Professional Development for Managers
If you’re stepping into a leadership role (or leveling up in one), you’ve probably noticed something…
Managing a team is just one part of the job.
The other part — the one no one really talks about — is learning to manage up and contribute to the bigger strategic picture.
That’s where professional development for managers really matters. Today’s organizations want leaders who can collaborate across levels, influence decision-makers, and think creatively about business challenges.
And honestly? Those are the skills that help you stand out.
So, What Does “Managing Up” Actually Mean?
Managing up isn’t about flattering your boss or playing politics. It’s about understanding how your leader works and making collaboration smoother and more productive.
It looks like:
- Knowing your leader’s priorities and pressures
- Communicating in ways they’ll actually hear
- Bringing solutions — not just problems
- Making their job easier so everyone succeeds
When you get good at managing up, work feels smoother, trust builds faster, and you get more visibility and influence.
Beyond Managing Up: Managing Learning Up
Here’s a modern twist: managing learning up.
This means helping leaders see new ideas, embrace new ways of thinking, and stay curious. It’s becoming an essential part of professional development for managers, especially in fast-moving industries.
In practice, it can mean:
- Sharing new leadership frameworks or tools
- Bringing in ideas from courses or industry trends
- Encouraging a culture of continuous learning
- Helping senior leaders see fresh perspectives
It’s leadership by influence — not authority.
And it shows you’re not just executing tasks…
You’re shaping the future of the business.
Creative Problem Solving for Executives — And Why It Matters
Today’s leaders aren’t hired just to “keep things running.” They’re expected to solve complex problems creatively, often with limited information and fast-changing conditions.
That skill — creative problem solving for executives — starts long before someone reaches the C-suite.
Managers who practice it learn to:
- Look at problems from multiple angles
- Challenge assumptions instead of accepting them
- Experiment and iterate
- Stay flexible when plans shift (because they will)
Creative thinking isn’t a nice-to-have anymore—it’s a leadership must-have.
Empathy Isn’t Soft — It’s Strategic
And let’s get real: you can’t influence, inspire, or lead without empathy.
Modern leadership training increasingly includes immersive empathy tools. One example is Empathable, a program that lets leaders experience first-person perspectives to better understand other lived realities. That kind of training helps managers communicate better, lead more inclusively, and build teams people want to stay on.
Empathy makes collaboration easier. It makes managing up more natural.
And it makes creative problem solving actually work, because people feel safe sharing ideas.
How to Grow in These Areas
If you’re building your leadership toolkit, here are practical ways to develop these skills:
- Take courses focused on influence, communication, and innovation
- Ask for honest feedback from both your leader and your team
- Watch how senior leaders think and make decisions
- Practice sharing new ideas upward — even small ones
- Join leadership communities or peer-learning groups
Your growth as a manager is ongoing — and that’s a good thing.
Final Thought
Professional development for managers isn’t just about knowing how to run meetings or assign tasks.
It’s about learning to:
- Influence up
- Inspire down
- Think strategically
- Lead with empathy
- Keep learning (and help others learn too)
Those are the leaders people remember. The ones who move organizations forward.
And the ones who build careers with longevity and purpose.