Leadership and management development
What leaders and managers actually need, how you develop it, and how you tell whether the development worked.
Level 5 People Management · 10 assessment criteria
Learning outcome 1
Understand the relevance of leadership and management and the knowledge, skills and behaviours required.
- AC1.1explain
Explain the external factors that drive the need for leadership and management within the organisation.
What that asks for: Make it clear how or why something works. Description is enough here — you are not being asked to judge it.
- AC1.2explain
Explain the meanings of leadership and management and the interdependent nature of their functions.
What that asks for: Make it clear how or why something works. Description is enough here — you are not being asked to judge it.
- AC1.3explain
Explain the contrasting styles and characteristics of leaders and managers.
What that asks for: Make it clear how or why something works. Description is enough here — you are not being asked to judge it.
- AC1.4compare
Compare the different knowledge, skills and behaviours required for leadership and management in organisations.
What that asks for: Set two or more things side by side. Similarities and differences, not one then the other.
Learning outcome 2
Understand a range of different learning and development initiatives in developing leaders and managers.
- AC2.1identify
Identify the role people professionals and learning development specialists have in supporting leadership and management development initiatives.
What that asks for: Name the specific ones that apply here. The lowest bar of any CIPD verb — but it still wants the actual items, not a description of the category.
- AC2.2evaluate
Evaluate a range of approaches that are available for effective leadership and management development.
What that asks for: Weigh it up and reach a judgement. Both sides, then a position — an answer with no verdict does not meet this.
- AC2.3discuss
Discuss why equality, diversity and inclusion should be an integral component of leadership and management development initiatives.
What that asks for: Set out more than one view and show how they relate. A one-sided answer is the usual miss.
Learning outcome 3
Understand the effectiveness of leadership and management development initiatives.
- AC3.1identify
Identify the range of stakeholders and the involvement they have in leadership and management development initiatives.
What that asks for: Name the specific ones that apply here. The lowest bar of any CIPD verb — but it still wants the actual items, not a description of the category.
- AC3.2evaluate
Evaluate the indicators of successful leadership and management development initiatives.
What that asks for: Weigh it up and reach a judgement. Both sides, then a position — an answer with no verdict does not meet this.
- AC3.3assess
Assess the impact and importance that leadership and management development initiatives have on organisational culture, strategy, reputation and performance.
What that asks for: Judge the significance or extent of something. Close to evaluate, but the emphasis is on how much it matters.
Learning outcomes and assessment criteria are quoted from the CIPD CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management qualification specification, version 2.6 (February 2026), © CIPD. MarkReady is not a CIPD approved centre and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the CIPD.
- 5CO01Organisational performance and culture in practice
- 5CO02Evidence-based practice
- 5CO03Professional behaviours and valuing people
- 5HR01Employment relationship management
- 5HR02Talent management and workforce planning
- 5HR03Reward for performance and contribution
- 5OS01Specialist employment law
- 5OS02Advances in digital learning and development
- 5OS03Learning and development essentials
- 5OS04People management in an international context
- 5OS05Equality, diversity and inclusion
- 5OS07Wellbeing at work
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