Managing Out: The Hidden Leadership Skill Every L&D Professional Needs

In Learning and Development (L&D), success isn't just about delivering great training—it's about navigating and influencing the broader organizational environment. "Managing out" is a skill L&D professionals need to master to drive meaningful change across teams, up to leadership, and across departments.

In this post, we’ll explore key strategies to help you manage out effectively, positioning you as an organized catalyst, strategic question-asker, and unofficial project manager.

1. Embrace the Role of the Organized Catalyst

As an L&D professional, you often find yourself as the organized thread connecting multiple team members. You’re managing up to leadership, down to your direct reports or learners, and sideways to colleagues in different departments. By stepping into this role, you become a bridge across the silos, a catalyst who enables other team members to work more effectively together.

How to Do It: 

Regularly create and share progress updates that outline team priorities, goals, and dependencies. This can be as simple as a weekly email or a shared project document. By keeping everyone informed and organized, you empower others to stay aligned and productive.

2. Master the Art of Asking the Hard Questions

Sometimes the most critical questions fall outside of our "official" responsibilities. However, it’s often L&D's job to dig deeper to fill gaps in knowledge or communication that could impact the effectiveness of our programs.

How to Do It: 

When you notice information gaps, start by asking open-ended questions that invite clarity and detail. For example, “What are the specific goals this training should accomplish?” or “How will success be measured after implementation?” These questions not only give you the insights needed to shape effective training but also encourage others to clarify their own expectations.

3. Step into a Leadership Mindset

When you start asking those hard questions and bring in information that no one else is addressing, you naturally step into a leadership role. By doing so, you encourage decision-making at all levels and inspire team members to think critically about project decisions.

How to Do It: 

Approach each interaction as a coach, not just a communicator. Lead with questions like, “How could this impact our learners?” or “What might we be missing that could make a difference?” These questions help guide conversations towards deeper insight and strategic alignment across the team.

4. Key Strategies for Effective "Managing Out"

To manage out effectively, you’ll need patience, clear communication, follow-up skills, and resilience. Here’s a closer look at each:

Patience: 

Organizational change takes time. Set realistic expectations with yourself and your stakeholders.

How to Do It: 

Set personal check-in points to assess your progress and celebrate small wins. This helps you stay patient and avoid burnout as you guide change.

Clear Expectations: 

Always clarify what you’ll deliver based on the completion of others’ tasks.

How to Do It: 

Start every project by setting clear deliverables and dependencies with your stakeholders. For example, “I’ll be able to complete X once I have Y from you.” This keeps everyone accountable and helps manage expectations.

Follow-Up: 

Project management is often part of the L&D toolkit. Use it to keep everyone on track.

How to Do It: 

Schedule periodic check-ins and reminders to keep milestones in sight. Use tools like task trackers or shared calendars to help ensure everyone is on track.

Resilience: 

Challenges are inevitable; stay committed to your role as a steadying influence for the team.

How to Do It: 

When facing setbacks, take a step back and refocus on the end goal. This keeps you steady in challenging situations, which helps your team stay resilient too.

5. Acknowledge the Unofficial Project Management Role

L&D professionals often wear the project manager hat, keeping initiatives on track even when it’s not part of the job description. Embrace this part of the role, as it’s critical for success.

How to Do It: 

Create a simple project timeline or Gantt chart at the start of every initiative. This visualization helps you manage deadlines and communicate timelines effectively with other team members.

6. The Long-Term Impact of Managing Out

By honing your managing-out skills, you not only improve project outcomes but also build a reputation as a proactive, solution-oriented professional. In the long term, this approach can enhance team dynamics, advance your professional standing, and open up growth opportunities.

How to Do It: 

Track and document your successes—how managing out improved outcomes and team alignment. Share these wins in performance reviews or team meetings to demonstrate the value of this approach and strengthen your reputation.

Conclusion

Managing out is about leading from any position, using soft skills, strategic questioning, and organized coordination. By embracing this approach, you transform challenges into opportunities for recognition and career growth.