Austin SHRM’s “Stepping Stones to Enhanced Leadership” program begins March 2026.
AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, February 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Austin Alliance Group (AAG) will return for the seventh year in a row to deliver three modules of Austin SHRM’s Stepping Stones to Enhanced Leadership program, which is led by Austin SHRM Program Manager and President-Elect Mike Randolph. The partnership has grown over time through shared work with HR leaders across Central Texas, and reflects a long-running commitment to helping people grow into more confident, capable leaders in their day-to-day roles at work.
Since launching in 2008, Stepping Stones to Enhanced Leadership has given HR professionals a chance to step back from the constant pull of their roles and spend time developing their leadership approach alongside others facing similar challenges. The program brings together participants from a wide mix of industries and career stages for a cohort-based experience that is accredited by HRCI and SHRM for up to 36 hours of recertification credit. It’s open to both Austin SHRM members and non-members, and has become a common pathway for those who go on to take on leadership roles within the chapter.
In 2026, AAG will facilitate Modules 1, 2, and 3 of the nine-module program. The first session introduces the DiSC model and invites participants to look closely at their own work styles, decision-making habits, and how they tend to approach problems. The second session shifts the focus to how people work with others, covering everyday leadership responsibilities, like delegating, motivating, developing colleagues, and influencing across teams. The third session adds emotional intelligence into the mix, helping participants pay closer attention to the dynamics in the room and the impact their responses can have on the people around them.
Over the past seven years, AAG facilitators have become a familiar presence within the Stepping Stones program. Their sessions are shaped around open discussion, reflection, and examples drawn from the kinds of situations people deal with every day at work. Participants are encouraged to look honestly at how they show up as leaders, notice where things are working well, and name where they would like to grow. One past participant described the program as “a much needed reminder on the art of inspiring, guiding, and shaping the future of HR” in their own workplace. Another shared that it created “an organized avenue to self-reflect and share experiences among human resources professionals,” helping them expand their thinking and learn from others in similar roles.
The 2026 cohort will move through all nine modules between March and November, with sessions delivered virtually. Later modules explore areas such as strategic influence, credibility, organizational capability, leading change, HR innovation, and the role of technology in HR work. Participants who complete the full program will be recognized in December 2026.
Within Austin SHRM, Stepping Stones is well known for supporting professional growth and helping develop future leaders for the chapter’s board and committees. The program creates room for reflection, conversation, and shared problem-solving, with facilitators adapting sessions to reflect the questions and challenges each cohort brings with them.
For Austin Alliance Group, returning to Stepping Stones each year reflects a long-standing belief that leadership is built through self-awareness, shared experience, and honest conversation about what is and is not working at work. The partnership with Austin SHRM has grown into a meaningful collaboration shaped by shared values around people, learning, and professional development.
As the 2026 program gets underway, the continued collaboration between Austin SHRM and Austin Alliance Group remains part of a wider effort to support thoughtful, capable HR leadership across Central Texas.
Lisa Blanton
Austin Alliance Group
+1 512-835-1343
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