Leading with a Developmental Bias: The Foundation of Transformational Leadership
"The people we lead are like those apple seeds. Their music, their potential, their best contribution will come out based in large part to what we do with them." — Terry Cook
"The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership." — Harvey S. Firestone, founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
This insight from Terry Cook's work on trusted leadership introduces a concept that can completely change how we approach leadership: leading with a developmental bias.
Most leaders operate with a production bias. Their main focus is getting things done, hitting targets, and achieving results. People are valued primarily for what they contribute to these outcomes.
But what if we flipped this perspective? What if we approached leadership with a primary focus on developing people, viewing results as the natural outcome of growth rather than the sole measure of success?
This is what Cook calls "leading with a developmental bias"—and it changes everything for both leaders and the people they lead.
The Developmental Bias Defined
Leading with a developmental bias means intentionally prioritizing the growth and development of people alongside achieving results. It views people not primarily as resources to be used but as seeds to be cultivated.
This approach recognizes that:
People have untapped potential far beyond their current contributions
Developing this potential benefits both the individual and the organization
Long-term organizational success depends on growing people, not just extracting value from them
The leader's role includes not just directing work but developing people
As Cook notes, "They have a responsibility to engage as well. Yet, much depends on what the leader does with them."
This balanced perspective acknowledges mutual responsibility while emphasizing the leader's crucial role in creating conditions for growth.
"Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others." — Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric
The Production Bias Problem
Before exploring how to lead with a developmental bias, let's understand the limitations of the more common production bias:
Short-Term Focus: Production bias prioritizes immediate results over long-term capability building. While this may deliver quick wins, it often sacrifices sustainable success.
Utilization Over Development: People are viewed primarily through the lens of their current capabilities and how these can be used, rather than their potential and how it can be developed.
Task Orientation: The focus stays predominantly on what needs to be done rather than who people are becoming in the process.
Replacement Mentality: As Cook describes, this approach often manifests as: "We brought you on the team, you have a contribution to make, we expect you to make it, and if you can't, we will find a replacement."
Diminishing Returns: Over time, this approach leads to stagnation. Without development, people reach performance plateaus, engagement declines, and results eventually suffer.
This production-focused approach isn't inherently wrong—results do matter. The problem lies in making production the only or primary focus, neglecting the development that enables sustainable results.
"We don't build the business. We build the people. And then the people build the business." — Brownie Wise, pioneering saleswoman who developed the Tupperware party concept
The Benefits of a Developmental Bias
Shifting to a developmental bias creates several significant benefits:
Sustainable Results: Rather than extracting maximum output from existing capabilities, developmental leadership builds expanding capabilities that yield increasing results over time.
Increased Engagement: People respond more positively to leaders who invest in their growth. They bring more energy, creativity, and commitment to their work.
"Research indicates that workers have three prime needs: Interesting work, recognition for doing a good job, and being let in on things that are going on in the company." — Zig Ziglar
Enhanced Retention: Since development opportunities are consistently cited as a top factor in job satisfaction and retention, this approach reduces costly turnover.
Leadership Pipeline: By developing leaders at all levels, organizations create succession depth and leadership capacity throughout the organization.
Cultural Transformation: When development becomes a leadership priority, it gradually transforms organizational culture toward continuous learning and growth.
Multiplier Effect: Developed leaders tend to develop others, creating an expanding ripple effect throughout the organization.
"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." — William Arthur Ward
Making the Shift
The transition from production bias to developmental bias requires intentional changes in how you approach leadership:
Reframe Your Role: Instead of seeing yourself primarily as a task manager, view yourself as a people developer who achieves results through growth.
Invest Time in Understanding: Take time to understand each person's potential, aspirations, and development needs.
Create Growth Opportunities: Look for ways to stretch people's capabilities while providing appropriate support and coaching.
Celebrate Development: Acknowledge and celebrate growth milestones alongside performance achievements.
Build Development into Regular Interactions: Include growth-focused discussions in your regular meetings and conversations.
Coach Through Challenges: When people struggle, resist the urge to take over or reassign the work. Instead, coach them through the difficulty.
The Leadership Choice
Every leader faces a fundamental choice in their approach:
Will you focus primarily on what people can produce for you?
Or will you focus primarily on how you can develop people who produce?
The first approach may yield quick results but diminishing returns. The second requires more investment but creates expanding capabilities and sustainable success.
The choice you make will determine not only your results but also your legacy as a leader.
What has been your experience with production-focused versus development-focused leaders? How has it affected your growth and engagement?
For a full treatment of this topic see: Lead Develop Care by Terry Cook