Introducing “How We Lead”: Chainguard’s approach to developing the best managers

The way we work is changing fast, and the job of being a manager is changing with it. Research consistently shows that managers have an outsized impact on engagement, performance, and retention. A great manager can be the difference between someone doing the best work of their career or quietly burning out.

At Chainguard, we want employees to feel confident that they have room to grow and build meaningful careers. That starts with strong, intentional leadership. That’s why we created “How We Lead,” a leadership development program built by Chainguard’s people managers, for our people managers.

Building leadership early and building it together

Rather than adopting a generic, pre-built training program, we did what we do best: we built one ourselves. We partnered with a pilot group of Chainguard people managers, attended team meetings, tested various exercises, gathered feedback, and iterated on our approach.

The result is a curriculum anchored in Chainguard’s five leadership principles:

• Build Belonging: Create a culture where everyone feels seen, valued, and safe to speak up.

• Create Clarity: Help your team understand what matters, why it matters, and how their work connects to the bigger picture. 

• Foster Feedback: Make feedback a habit, not a surprise. Model it, invite it, and use it to build trust and improve the work (and each other).

• Grow Guardians: Actively invest in your team’s growth. Unlock potential through feedback, development, and career conversations that actually happen.

• Power Performance: Set high standards, and support your team in meeting them. Great leaders stretch, coach, and celebrate impact.

After the initial pilot, the goal was to scale the program to every people manager across the company.

How the program works in practice

How We Lead is a four-week program, with each week centered on one leadership principle. Executives from across the company join sessions to share how they apply these principles in their day-to-day work. And participants don’t just listen; they practice.

Each week, managers run structured activities with their own teams. Then, they come back together as a cohort to share what worked, what didn’t, and what they learned.

In Week Two, which focuses on the principle “Foster Feedback,” managers ask their teams—live, in a group setting—to share one thing the manager does well and one thing they could do better. These sessions are candid, constructive, and occasionally uncomfortable. Employees have affectionately nicknamed them “public roasts.”

Managers receive feedback openly, work with their teams to create action plans, and then share those insights with their cohort the following week. The result is a continuous loop of learning, experimentation, and improvement.

Early success and what we’re seeing so far

When we launched How We Lead in August 2024, we set an ambitious goal: train 90% of Chainguard people managers by the end of 2025. In just four months, we exceeded that goal. What started as a pilot quickly became a core part of how we develop leaders at Chainguard.

According to our latest engagement survey results in December, our leadership scores increased to 90% eSat (employee satisfaction). This means that 90% of Chainguardians have a strong experience with their managers. With particularly strong scores in feeling a sense of belonging, having a clear direction, and engaging in meaningful one-on-one conversations:

• 95% of employees reported that their manager regularly connects with them through effective one-on-ones

• 92% of employees reported that their manager creates a team environment where everyone belongs

• 91% of employees believe that their manager helps set a clear strategy to achieve their goals

Participants of the program have reported 94% favorability, with strong qualitative feedback from managers and their teams around clarity, trust, and feedback. Participants consistently point to the practical nature of the program as a differentiator:

“I loved getting really specific templates for activities, discussions, etc. It made things much more tangible and saved time by giving us a starting point.”

And just as importantly, managers value the space to reflect and learn together:

“The chance to actually practice the techniques being taught and the time to speak with fellow leaders about leadership.”

We will continue to track leadership scores, engagement data, and employee feedback as the program matures, enabling us to make improvements over time.

Investing in leadership by investing in our people

How We Lead reflects Chainguard's approach to growth. By investing early in our managers, we’re building a culture where people feel supported to do the best work of their careers.

As Chainguard scales, How We Lead will scale with us. We’ll continue to evolve the program, sharpen our standards, and redefine what great leadership looks like in a high-performing company.

Chainguard is hiring! View our open roles and apply to join the team: https://www.chainguard.dev/careers