Over the last few years I’ve designed and delivered leadership development programmes in a variety of sectors, in person, entirely online and a blend of both, for senior leaders to first line managers.

As the world of work has shifted in the last few years, in how we work, in the tech that enables us to do the work and in the pace of the world we work in, so has how we must approach supporting leaders.

Whether you’re thinking about your own development, wishing to support your team or in fact leading on leadership development for your whole organisation, here are some of my observations which I hope help you plan and create something that gives you and your colleagues the space you need (spoiler: space is the thing many leaders I work with lack, and need most.)

Trend 1

Managers have always benefitted from a supportive network of peers, but this has become even more important with hybrid or asynchronous working where we may not see each other in passing, in person as much as we used to. Checking understanding, the ‘are you finding this challenging too, what shall we do about it?’ conversations that might have happened in the kitchen or in the lift, need space to emerge.

What does this mean for leadership development? In a formal programme – more spaces around the learning – longer breaks, some coffee time beforehand, longer group conversations within the formal learning part.

This also means space for managers to continue to build these relationships after the formal learning is over: a buddy between sessions, a clear plan for how the organisation will make space for these conversations to continue.

If you’re wanting to support other managers outside a formal leadership programme, or you’re desperate for some support yourself: you might seek out or create some informal spaces which might be off site breakfast catch ups (one of my SLT clients have really benefited from this over the last 12 months.) Invest in your peer network: coffee walks, or if you’re remote – can you travel a short distance for a co-working day? (another client has this in plan for 2026.)

If you are 100% remote and find it hard to travel to in person meet ups – what informal networks within and outside of work give you space to talk through challenges? I have a WhatsApp group of six other coaches and me which is a brilliantly supportive space for doing just that. Voice notes are welcomed and everyone dips in to help where they can.

Trend 2

Managers have always benefitted from time away from their desk in a new environment to think differently and catch a break from the constant questions, emails and Teams chat. Going into 2026 the pace of the interruptions and chat is at an all time high so it’s even more important to step away. It’s very hard to think clearly or strategically with 853 tabs open.

What this means for leadership development:

If you can run formal leadership learning face to face in an inclusive way, then go for it. Mandated time away from screens helps us to think better and recharge our batteries.

I ran a leadership development programme recently for an organisation where we had a face to face cohort and an online cohort running concurrently. Same content, same facilitators, different people and different delivery methods. From my perspective, the face to face full day programme won hands down for building trust and connection between participants and giving space for leaders to breathe. The feedback from participants backed this up: it can take longer to warm up in an online setting and you’ve likely not had any transition time (which is built in if you have a journey for reflection.)

And if you are designing any session, be it leadership development or away day, consider pace. Less knowledge download and more space will feel more energising and afford folk more time to think – something in short supply in lots of teams right now.

What this means for day to day leadership:

Start normalising that it’s ok to step away from your desk/screen, even if it’s just for five minutes, and in fact it’s likely to be in those stepping away moments where we have the new ideas, a breakthrough on a tricky project or the opportunity to go with a creative train of thought. Time outside, in the gym, walking the dog, these are important moments and also crucial for our energy management as well as our creativity.

Trend 3

During the pandemic dedicated chat channels to support leadership development programmes were really well used by participants who were seeking connection with colleagues. Six years later they feel like another chat channel to have to manage, adding to the noise, and from about 2023 onwards I noticed their use drop off a cliff, so I stopped including them as standard.

Instead, think about how you can use existing structures like catch ups or channels, to discuss or reflect on learning and how it’s going in practice. How can we make space in these for energy check ins and the less urgent but important work of building connection in management catch ups or already existing team away days?

And if you’re thinking about your own development, going back to trend two, what informal networks can you reframe as really important energy management tools for yourself? For example, my friends who I see on the school run act as my surrogate ‘work huddle’ because I don’t have an in person team. For folk who aren’t officially part of my work day, they sure play a big role in helping me through the challenges and arriving at my desk with the energy I need.

If you’ve ever taken part in my 5 Day Work Relationships Fast Track you’ll know that it is designed to fit into the busy diary of a leader, so whilst it takes a break in its current format I am offering it as an in house programme – ideal as a refresher or bit of just in time learning for leaders at all levels.

It offers opportunity for connection, conversation and reflection away from the day to day and of course can be executed using your existing structures and chat channels.

You can read how it could work for your organisation right here.

If your organisation needs to support its leaders and managers*, in a longer term or tactical way, I’m very happy to chat through what I’ve learnt. Please do share this blog with the person in your organisation who has responsibility for leadership development.

*I use the terms leaders and managers interchangeably in this blog – I know they mean something different but whilst I believe everyone can be a leader regardless of job title, not every manager sees themselves as a leader ….yet (it’s taken me literally decades.)