The Missing Link in Development Programs

Following the conversation I shared last week, where a program for a sales team sparked a deeper discussion about guarantees and results, it became clear that leadership and managerial involvement is a key link for success of development programs.

While frameworks like the Kirkpatrick Model help measure the effectiveness of development programs, they highlight a recurring truth...

... without management’s active role, even the best-designed programs risk falling short of delivering tangible, lasting impact.

Here’s the question I keep coming back to: How do we ensure that development programs, whether for sales teams or leadership groups, don’t just end with a training session but ripple out into real-world results like increased performance, better collaboration, and measurable ROI?

Why Manager Involvement Is the Key

Research repeatedly shows that when managers engage in development efforts, the results are exponentially greater. A development program might inspire participants in the moment, but without a manager reinforcing that learning and creating space for application, the momentum fades. A manager’s involvement before, during, and after development initiatives can:

• Inspire participants by framing the development activity as critical to their role and future growth.
• Engage them in meaningful discussions about how to integrate new skills into daily work.
• Encourage behavior change by offering feedback, celebrating small wins, and holding the team accountable.

There is a parallel between ICF competence "championing your client" and managers role in maximizing development activity effect. It’s about championing the process and modeling the desired behaviors themselves.

Importance of Coaching

If manager involvement sets the stage, coaching is what can maximize the effects. The solution-focused coaching approach is particularly powerful here. Unlike traditional models that dwell on problems, solution-focused coaching moves the conversation toward goals, strengths, and actionable steps.

• At the Reaction Level (Kirkpatrick Level 1): Coaching helps participants unpack their initial impressions and connect emotionally to the program.
• At the Learning Level (Level 2): Coaching bridges the gap between theory and practice, helping individuals identify where and how they can immediately apply what they’ve learned.
• At the Behavior Level (Level 3): Coaching reinforces accountability, aligning individual and team behaviors with broader organizational goals.
• At the Results Level (Level 4): Coaching connects behavior changes to tangible business outcomes. It invites reflection on questions like, “What shifts have we made as individuals (or a team) that are contributing to stronger results?”

Asking Powerful Questions

As organizations, are we truly leveraging the power of managers and coaching to ensure development efforts don’t get lost in the shuffle of daily operations? The sales program discussion opened a new perspective for the company I was working with. By engaging their senior management team in both the design and follow-up of the program, we created alignment between the development activities and their business goals.

But the real shift happened when we incorporated solution-focused coaching as an ongoing tool to support their team leaders. Coaching creates a pathway for continued growth, stronger alignment, and real-world application.

So, here’s the questions I leave with you:

• Are your managers not just approving, but actively engaging in development programs?
• Are you embedding solution-focused coaching into your initiatives to sustain results and accountability?
• And most importantly, are you focusing your efforts on the future—on what can be achieved—rather than getting stuck in the limitations of the present?

Development programs, when integrated with manager involvement and solution-focused coaching, stop being an event and start being a journey. It’s not about solving problems for today—it’s about creating results of tomorrow.