Why strengthening peer connections among managers might be the best development plan yet
Your mid-level managers bridge senior leaders to frontline employees.
They carry the weight of translating strategy from the top and turning it into execution on the ground.
They need to manage up, mentor down, collaborate across… and are expected to thrive in the middle without always receiving the support or coaching they need.
It’s no wonder so many mid-level leaders feel caught between expectations and exhaustion.
They are not alone in this struggle. But the truth is, many leadership development programs don’t cascade down to this level in the organization.
Where Development Plans Fall Short
Most traditional development plans for managers are well-intentioned. They have a clear focus, a developed methodology, and even follow-up strategies for implementation.
Yet, they often make one major mistake: they focus on individuals in isolation.
Managers are sent to one-off workshops, given online training modules, or paired with mentors who don’t fully understand their context. These approaches have value, but they rarely lead to lasting change.
This is especially for mid-level managers, who rarely ever work in this type of isolated environment.
What’s missing is the power of the collective. The opportunity to grow not just as a leader, but in conjunction with other peers.
This is why I can’t recommend group coaching enough.
It creates a high-trust space where managers can grow together, solve problems faster, and lead more effectively, with organizational ripple effects.
Here’s how that happens.
1. Peer-to-Peer Accountability Built on Trust
Mid-level managers are often expected to “have it all together” and always “be on,” which doesn’t always allow for moments of much needed vulnerability. It can be incredibly isolating.
Group coaching creates a space to be real. Through moments of shared vulnerability, trust and accountability are built, and everyone shares in the growth. It creates a new support system so that honest, transparent conversations can happen.
2. From Competition to Collaboration
Many managers are unconsciously pitted against each other. Whether it’s for recognition, resources, or results, it’s easy to see peer leaders as competition.
Group coaching is a great way to shift that mindset.
In our sessions, mid-level managers begin to see each other as allies. They start identifying their peers as their primary team, especially in cross-functional environments.
This new sense of team encourages the sharing of resources. It fuels collaboration, innovation and trust across departments.
3. Faster Problem Solving Through Collective Expertise
For many, the role of mid-level manager is their first time leading a team of people. They often assume they are supposed to have all the answers and yet they don’t. It can feel intimidating.
In a group coaching setting, the managers gain access to the lived experience, diverse thinking, and resourceful strategies of their peers. Instead of spinning their wheels alone, they get to harness the expertise of the group.
The diverse experience of the group promotes faster problem solving and better outcomes – a real confidence builder for a new manager.
4. A Broader Understanding of Strengths
Exploring Strengths in group coaching helps managers gain deeper insight into how others think, lead, and contribute. That kind of awareness improves communication and builds mutual respect, setting the foundation for emotionally intelligent, highly successful teams where everyone plays to their Strengths.
5. Cross-Functional Success
Organizations thrive when their managers are aligned in message, mindset, and mission.
Group coaching enables managers from different departments or business units to build cohesion across the organization.
When mid-level managers show up with a unified presence, collaboration is smoother, decisions are made faster, and their teams feel the difference.
6. Stronger Executive Confidence and Readiness
Mid-level leaders often underestimate the strategic value they bring, and that can hold them back from rising.
In coaching groups, managers grow their strategic thinking abilities, expand their influence, and strengthen their voice. They learn how to communicate up, down, and across the organization with greater clarity and purpose.
Middle Managers Are the Multipliers
Aspiring middle managers can be catalysts for innovation and collaboration.
According to Harvard Business School research, organizations are shifting away from top-down directives, encouraging managers to do more coaching and less commanding.
This evolution means that middle managers are expected to inspire, support, and coordinate across functions, building teams where creativity and autonomy thrive.
When working together, they are the glue that connects cross-functional departments so results are achieved for the organization, not just 1 team.
At innertelligence, we recognize this transformative role. We design group coaching experiences that empower managers to build the resiliency they need to manage exhaustion and overwhelm. We build their capacity to use their voices to confidently impact and influence throughout the organization. We redirect them from leading in silos to leading in a community of peers because we believe we are better together.
Let’s talk about creating a group coaching experience tailored to your team’s needs.
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