HDN Think Piece – Developing the Next Generation of Housing Leaders

Louise Graham-Smith explains what the sector needs to focus on in 2026

As we step into 2026, many colleagues across the housing sector will be reflecting on their career goals. Some will be preparing to take on their first leadership role, others will be aspiring to senior or strategic positions, and many will be looking to strengthen their leadership capability where they are. This is a positive place for the sector to be. If we want strong, resilient housing organisations in the future, we must invest now in developing and retaining our people.

However, recent evidence suggests there are significant challenges we need to address. The Global Leadership Forecast 2025 by Development Dimensions International (DDI), the longest-running global study of leadership, provides a clear insight into current and emerging leadership practice. The 2025 findings highlight worrying global trends, including declining trust in managers and reduced confidence in senior leaders compared with previous years.

The CIH Futures report, Voices of the Future: Building Tomorrow’s Housing Sector, brings these challenges closer to home. Drawing on the views of more than 900 young housing professionals across the UK, the report highlights a disconnect between the availability of training and real opportunities for progression. While development is widely offered, many colleagues feel that career progression remains out of reach. Over half of respondents said their organisation provides limited career support, while others spoke candidly about senior roles being held for long periods, with opportunities feeling scarce and progression often requiring a move elsewhere to advance.

These perceptions of limited progression are reinforced by workforce data. National Housing Federation figures show that young people remain significantly underrepresented at Executive and Board level across English housing associations. Having said this there some encouraging signs, including an increase in the proportion of executives aged 35–44 from 16% to 25% between 2021 and 2023, showing progress is being made within the sector so we must be doing something right.

An important dimension of the CIH Futures report is what it reveals about equality and diversity in leadership experiences. On a positive note, age-based discrimination was not widely reported. Many young professionals described supportive managers and colleagues who treated them as equals, shared knowledge openly, and actively encouraged new ideas. However, this is not a universal experience. While 63% of respondents said they had not been treated unfairly at work because of who they are, 30% said this had been their experience and more than one in five respondents had witnessed colleagues or residents being treated unfairly because of who they are. Although this represents a minority, it is a significant signal that discrimination is still being experienced or observed within the sector. Concerns about representation persist, particularly at Board level, where some participants felt that length of service is too often conflated with capability and potential, limiting opportunities for talented individuals to progress.

Improving current leadership could be the key to ensuring there is a succession plan of future leaders ready to steer the sector. In terms of what works, the DDI research is clear that leadership is strongest when organisations:

• Prioritise leaders’ interpersonal and relational skills
• Deliver high-quality, consistent leadership development
• Focus on employee wellbeing
• Support flexible and inclusive ways of working

The CIH report reinforces this by highlighting the critical role of supportive line managers. People progress best where managers are equipped, trusted and given the time to coach, mentor and provide consistent guidance. Crucially, senior leaders must role model this behaviour themselves rather than seeing leadership development as a function of HR teams.

The work of the Housing Diversity Network is critical in turning aspiration into practical opportunity. HDN’s Board Trainee Programme, for example, plays an important role in widening access to governance roles by supporting individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to gain first-hand Board experience. By pairing aspiring Board members with housing organisations willing to invest in future talent, the programme helps demystify governance, build confidence and capability, and create a more diverse pipeline of future Board members. Alongside this, HDN’s mentoring and coaching offer, and its staff development programmes, provide structured support at different stages of career progression, helping individuals to build confidence, capability and leadership readiness, while supporting organisations to develop more inclusive and representative leadership pathways.

But programmes alone are not enough. Real change happens when organisations:

• Take a deliberate, transparent approach to talent management and succession planning
• Challenge assumptions about what leadership and governance ‘look like’
• Create inclusive cultures where difference is valued and potential is recognised early
• Hold senior leaders and Boards accountable for developing diverse pipelines, not just diverse statements

Strong housing organisations of the future will be built by leaders who are developed, supported and empowered today and by systems that are fair, inclusive and open to talent in all its forms.

Over the coming year, I am looking forward to supporting colleagues as they progress in their careers, while continuing to invest in my own development. And it is equally important to say this: not everyone wants to lead, and that is absolutely valid. Our sector depends on passionate, committed people in every role, not just those with leadership titles.

If we can combine purposeful leadership development with a genuine commitment to equality and diversity, we will be far better placed to be part of a sector that thrives.