How leadership development priorities change across career stages: evidence for level-differentiated training design

Purpose This study aims to examine how leadership development priorities systematically change across career stages and how these shifts can be translated into evidence-based, level-differentiated training design. Rather than treating leadership competencies as static skill requirements, the study conceptualizes competency importance ratings as signals of developmental readiness, informing when, for whom and in what proportions leadership competencies should be developed. Design/methodology/approach Using survey data from 615 managers across five business functions and three organizational levels (lower, middle and top management), the authors analyzed importance ratings for 73 global leadership competencies. Analysis of variance, multivariate analysis of variance and profile analyses were used to identify level-specific competency patterns and derive actionable training allocation principles. Findings Results reveal clear, systematic progressions in competency across career stages. Lower level managers prioritize operational and self-management competencies (e.g. stress management, problem-solving); middle managers exhibit a hybrid profile emphasizing people development and strategic alignment (e.g. coaching, empowering others); and top executives prioritize strategic leadership competencies (e.g. visioning, trust-building). Significant level effects were confirmed [F(2,612) = 47.83, p < 0.001, η² = 0.16]. Across functions, 68.5% of competencies showed no functional variation, supporting integrated cross-functional program design with targeted specialization. Practical implications The findings translate into level-differentiated training architecture. Approximately 70% of leadership development content can be delivered in cross-functional formats, while 30% should be allocated to function-specific modules, with proportions adjusted by the management level. A three-tiered framework specifies the content focus, learning methods and delivery formats for each career stage, providing concrete guidance for human resource development (HRD) professionals and training designers. Originality/value This study advances leadership development theory by showing that competency salience serves as a developmental readiness signal rather than a simple skills gap. It introduces the concept of developmental competency re-weighting, the systematic shift in the relative importance of leadership competencies across career stages, and empirically grounds a 70–30 cross-functional training model, providing a practical bridge between competency research and evidence-based training system design.