as easy as... leaders teaching.

If your organization is looking to build internal leadership capacity—without hiring a fleet of external trainers—you may already have the solution in-house.

It’s an approach commonly called Leaders as Teachers.

The concept is simple but powerful: respected, experienced leaders inside your company take on teaching or facilitation roles to develop others. It’s a way to scale learning, reinforce culture, and deepen leadership bench strength—all at the same time.

Leadership development expert Edward Betof helped popularize this approach with the aptly titled Leaders as Teachers: Unlock the Teaching Potential of Your Company’s Best and Brightest. In his research, he highlights several key elements that make the model successful:

• Create consistency. Connect the program to your broader leadership development strategy.

• Create alignment. Tie it directly to company-wide initiatives and business priorities.

• Create support. Ensure senior leadership understands how this supports outcomes they care about.

• Create value. Clearly show how participation benefits both the learners and the leaders who teach.

In my own experience designing leadership development programs, I’ve seen how powerful it can be when leaders step into the role of teacher. They don’t just deliver content—they embody it. When done well, this approach sends a strong cultural signal: we learn from within, and leadership is about developing others.

That said, it takes more than good intentions to do this well. Most leaders aren’t trained facilitators. They need thoughtful preparation, the right content, and clear expectations—plus the kind of support that helps them succeed without overwhelming their day jobs. This is where working with an experienced learning and development partner becomes essential. A skilled professional can help design the structure, prepare your internal faculty, and make sure the experience delivers real impact.

If you’re considering this kind of program, here are a few strategic questions to guide your thinking:

• Will leaders teaching get the results you need? 

All professional training and development focuses on enhancing or improving performance. The power behind the model lies in connecting influential leaders to content that will impact key business priorities. So, ask what are the business results you need to influence? Which initiatives would benefit from deeper internal alignment or faster leadership skill-building?

• Which leaders make the most sense? 

Deploying internal faculty works best when leaders have meaningful opportunities to articulate their point of view and share their story. Ask which leaders have both credibility and a compelling story to share? Can they articulate a clear “teachable point of view” that reflects the organization’s values?

• What course or class will they teach? 

The right match between leader and content is key. Taking the time to make teaching assignments with intention will produce ongoing benefits for everyone. One question to start with is:  Do you need more emphasis on technical knowledge, leadership behaviors, or mindset and culture? 

• How exactly will you support them? 

Leaders bring authority and insight—but they’re not always trained facilitators. Preparing and supporting leaders who teach is table stakes here. Engage leaders to discover what tools or coaching they need to succeed in the role of teacher.

As you can see, organizations that implement Leaders-as-Teachers programs have a lot to consider—but they’re not the only ones. For this approach to work, individual leaders also need clarity, support, and a sense of readiness. Whether you're being tapped to teach or actively seeking opportunities to grow, it’s worth asking yourself a few key questions before stepping into the role.

Are you one of these leaders? Are you passionate about developing others? Are you looking for ways to add new skills and experience? If you are considering seeking an opportunity to teach, ask yourself questions that mirror those outlined for the organizational perspective:

• Is now the right time? 

There may never be a best time to assume additional responsibilities, but some are better than others. Be honest with yourself: Will this opportunity energize you or spread you too thin? Does it align with where you're hoping to grow next?

• Do I make sense for this program? 

Teaching others takes more than enthusiasm. Do you bring credible experience in the topic? Do you have a story or unique point of view that will enhance the learner experience?

• What am I best-suited to teach? 

Whether your strengths lie in technical knowledge, leadership behaviors, or cultivating mindset and culture, choosing the right focus matters. The sweet spot is where your strengths meet a real business need.

• Is the support being offered enough for me? 

Even seasoned leaders benefit from guidance. Ask what preparation or coaching will help you thrive. A well-supported teacher creates a better experience for everyone.

If you're considering stepping into a teaching role, these questions can help you assess fit, timing, and impact. And just like your organization, you’ll benefit most when the approach is aligned and intentional. In fact, many of the same principles that make this approach successful for organizations also serve the individual leader. When these values are shared, teaching becomes not just an assignment—but a leadership practice in its own right.

• Build consistency. 

When your organization implements this approach as part of the broader leadership development strategy, you will thrive when you keep your teaching efforts consistent with that strategy. Take steps to understand it and what place your offerings hold in the larger picture.

• Clarify alignment. 

Not only do you need to see the connections to company-wide initiatives and business priorities, but you should spotlight them for your students. Your goal is to ensure that learners know the purpose and application of what they’re learning.

• Seek support. 

While the organization is engaging leaders to support business outcomes, you can and should receive support for your teaching efforts. Connect with members of your learning and development team, human resources department, and other leaders to gather the practical, informational, and moral support you need.

• Add value. 

As a teaching leader, you gain just as much as you give—new skills, deeper relationships, and a chance to grow your impact beyond your immediate team. That’s the beauty of a well-designed Leaders-as-Teachers program: it grows people and performance, at every level.

So, if you have the opportunity to lead, consider adding teaching to your core responsibilities. It fosters connection and raises performance, all while developing the next generation of leaders. 

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Want to learn more? Here are a few resources about engaging leaders in teaching roles:

• The Best Leaders Are Great Teachers

• A Great Leader = a Great Teacher

• How Executives Pay Learning Forward

• How to Turn Your Busy Leaders into the Teachers They Need to Be

And if you're thinking about how to build leadership capacity in a more strategic, scalable way, let’s talk. At onetwentythree ltd, we help organizations design and implement Leaders-as-Teachers programs with the structure, support, and clarity they need to succeed. Get in touch to explore what this could look like in your organization.