From Framework to Fit: Why Cascading Leadership Development Matters More Than You Think

Leadership development is often treated as a top-tier investment — a strategic initiative reserved for senior executives and high-potential talent. But when development stays at the top, its impact is limited. There is a continued focus on bringing leaders into classrooms where they learn the fundamentals of leadership, the theories, thoughts and ideas of others. However, there is minimal focus on bringing this back into the organisation, developing this throughout a team, work area, or wider organisational culture.

The real power of leadership development lies in its ability to cascade — to ripple through every layer of an organisation, shaping not just individual capability but collective culture.

Leadership development should be designed to bring focus to bringing learning back to the organisation. This isn’t a simple ‘presentation on what I learnt’ but rather a sharing of ideas like a ripple — subtle, sustained, and far-reaching. When leaders can bring what they have learnt back to the organisation through shared language, coaching, and context, they begin to shape how people lead, connect, and make decisions across the organisation.

Many organisations assume that leadership development will trickle down naturally. Train the senior leaders, and the rest will follow. But research tells a different story. A study published in Harvard Business Review found that leadership behaviours only cascade when leaders are equipped to model them consistently — and when those behaviours are embedded into systems, rituals, and everyday interactions. Intentional design is key to bringing the leadership development into the organisation. Without an intention or plan of how to practice these new skills, there is little evidence that they will form part of the organisations values and culture.

Cascading matters because it creates alignment. When leaders at every level understand and embody the organisation’s values, culture becomes coherent. It builds psychological safety, too. When frontline managers see their senior leaders modelling empathy, clarity, and vulnerability, they’re more likely to do the same. Let’s be clear, this isn’t about imitation, it is about forming a culture by embedding strategies into workplaces.

How do we embed this leadership practice into our culture? Through everyday interactions and workplace activities. When employees see leaders modelling behaviour, not just in training workshops or in front of senior management, but in meetings, informal conversations, and daily interactions, it organically creates a culture that embraces this development.

At LNL, we start with strong frameworks — evidence-based, accessible, and scalable. But we don’t stop there. We help organisations build the bridge from framework to fit. That means designing development that speaks the organisation’s language, reflects real challenges, and resonates with lived experience. It’s not about throwing out the structure — it’s about layering in relevance, storytelling, and coaching that make the learning stick.

Leadership development is the first drop in the stream. When it’s intentional, grounded, and culturally attuned, it sets everything in motion. It flows into how leaders hold space, guide conversations, and respond to pressure. It seeps into the everyday—meeting rhythms, feedback loops, moments of care.

But when it’s generic, disconnected, or perched too high above the real work, it doesn’t flow. It pools. It stagnates. The ripple fades, and the cascade never reaches the ground floor.

So if you’re investing in leadership development this year, ask not just what you’re building — but how it flows. Because when leadership cascades with clarity and fit, it doesn’t just develop leaders. It develops culture.

Sources:

• Harvard Business Review: “Why Leadership Development Isn’t Developing Leaders” (Garrow & Hirsch, 2023)

Written By

Marie Cowling

Marie is a seasoned Human Resources professional with over 15 years of experience, specialising in learning, wellbeing, and organisational development. With a Master of Human Resource Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, she possesses the strategic and analytical skills necessary to drive impactful HR initiatives.