Grow Leaders of Leaders to Strengthen Manager Leadership Development

In my work with organizations, I notice the same gap over and over again.

Leadership development strategies often focus on managers, and that is important. But what is missing is just as important: their supervisors, the leaders of leaders.

If we want manager leadership development to be effective, we need to pay attention to the people they report to.

Why Manager Leadership Development Alone Is Not Enough

Manager leadership development programs give people new tools, skills, and frameworks. But without reinforcement, those skills rarely take hold.

I have seen managers walk out of a workshop energized, only to return to a workplace where their leader models the opposite of what was taught. Or worse, where their leader does not know how to coach or support them in applying what they have learned.

When this happens, managers are left on their own to figure out how to turn training into practice. It is no wonder that many programs fail to create lasting change.

The Role of Leaders of Leaders

Leaders of leaders shape whether manager leadership development translates into effective leadership.

They set expectations, model behaviours, and provide coaching and timely feedback. They help managers connect what they learn in the classroom to the realities of their day-to-day work. And when they are aligned and consistent across the organization, they prevent mixed messages that can undermine a program.

This is especially important because new managers go through a profound identity shift as they learn to lead. Without guidance from their leaders, that transition is even harder.

What Happens When We Ignore This Layer

When leaders of leaders are not equipped to grow their managers:

• Training feels disconnected or inconsistent

• Managers may struggle to apply new skills without guidance

• Old habits are reinforced while culture change stalls

The result is that even well-designed manager leadership development programs deliver less impact than they could.

Building a Parallel Stream of Development

The answer is not to abandon manager training, but to add a parallel stream for leaders of leaders.

An effective program includes:

• Managers learning how to lead, developing skills in communication, delegation, coaching, and accountability

• In advance of manager training, leaders of leaders learning how to grow leaders, practicing coaching, feedback, and role clarity, and connecting program outcomes to business goals

  
  

When both streams exist, managers are no longer learning in isolation. They are supported by supervisors who see their role as growing leaders, not just managing results. This kind of intentional program design is where strategy and practice come together.

Practical Strategies for Organizations

• Train leaders of leaders in coaching and feedback so they can reinforce program content

• Provide simple discussion guides to help them connect workshop learning to real work challenges

• Hold leaders of leaders accountable for supporting development, not just performance

  
  

These steps help ensure that manager leadership development is embedded in the day-to-day culture of leadership.

Conclusion: From Programs to Systemic Leadership Development

Manager leadership development cannot happen in isolation.

When organizations invest not just in managers but also in their supervisors, managers have the support they need to become effective leaders. When that happens, leadership development becomes more than an individual program. It becomes a lever for culture change.