded peers. Dena, Paul, and yourself were all inspiring presenters, covering valuable perspectives on leadership, the Geospatial Excellence Framework, and a range of practical techniques to help me better understand how I can grow as a leader—and what to avoid along the way.”– Andrew Old, Geospatial Team Leader, Ballance Agri- Nutrients.
“A fantastic start of Eagle Technology’s Geospatial Leadership Development Programme. Special thanks to Nathan Heazlewood for the initiative in bringing this together. Creating space for emerging and established leaders to reflect, learn, and challenge themselves is so valuable.” Nabin Paudel, Geospatial – Software Engineering Manager, Auckland Transport. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
A Program Built for Modern GIS Leadership
The Eagle GIS Leadership Development Program is designed specifically for professionals working across geospatial, data, technology, and consulting environments. Recognising that many GIS leaders progress through technical pathways, the program focuses on strengthening the leadership, communication, and commercial skills needed to complement deep geospatial expertise.
Rather than focusing solely on generic leadership theory, Eagle grounds the program in real‑world examples, geospatial scenarios, and guidance from experienced geospatial executives and leaders from New Zealand and around the world.
A defining feature of the program and others is that several executives and senior leaders from around the world are providing tutoring and leading discussions with the participants. For example, Paul Synnott (Managing Director of Esri Ireland) kicked off the training with a session entitled “what is leadership”. The course participants took a lot from their discussion with Paul and said that his informal style and humour was very engaging.[/vc_column_text][us_separator][us_image image=”4407″ align=”center” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%22%7D”][vc_column_text]
Some of the course participants with Paul Synnott (virtual from Ireland)
[/vc_column_text][us_separator][vc_column_text]Another masterclass was provided by Izabela Miller, who is a well-known GIS leader and author of the bestselling book “The Science of GIS Leadership”. Course participants thought that her presentation was very inspiring and thought-provoking. [/vc_column_text][us_separator][us_image image=”4415″ align=”center” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%22%7D”][vc_column_text]
Izabela Miller and Nathan Heazlewood speaking at the GIS Leadership Summit in San Diego
[/vc_column_text][us_separator][vc_column_text]Another international figure who is providing tutorship for the course is Dena Cross, Principal Consultant at Esri, who has a special interest in executive engagement. Dena has been running a similar initiative for Esri in the USA for many years, and has been a major contributor and guide to the Eagle program.
Several more executives from around the world have led masterclasses. A graduation ceremony at the NZ Esri User Conference in Auckland in October.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
Clear Objectives, Practical Outcomes
The program is structured around a set of clear outcomes:
- Develop confident leaders who can operate effectively at team, project, and organisational levels
- Bridge the gap between technical delivery and business strategy, enabling GIS professionals to influence decision‑makers
- Improve people leadership capability, including coaching, feedback, and performance management
- Strengthen communication and stakeholder engagement, particularly with non‑technical audiences
- Build sustainable leadership behaviours that scale as organisations grow
Participants leave not just with new knowledge, but with practical tools, frameworks, and habits they can immediately apply.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
Core Focus Areas
Strong leadership within the Eagle GIS Leadership Development Program is defined by the integration of mindset, capability, and behaviour, all underpinned by integrity and trust. Rather than treating leadership as a single skill, the program recognises that effective leaders combine strategic thinking, sound judgment, operational discipline, and strong interpersonal behaviours to create sustainable impact in GIS-enabled organisations.
The program covers nine interconnected capability areas:[/vc_column_text][us_separator][us_image image=”4416″ align=”center” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%22%7D”][vc_column_text]
Esri/Eagle’s Leadership Model
[/vc_column_text][us_separator][vc_column_text]A strategic mindset allows leaders to look beyond immediate tasks and project deliverables to understand the broader organisational, client, and industry context. Leaders with this capability connect GIS capability to long-term outcomes, anticipate change, and align team efforts with strategic priorities. They are able to balance day-to-day demands while keeping sight of future opportunities and risks, ensuring that technical work contributes meaningfully to organisational direction.
