The world of work is undergoing seismic change. The growth of the gig economy, combined with the transformative impact of the pandemic, has fundamentally reshaped the nature of employment. Increasingly, short-term contracts, part-time roles, and freelance work are replacing traditional permanent jobs. This shift presents a significant challenge—and opportunity—for leaders and organisations alike.

As these non-traditional work models become more prevalent, talent acquisition must adapt. Organisations are no longer seeking leaders based solely on technical expertise or traditional career paths. Instead, they are looking for individuals who embody a more human-centric, adaptive, and agile leadership style—those who can learn quickly, pivot confidently, and inspire others in uncertain environments.

To keep pace, leadership development strategies must evolve. Fast-tracking leadership growth, embedding cultural alignment, and cultivating the right mindsets are now vital. This requires an integrated leadership approach —one that connects recruitment, onboarding, development, and succession planning around a consistent, mindset-focused framework.

Right People. Right Mindset. Right Time.

In today’s climate of constant disruption—economic volatility, remote work, technological innovation, and geopolitical flux—organisations need leaders who can operate beyond the constraints of conventional thinking. This is where the concept of vertical and horizontal leadership development becomes invaluable.

Nick Petrie, in his white paper for the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), distinguishes between two types of development:

• Horizontal Development: The traditional approach to leadership growth. This is about adding new knowledge, skills, and competencies. It’s externally driven, often through training programmes and expert-led courses. It answers the question: What should a leader know or do?
• Vertical Development: A more transformative process. This is about evolving how leaders think, not just whatthey think. It encompasses values, beliefs, worldviews, and the ability to handle increasing complexity. Vertical development is earned through life experience, reflection, and deep learning. It addresses the question: Who is the leader becoming?

While horizontal development builds capability, vertical development fosters maturity, resilience, and a broader perspective. Both are essential—but it is vertical development that truly future-proofs leadership.

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Horizontal Leadership Development

• Adds knowledge and skills
• Transmitted from experts
• Focuses on what you think
• Competency-based
• Technical proficiency

Vertical Leadership Development

• Grows the capacity to think in complex, adaptive, and interdependent ways
• Developed through experience and reflection
• Focuses on how you think
• Mindset and values-based
• Transformation of consciousness

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HSBC – Leadership Transformation through Vertical Development
Faced with rapid digital transformation and market complexity, HSBC invested in a global leadership development programme that focused not on skills, but on enhancing self-awareness, adaptive thinking, and systems-level decision-making. Leaders participated in immersive experiences that challenged their assumptions, encouraging shifts in mindset. The result: more resilient leaders who could drive cultural transformation across markets, with improved collaboration and innovation.

Unilever – Balancing Vertical and Horizontal Development
Unilever’s “Connected 4 Growth” initiative blended traditional leadership skill-building (horizontal) with programmes designed to cultivate purpose-led leadership and emotional intelligence (vertical). Managers were assessed not only on performance metrics but on their ability to lead with compassion, integrity, and adaptability. This dual approach enabled Unilever to build a leadership pipeline prepared for both current and future challenges.

NHS Leadership Academy – Building a Compassionate Culture
In the wake of increasing pressure and public scrutiny, the NHS invested in vertical development by helping leaders at all levels cultivate greater empathy, presence, and system-wide awareness. This shift from a task-focused approach to one rooted in values and mindset helped foster a more compassionate, inclusive culture that better supports patients and staff alike.

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The Starting Point: Organisational Mindset

To harness the full power of leadership development, organisations must begin by identifying and articulating their own mindset. What does the organisation stand for? What attitudes and beliefs underpin its success? From there, recruitment and development can be aligned to attract and grow leaders who embody and reinforce that mindset.

Without this clarity, leadership efforts risk becoming fragmented or superficial. But with it, organisations can cultivate congruent cultures—where internal and external leaders are aligned not just in skills, but in purpose and perspective.

In an age defined by flux and complexity, the most successful organisations will be those that move beyond a narrow focus on competencies and instead prioritise mindset alignment. Horizontal development builds capability—but it is vertical development that shapes character, expands perspective, and enables leaders to thrive in ambiguity.

Leadership is no longer just about what you do. It’s about who you are—and who you are becoming.