Business schools face growing pressure to develop socially responsible and effective leaders, particularly among mid-career professionals. This study explores a reversed work-integrated learning (WIL) model, with a starting point in participants’ real-world leadership practices, integrating theory and continuous structured reflection. This contrasts with traditional WIL models that start with academic theory and rely on formal partnerships between academia and industry for work placements.

Drawing on five years of qualitative data from 99 participants in a master's level leadership program, the study explores how this contract-free, practice-first approach supports leadership development by leveraging participants' ongoing professional experience. The pedagogical design emphasizes contextualized, lifelong learning through continuous individual and peer reflection.

Reflexive thematic analysis reveals that the reversed WIL model effectively addresses leadership development gaps, enhances workplace impact, and offers a strong return on investment for individual participants and organizations. The study contributes a novel framework for leadership development education tailored to experienced professionals based on five key design principles: learner adaptation, contextualization, self-efficacy building, flexible structure, and peer-based learning.