The 2026 leadership roadmap: A practical guide to developing future-ready managers

Why 2026 requires a new approach to developing leaders

Workplace expectations are transforming faster than most organisations can keep up with. Hybrid working, AI-supported workflows, shorter skills cycles, and the growing need for emotionally intelligent managers are reshaping what “good leadership” looks like.

For HR directors and people leaders, this means one thing: the leadership training courses and leadership coaching approaches of yesterday won’t equip your future managers for what’s coming next.

The 2026 leadership roadmap must be practical, behavioural, measurable – and built around continuous staff development. This guide walks you through the essential elements of developing leaders who can thrive in the workplaces of 2026 and beyond.

Identify the skills you think your future managers will need

Developing staff in 2026 begins by understanding the competencies shaping modern leadership. These aren’t simply “nice to have” – they’re the foundation of performance, wellbeing, and retention.

Core leadership skills for 2026:

• Adaptive decision-making (AI-supported but human-led)
• Emotional intelligence & psychological safety
• Data-informed planning
• Hybrid and multi-location team leadership
• Coaching-based communication
• Cross-generational management (from Gen Z to early Gen Alpha employees)
• Change and uncertainty navigation

These areas should shape your leadership training and development pathways moving into 2026.

Map out a leadership training pathway with clear outcomes

Too many leadership training courses fail because they lack structure. A 2026-ready pathway needs to be:

• Modular
• Outcome-driven
• Role-specific
• Supported by measurable behaviours

A training qualification — such as ILM-aligned leadership coaching or accredited management programmes – gives HR teams a recognised framework without sacrificing flexibility.

A simple 2026 pathway example:

1. Foundations: communication, feedback, inclusion
2. Management essentials: performance, difficult conversations, delegation
3. Leadership coaching skills: empowering rather than telling
4. Applied practice: scenarios, simulation, workbook-based activities
5. Accredited development: ILM coaching qualification or structured assessment
6. Continuous improvement: digital workbooks and ongoing reflection

Use digital workbooks to reinforce real behaviour change

Workplace training is most effective when learning becomes habit. Digital workbooks support this by:

• Providing consistent tools and templates
• Guiding managers through reflection
• Linking learning to real workplace examples
• Supporting self-paced development

They help future managers turn leadership concepts into weekly actions – something HR directors often struggle to maintain at scale.

Integrate leadership coaching to build confidence and capability

Formal training builds knowledge. Leadership coaching builds behaviour.

In 2026, the most effective development programmes integrate both:

• Training provides the “what” and “why”
• Coaching provides the “how” and “apply this tomorrow”

ILM coaching or similar structured approaches help managers refine their communication style, improve decision-making, and engage staff more effectively. This blend makes developing leaders more sustainable — and significantly boosts retention.

Build a coaching culture for long-term staff development

A 2026-ready organisation needs leaders who coach their teams, not simply manage them.

To build a coaching culture:

• Train managers in coaching-style questioning
• Build coaching into weekly 1:1s
• Use digital tools and workbooks to support conversations
• Reward behaviour that grows people, not just performance metrics
• Create mentorship and peer-support structures

This approach transforms leadership from a “course” to an organisational mindset.

Use data to track leadership growth and training ROI

HR teams will rely more than ever on behavioural analytics and competency data. This includes:

• Self-assessments and manager assessments
• Feedback from team members
• Coaching goal progress
• Digital workbook and online learning completion patterns
• Performance and engagement indicators

Data allows HR directors to strengthen their staff development strategy and demonstrate measurable ROI to senior leadership.

Final thoughts

Developing leaders in 2026 isn’t about offering “more training” – it’s about providing smarter, more connected development pathways that build real capability and confidence. With the right blend of structured leadership training, coaching, digital and online tools, and organisational culture, HR leaders can prepare their future managers for a workplace that’s more complex, more human, and more dynamic than ever.