From Order Takers to Organisational Leaders: Rethinking Leadership Development for the Second Line
- Jaya Kashyap
- May 5
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 13
Organisations today face no shortage of ambitious targets, growth, transformation, efficiency, or all three. The pressure is on to deliver results, fast. And in most cases, it’s the leadership team that holds the key. They set the direction, make the decisions, and create the culture that allows others to perform.
But in many businesses, especially smaller, founder-led, or fast-scaling organisations, a traditional, top-down leadership style still dominates. Senior leaders are decisive and hands-on. They give direction, move quickly, and have a clear sense of how things should be done. It gets results, especially in a crisis. But it also shapes the culture around them.
Over time, this creates a second line of leaders who are excellent operators. They deliver. They manage. They execute. But they’re less confident when it comes to stepping into strategic conversations, making independent decisions, or driving outcomes without being asked.
They’ve become order takers, not because they lack talent or potential, but because that’s the model that’s been reinforced.
So how do you shift that? How do you help this group move from operational excellence to strategic leadership?
This is where well-designed leadership development programmes come in, not as standalone training courses, but as structured, experiential development journeys that reshape mindset, behaviours, and confidence through tools like leadership coaching, diagnostics, and real-world application.
Step 1: Start with the Context
Before diving into content, it’s important to clarify what kind of leadership is needed. What are the business challenges ahead? What will success look like in the next 12–24 months? And how does leadership need to evolve to get there?
This step anchors the leadership development programme in the real work of the business. It gives participants a clear reason to engage—because the shift isn’t abstract, it’s necessary.
Step 2: Create Self-Awareness Through Diagnostics
A strong leadership development programme typically begins with a diagnostic phase. This might include:
360-degree feedback
Personality profiling
A skills audit
The goal is to help participants understand their strengths and development areas—not just in terms of capability, but also how they’re perceived by others.
This can be especially valuable in traditional cultures, where feedback is less frequent or less candid. Diagnostics provide a mirror, and sometimes a necessary wake-up call.
These insights are best explored through leadership coaching sessions, where each leader can define development priorities that feel personal, relevant, and achievable.
Step 3: Set Priorities and Provide Coaching
Leadership coaching plays a crucial role throughout any effective programme. It creates space for participants to process insights, explore what’s holding them back, and build new strategies for showing up differently.
For many, this involves challenging long-held assumptions—such as the belief that good leaders must always have the answer, or that taking initiative could be seen as overstepping.
Through coaching, leaders can begin to test new behaviours and strengthen their confidence in leading differently.
Our High-Impact Development Programmes Handbook is your guide to designing leadership initiatives that create real, measurable growth. Download the handbook
Step 4: Immersive, Real-World Learning Experiences
Behaviour change doesn’t happen in theory. It happens through hands-on experiences that challenge existing habits and stretch participants beyond their comfort zones.
Effective leadership development programmes often include:
Group projects focused on real business challenges
Mini development tasks delivered via a digital platform
Peer coaching circles where leaders reflect, challenge, and support one another
These immersive experiences provide meaningful opportunities to practise decision-making, strategic thinking, and influence—all in live, relevant organisational contexts.
Step 5: Reflection and Course Correction
Ongoing reflection helps turn experience into learning. This can happen through self-guided exercises, leadership coaching sessions, or peer conversations. Regular reflection also supports participants to stay aligned with their goals and adapt where needed.
Revisiting feedback partway through the programme ensures development priorities stay relevant and focused.
Don’t Forget Manager Support
A key and often overlooked factor in successful leadership development is what happens outside the programme.
If participants return to an unchanged environment, it’s difficult for new behaviours to take root. Manager support plays a huge role. When managers encourage their people to apply new skills, give them space to try new things, and support their leadership journey, the impact is far greater.
Explore our leadership development solutions: https://www.esendia.com/leadership-development
Final Thought: It’s Not Just About Individuals
Leadership development isn’t just about tools and techniques. It’s about building readiness, both individual and organisational, for a different kind of leadership.
That means shifting from dependency to accountability. From waiting to acting. From following direction to shaping it.
The move from operational expert to strategic leader is rarely straightforward. But with the right structure, support, and cultural signals—from diagnostics to leadership coaching—it can absolutely be done.
And when it happens, the ripple effect across the organisation is significant.
If you’re ready to invest in leadership development, we’d love to help you build confident, capable leaders who can take your business to the next level.
