5 steps to develop your leadership pipeline
Having capable and inspiring leaders is essential to organisational success, but finding the right people to fill these roles is increasingly challenging. Two-fifths of UK employees say their manager hasn’t received sufficient training, exposing a widespread failure to properly prepare leaders.
Leadership gaps are costing organisations dearly, through lost productivity, disengaged teams, and high turnover. If your organisation isn’t actively building a leadership pipeline, it’s already falling behind.
In this article, we explore how HR and L&D teams can leverage digital learning to close the leadership skills gap and future-proof their workforce with a scalable, strategic approach.
What is a leadership pipeline?
A leadership pipeline is an internal process which outlines how an organisation identifies, develops and promotes their employees into leadership roles. Following the leadership pipeline model aligns leadership development with business strategy by preparing individuals to move into roles of increasing responsibility, as well as providing a structured path for employee development. Let’s explore this in more detail.
Leadership pipeline model
The leadership pipeline model is a framework which pinpoints the transitions a future leader will take as they progress upwards. It can be used by organisations to plan internal leadership development.
Below are six stages of the leadership pipeline model.
1. Managing Self to Managing Others
This is the transition from individual contributor to team leader.
2. Managing Others to Managing Managers
From managing individual contributors to managing first-line managers.
3. Managing Managers to Functional Managers
The next stage takes them from team leader to overseeing an entire business function, such as sales or marketing.
4. Functional Manager to Business Manager
Moves the manager from running a function to covering an entire division within the organisation.
5. Business Manager to Group Manager
From managing a single business unit to multiple units.
6. Group Manager to Enterprise Manager
The final step is the transition from multi-business oversight to leading the entire organisation.
The leadership skills gap
Now we’ve covered the leadership pipeline definition, let’s explore why you need to implement one. The leadership skills gap is a pressing issue facing organisations across the UK: a recent report by CMI found that a shocking 82% of workers entering management positions did not receive any formal management training, highlighting an urgent need for organisations to rectify this.
The effects are deeply felt - 67% of employees have either quit or considered quitting due to poor management. When leaders aren’t equipped to lead, team morale and productivity suffer - and businesses pay the price.
So how can organisations close this gap before it becomes unfixable? The answer lies with L&D. By working closely with HR and senior leadership, L&D professionals can design and deliver strategic learning initiatives that build a future-ready leadership pipeline - one that doesn’t just fill roles, but empowers leaders to thrive in them.
However, technical competence alone isn’t enough. Modern leadership demands strong soft skills, such as adaptability, and emotional intelligence. Developing these capabilities requires more than ad hoc learning, it calls for intentional, digital-first training programmes that are personalised, practical, and purpose-built to grow the next generation of leaders.
The need for internal progression
It may seem more efficient to fill leadership gaps by hiring externally, but this approach often comes at a cost:
- External hires generally command higher salaries and incur recruitment fees.
- New leaders need time to learn your culture, systems, and teams.
- Overlooking internal talent can demotivate your workforce and undermine retention.
Instead, show your workforce that leadership development is not only possible but encouraged. Investing in your existing talent boosts engagement and creates a more resilient leadership pipeline from within.
Leadership pipeline struggles
It’s clear that building a strong leadership pipeline is vital, but many organisations struggle to do so effectively. Even those already in leadership roles frequently lack the core skills needed to lead effectively, whether it’s managing teams, communicating with clarity, or navigating change. Without intentional development, these leaders may struggle to inspire and support their teams, ultimately undermining performance and retention.
But it’s not just about building the right skills. The perception around leadership has shifted in recent years: more employees see management roles as stressful and unrewarding, especially as managers now spend most of their working day putting out fires and completing admin tasks.
So, how do we fix it?
It starts with choosing the right people and investing in targeted, value-adding training, while also reshaping how leadership is perceived. Coaching, mentoring, and growth opportunities can help future leaders find meaning and satisfaction in stepping up.
Developing your leadership pipeline
Employees are often promoted to leadership roles simply because they’ve been with the company for a long time, a common but flawed approach that assumes tenure naturally equates to leadership readiness. In reality, effective managers need a distinct set of skills that don’t always develop through experience alone. By focusing on the areas below, you can ensure you’re promoting employees based on potential and capability - not just time served.
Focus on who to develop
Not everyone wants to lead - and not everyone feels ready to lead. But with the right support and training, many more people can grow into strong, effective managers. The key is to identify individuals with the curiosity, values, and mindset to lead, then invest in their development.
Use a leadership potential model to assess qualities like:
- Willingness to take initiative beyond their role
- Peer respect and trust
- Emotional intelligence
- Adaptability
- Resilience under pressure
Once identified, give these individuals space to grow. Offer stretch assignments, temporary leadership roles, or mentorship opportunities so they can learn by doing.
Focus on the skills to develop
Another key consideration is ensuring your framework includes the right skills to develop. Successful managers possess a unique blend of interpersonal skills that go beyond project management. These include:
- Emotional Intelligence
- Mentoring ability
- Conflict resolution
- Understanding of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) practices
By providing training on these crucial skills, you can ensure your future leaders are prepared for their new role.
