An emerging leaders program is a structured development program for high-potential employees and new managers who are early in their leadership careers. A good one combines real stretch assignments, coaching or mentoring, peer learning, and a small amount of formal training over six to twelve months, and it measures success by changes in how participants lead, not by course completion.
This guide is for HR, talent, and L&D leaders designing or choosing an emerging leaders program. It covers what to include, how to select participants, how to evaluate outside programs, and how to measure results.
Why emerging leaders need a dedicated program
The move from individual contributor to leader is one of the hardest career transitions, and the cost of getting it right or not is high. Gallup estimates that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement across business units. Developing leaders early, before habits set, is one of the most direct ways to influence that.
What an effective emerging leaders program includes
| Component | What it looks like | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment | A baseline 360 or structured assessment at the start and end | Shows strengths, gaps, and change over time |
| Stretch assignments | A real project leading people or a cross-functional effort | Most leadership learning happens on the job |
| Coaching or mentoring | Individual or group coaching, plus a senior mentor | Helps participants learn from their assignments |
| Peer cohort | Regular sessions with others at the same stage | Shared learning and accountability |
| Core skills training | Feedback, delegation, difficult conversations, making and keeping commitments | Gives a common foundation |
| Manager involvement | Participant’s manager agrees goals and reviews progress | Connects development to the job |
| Measurement | Behavior change and business results, not only satisfaction | Proves value and guides improvement |
This mix follows the Center for Creative Leadership’s 70-20-10 model: most development from experience, a meaningful share from coaching and mentoring, and a smaller share from formal training. DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast 2025 found organizations using five or more development approaches were 4.9 times more likely to report improved leadership capabilities.
How to select participants
- Define potential before nominating. Agree what you are looking for, such as learning agility, followership among peers, and a record of keeping commitments.
- Use more than one input. Manager nomination plus assessment data and peer input reduces bias.
- Include people already leading informally. Many emerging leaders do not yet have the title.
- Be transparent. Explain the criteria so the program is seen as fair.
Designing the program step by step
- Start from the business need. Which leadership roles will you need to fill, and what will those leaders have to do well?
- Set three to five program outcomes written as behaviors.
- Plan the arc: a kickoff, regular cohort sessions every two to four weeks, assignment check-ins, and a final review.
- Brief participants’ managers on their role before the program starts.
- Build in individual development plans. Each participant should leave the kickoff with a written plan; see our guide to the leadership development plan.
- Measure at the start, middle, and end.
The skill most programs underweight
New leaders are often taught frameworks for communication, strategy, and feedback. What they are rarely taught is how to make and manage commitments with their team. DorWay’s view is that organizations are Networks of Agreements™, and most breakdowns, from missed deadlines to low trust, trace back to agreements that were never specific enough to keep. An emerging leader who learns to make clear agreements, keep them, and renegotiate them openly builds trust quickly. That is accountability, and it pairs with integrity: words and actions that fit. The Leaders Edge Path™ is built around these practices.
Evaluating an outside emerging leaders program
- Does it use participants’ real work, or only case studies?
- Is coaching included, and how much per person?
- How are participants’ managers involved?
- What does it measure, and can you see an example report?
- Can it be adapted to your leadership expectations?
Many new leaders are also new managers; for that specific transition, see new manager training. To help a newly appointed leader start well with their team, see new leader assimilation.
FAQ
What is an emerging leaders program?
A structured development program for high-potential employees and new managers, combining assignments, coaching, peer learning, and training over several months.
How long should an emerging leaders program be?
Six to twelve months is common. That allows time for stretch assignments and visible behavior change.
Who should be in an emerging leaders program?
Employees with leadership potential, including new managers and people already leading informally, selected using clear criteria and more than one input.
How do you measure an emerging leaders program?
Compare baseline and end assessments, gather feedback from participants’ teams and managers, and track outcomes such as internal promotions and retention.