Background The front‐line management role in services for people with intellectual disabilities remains rather under‐researched. The aim of this study was to examine the experiences of registered managers in services for adults with intellectual disability who exhibit challenging behaviour. Method Interviews, primarily focussed upon staff practice, were conducted with 19 managers of staffed group homes in SE England. Transcripts were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Results Five groups of themes emerged: monitoring staff performance, supporting new ways of working, shaping staff performance, influence of external and employing agencies, and importance of participants' personal values and experiences. Conclusion The themes identified contribute to a conceptual framework for thinking about front‐line management/practice leadership. The limitations, and potential implications, of the findings are discussed.