How to build a leadership pipeline in five steps
Below are the five steps to help you build your leadership pipeline and create a workforce helmed by resilient, forward-thinking managers.
1. Identify critical leadership roles
Start by determining which leadership roles are essential to your organisation’s current success and future growth. Consider both immediate operational needs and long-term strategic goals. Then, identify the skills, behaviours, and attributes that future leaders in those roles will require.
2. Pinpoint and segment those with leadership potential
With those roles defined, assess your workforce to identify high performers with leadership potential. Look for individuals who not only excel in their current roles but also show initiative, emotional intelligence, and a desire to grow. Once identified, group them based on readiness, skill gaps, and support needs.
3. Design personalised development plans
Career development shouldn’t be a one-size fits all approach – what is suitable for one person may not benefit someone else, so personalising your leadership development is paramount. Consider using Individual Development Plans to nurture each employee’s specific needs. Include a mix of mentoring, training, stretch assignments, and real-world leadership experiences.
4. Integrate pipeline with succession planning and mobility
Ensure your leadership pipeline is closely tied to your organisation’s succession planning. Match high-potential employees with projected future openings—not just by skillset, but also by cultural fit and personal ambition. Encourage internal mobility and provide pathways for lateral moves and promotions, reinforcing a culture of growth from within.
5. Measure, review, and evolve the pipeline
A leadership pipeline is never static. Regularly assess its effectiveness by tracking development milestones, promotion rates, and retention of top talent. Gather feedback from participants and managers, using data to refine your approach. Evolve the pipeline continuously to meet changing business needs and to keep future leaders engaged and prepared.
The challenges of traditional leadership development
Building a strong leadership pipeline is a strategic priority, but traditional, in-person development programs often fall short. They can be costly to scale, difficult to personalise, and offer limited visibility into learner progress and outcomes. In many organisations, leadership development is also managed informally, relying on inconsistent coaching or ad-hoc opportunities rather than structured growth and planning. For organisations aiming to develop future-ready leaders, these limitations make it clear: effective, digital learning strategies are no longer optional – they are essential.
How digital learning empowers the development of your leadership pipeline
Digital learning transforms leadership development from a rigid process into a scalable, adaptive strategy that meets the changing demands of forward-thinking organisations. By leveraging accessible, flexible, and personalised platforms, organisations can develop leadership capabilities without pulling talent away from critical work. This ensures that everyone with the ambition to lead has the opportunity to grow.
Benefits of digital learning for leadership development
Personalisation
No two leadership journeys are the same. Personalisation ensures that development aligns with individual strengths, aspirations, and areas for growth. This makes learning more relevant, impactful, and likely to translate into real change. Consider:
- An LMS with AI capabilities to tailor course recommendations based on learner role, goals, or previous activity
- Skills Assessment tools for individuals leading to a target development programme
Engagement
Leadership development demands more than passive learning; it requires emotional investment and active reflection. High engagement helps future leaders understand concepts, connect learning to real-world challenges, and stay committed to their own growth. Consider:
- Taking inspiration from marketing and promote learning opportunities within a modern LMS so your people want to get involved.
- Bitesize, easy-to-access eLearning courses that make essential leadership courses a joy rather than a chore.
- A library of browsable upskilling resources in a range of formats including audio to encourage anytime, anywhere self-led development
- Gamified learning solutions to create friendly competition among teams and help with knowledge retention
Accessibility
Accessibility is vital to creating a diverse and inclusive leadership pipeline. When development opportunities are open to more people, regardless of location, schedule, or background, organisations are better positioned to surface untapped potential. Consider:
- A mobile friendly LMS which supports on-the go learning
- Best practice on accessibility for all, including audio descriptions and inclusive language
- eLearning content that is easy to access and an intuitive platform that is simple to navigate
Three key considerations for building a digital-first leadership pipeline
Your digital-first approach to leadership development is only effective when it’s strategically aligned, thoughtfully implemented, and continuously refined. As you build or enhance your leadership pipeline, consider these key factors:
1. Align with organisational goals
Ensure your digital learning strategy supports business objectives and is built around the leadership pipeline competencies needed at each stage. Collaborate across HR and leadership to map learning outcomes to real-world performance.
2. Choose the right learning solutions and content
Select digital learning solutions that are scalable, customisable, and offer engaging, varied content—such as eLearning, virtual workshops, and simulations. Look for strong analytics features to track progress and impact and AI capabilities for supercharged efficiency.
3. Evaluate and refine
Leadership development isn’t static. Gather regular feedback, track key metrics, and refine your approach over time to keep learning relevant, effective, and aligned with the changing demands of your organisation.
Closing thoughts on developing a leadership pipeline
A strong leadership pipeline doesn’t happen by chance. It requires intentional planning, targeted development, and the right digital tools to identify, grow, and retain the key talent within your organisation.
By aligning digital learning with business goals, focusing on the right skills and people, and embedding continuous feedback and evolution into the process, organisations can create a leadership development strategy that’s both scalable and sustainable, all while ensuring your leaders are equipped to succeed.
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