How can leadership development change the way we lead every day?
Hannington Gondwe reflects on his experience of the Manchester Leadership Development Programme (MLDP) at Alliance Manchester Business School, and the lessons he is applying to how he leads going forward, from delegation to reflective practice and collaborative leadership.
For much of my professional career, I have measured success through outcomes: investment opportunities developed, partnerships established, projects delivered and organisational objectives achieved. These measures remain important, particularly in economic development, where demonstrating impact is essential.
However, my experience on MLDP challenged me to consider a different question: while I was focused on delivering results, was I giving sufficient attention to how I was leading?
That question became one of my most valuable reflections from the programme, which I completed in July 2026.
The challenge of leading while delivering
My role as Chief Executive Officer of the Malawi-UK Chamber of Commerce brings an international dimension to my leadership experience, particularly in developing institutional relationships and advancing trade and investment partnerships.
Alongside this, I am also Investment Lead at Invest Staffordshire, where I work with businesses, investors, local authorities and government partners to attract investment, unlock economic opportunities and support sustainable growth.
Both roles involve competing priorities, complex stakeholder relationships and significant expectations around delivery.
Like many managers, I have often found myself moving from one meeting, decision or challenge to another, with limited time to consider the broader implications of how I lead. The difficulty is that operational demands can crowd out the space needed for reflection, learning and strategic thinking.
MLDP provided an opportunity to step outside that cycle.
It reminded me that professional experience, however extensive, does not automatically translate into effective leadership. Without questioning our assumptions, we risk relying on familiar approaches even when circumstances demand something different.
From managing performance to developing people
One of my most important reflections concerned the distinction between delivering results personally and creating the conditions in which others can succeed.
Throughout my career, I have developed a strong sense of personal accountability. When faced with challenges, my instinct has often been to identify solutions, take responsibility and maintain momentum.
While this approach has served me well, the programme encouraged me to question whether being quick to provide answers always represents effective leadership.
An uncomfortable but valuable realisation was that an instinct to resolve problems, however well-intentioned, can sometimes limit opportunities for others to exercise judgement, develop confidence and take ownership.
I increasingly recognise that leadership requires knowing when to step forward and when to step back. This has encouraged me to be more deliberate about delegation, coaching and empowering colleagues.
Rather than asking only whether a task has been completed, I increasingly consider whether the process has helped someone develop their capabilities.
Leadership is not about being indispensable. It is about helping others become more capable, confident and effective.
Why being reflective matters in leadership
Perhaps the most personally significant aspect of my Manchester experience was recognising the importance of reflective practice.
In demanding professional environments, reflection can easily become something we postpone until immediate pressures have subsided. Yet meaningful reflection is not separate from leadership; it is fundamental to improving it.
It requires us to examine not only what happened, but why it happened, how our behaviour influenced others and what we might approach differently. It also requires humility.
Acknowledging that a decision could have been better, a conversation handled differently or an alternative perspective given greater consideration is not a weakness. It demonstrates openness to learning.
The programme offered an opportunity to consider leadership challenges beyond the immediate demands of my professional environment.
One particularly valuable change has been in the questions I ask myself. Previously, the dominant question might have been, “Did we achieve the objective?”.
Increasingly, I also ask, “How did we achieve it, what did we learn and did our approach strengthen the people and relationships involved?” That shift has encouraged a more intentional approach to leadership.
Leading through influence and collaboration
Another important reflection concerns leading in environments where influence matters as much as formal authority.
Economic development rarely happens through one organisation. It requires collaboration between public institutions, businesses, investors, universities and communities, often with different priorities.
Similarly, advancing international trade relationships requires sensitivity to institutional, commercial and cultural differences. In these environments, leadership cannot depend solely on position or authority. It requires listening, building trust, establishing common ground and creating commitment around shared objectives.
For example, coordinating investment opportunities across multiple stakeholders involves more than allocating responsibilities or monitoring progress. It requires understanding different motivations, encouraging contributions and fostering collective ownership.
My MLDP experience encouraged me to reflect more critically on these relationships. It reinforced a principle central to my leadership philosophy: sustainable results are achieved not simply by directing people, but by bringing people with you.
Applying MLDP learning into three principles for everyday leadership
The true measure of leadership development is not the certificate received at completion, but what changes afterwards.
For me, three principles increasingly guide my approach:
- Ask before answering. Create opportunities for colleagues to explore challenges, exercise judgement and develop solutions.
- Reflect before reacting. Consider the wider implications of decisions, including their impact on relationships and organisational culture.
- Develop people while delivering results. Recognise that building capability and confidence in others is an essential measure of leadership effectiveness.
These principles also resonate with my doctoral research into digital transformation among UK small and medium-sized enterprises.
I see parallels between organisational transformation and leadership development. Both require challenging established practices, building new capabilities and adapting to changing circumstances. Technology may enable organisations to transform, but people, leadership and organisational culture ultimately determine whether meaningful change takes place.
From performance to purpose
My Manchester Leadership Development journey has not diminished my commitment to performance. Instead, it has broadened my understanding of what meaningful performance represents. Investment outcomes and organisational achievements remain important. But so too are the people we develop, the relationships we strengthen and the opportunities we create.
I am grateful to Alliance Manchester Business School for the opportunity to step outside the pressures of everyday delivery, challenge my assumptions and reflect on my development. The experience reminded me that leadership is not a destination reached through seniority, experience or qualifications. It is a continuous journey of learning, adapting and improving.
Perhaps the real challenge begins when the programme ends: applying those lessons consistently, especially when the pressures of everyday work return.
As I continue my leadership journey, one question will remain central: am I simply delivering results, or am I also developing the people and creating the conditions that will make success sustainable?
That, for me, is what moving from managing performance to leading with purpose truly means.
