Building a leadership development system for Store Managers at Dan Murphy’s
The brief
With over 800 store managers nationwide and no consistent framework to define or develop leadership, Dan Murphy’s saw an opportunity to create a practical, engaging, and culturally aligned way to articulate what great leadership looks like in-store and the “Dan’s way.”
The response
Partnering closely with the internal team, I co-designed the Leadership 6-Pack, a practical leadership framework built with leaders, not just for them.
Each of the six “cans” (yes, the pun was very much intended) represents a core leadership practice tailored to the Dan’s brand and business priorities:
Have a Growth Mindset
Keep it Real
Create a Place to Belong
Help Others Succeed
Look Beyond Your Four Walls
Lead Change
Every ‘can’ is brought to life through five specific and observable behaviours, making it easy to talk about, reflect on, and develop against.
Dan Murphy’s Leadership 6-Pack launch kit
The activation
The 6-Pack wasn’t just launched, it was embedded:
A 6-Pack portal offers tools, micro-learning, and in-store how-to guides
A self-assessment and 360 diagnostic help leaders gain insight and track growth
Quarterly national forums combine live-streamed thought leaders with peer coaching (to ensure application, not just inspiration)
The framework underpins the Pathways Program, redesigned to grow the next generation of Assistant Store Managers
Interview guides and talent discussions now centre around the 6-Pack, bringing clarity and consistency to leadership expectations.
The results
+25% boost in Store Managers with active development plans
Increased cultural alignment across a vast and diverse store network
Stronger leadership pipeline and internal promotions
Finalist – AITD Excellence Awards for Best Leadership Development Program.
Why it worked
Because it was simple, sticky, and sounded like Dan’s
It was co-designed with the people who live it, which means it doesn’t just sit on a poster but comes to life in team huddles, peer coaching, and everyday leadership conversations.
It gave Store Managers something real to work with - not just concepts, but behaviours
It wasn’t a one-off workshop, but a leadership development system: woven into strategy, selection, development, and performance.
The Leadership 6-Pack helped me grow as a leader, shape our store’s culture, and support future leaders coming through.”
– Store Manager, VIC
Cheers to that
Building on the success of the Leadership 6-Pack in enhancing the Dan Murphy’s store leadership culture, I was also invited to work with BWS and ALH Hotels. Together, we created leadership frameworks tailored for their store and venue leaders, while maintaining a common thread that ties them to Endeavour Group, to which all three brands belong.
Looking to create your own signature leadership framework?
Whether you're scaling leadership across a vast network or want to align development with your unique culture and brand, I can help.
Let’s talk about how to make leadership not just consistent, but uniquely yours.