Business acumen strengthens a leader’s ability to make decisions that are commercially sound as well as technically correct. This includes understanding financial drivers, articulating value in business terms, and making informed trade-offs between scope, quality, time, and risk. For GIS leaders, business acumen supports the shift from being seen purely as technical specialists to becoming trusted advisors who understand the realities of organisational decision-making.
Operational excellence focuses on consistent, reliable delivery while enabling continuous improvement. Leaders strong in this area establish clear processes, manage resources effectively, and maintain quality under pressure. Within the Eagle GIS context, operational excellence is enhanced by flexibility—adapting traditional delivery discipline to support modern, agile ways of working without compromising outcomes or team wellbeing.
People management, with a strong team focus, is essential to creating environments where individuals can perform and grow. Effective leaders set clear expectations, provide coaching and feedback, and address performance issues constructively. In GIS teams, this often involves leading diverse specialists with different skills and motivations, while fostering psychological safety, inclusion, and sustained engagement.
Leadership behaviours are equally critical. Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness and self-management. Leaders who demonstrate emotional intelligence understand how their behaviour affects others, regulate their responses under pressure, and remain open to feedback. This self-focus enables leaders to act with professionalism, empathy, and credibility, even in challenging situations.
Adaptability allows leaders to remain effective amid change and uncertainty. Adaptable leaders adjust their approach based on context, remain open to new ideas, and learn quickly from experience. In fast-evolving GIS and technology environments, adaptability supports resilience and helps teams navigate ambiguity with confidence.
Communication is one of the most visible expressions of leadership. Strong communicators translate complex geospatial concepts for non-technical audiences, listen actively, and provide clarity during change. Clear, purposeful communication helps align stakeholders, reduce misunderstanding, and build confidence across teams and clients.
Collaboration reflects a leader’s ability to work effectively across disciplines, teams, and organisations. Collaborative leaders break down silos, value diverse perspectives, and foster shared ownership of outcomes. In consulting and enterprise GIS settings, collaboration is essential to delivering integrated solutions that meet real-world needs.
All of these skills and behaviours rest on a foundation of integrity and trust. Leaders build trust by acting consistently with values, being transparent, keeping commitments, and taking responsibility for outcomes. Integrity is what allows leadership capability to scale; without it, authority diminishes, and engagement erodes. With it, leaders create environments where people are willing to contribute their best work and follow with confidence.[/vc_column_text][us_separator][us_image image=”4425″ align=”center” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%22%7D”][vc_column_text]
Nathan Heazlewood explaining the Rangitikei District Council Strategy
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
Benefits for Individuals and Organisations
For participants, the program builds clarity, confidence, and career momentum.
For organisations, the benefits are equally compelling:
* Stronger leadership pipelines within GIS and data teams
* Improved project and client outcomes
* Higher employee engagement and retention
* Better alignment between spatial capability and organisational strategy
By investing in leadership capability, organisations future‑proof their geospatial investments. Eagle believes that there are also benefits for the geospatial industry as a whole, through enhancing the leadership skills of one group of professionals, who will then influence the teams that they work with, and through engagement with others in the industry.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
A Commitment to Growing the GIS Profession
At its core, the Eagle GIS Leadership Development Program reflects a broader commitment: elevating the role of GIS professionals as trusted advisors, not just technical specialists. As spatial data becomes increasingly central to decision‑making, organisations need leaders who can navigate complexity, inspire others, and deliver meaningful impact.
Through this program, Eagle GIS is helping shape the next generation of geospatial leaders-grounded in technical excellence, guided by strong leadership principles, and ready to lead with purpose.[/vc_column_text][us_separator][us_image image=”4427″ align=”center” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%22%7D”][vc_column_text]
The founding cohort of the Eagle GIS Leadership Program
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][/vc_column][/vc_row]