The article deals with leading role of managers in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of management in all spheres of social life. At the same time, the relevance is dictated by the need, in this regard, to study more deeply the factors of the formation and development of managerial potential, and, consequently, increase the efficiency of managerial activity and the success of a managerial career. The material for the analysis was the data obtained at the Faculty of Evaluation and Development of Managerial Human Resources of the Graduate School of Public Administration of Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration in the course of personal and professional diagnostics of managers of different government levels working in the state and non-state spheres. The questionnaire “Assessment of management potential”, developed at the Faculty, as well as the method for assessing the cognitive characteristics of management personnel were used by us as diagnostic tools. Cognitive characteristics have been identified that provide the greatest opportunities for the formation of cognitive characteristics (expert competence, persistence and dedication and strategic leadership). The dynamics of the relationship between cognitive characteristics and managerial leaders, depending on their position in the structure of the hierarchy, is shown in this article. It was found that cognitive characteristics make the greatest contribution to the formation of managerial potential among managers at the initial level of management, having a decisive influence on meta-competence, ensuring the performance of leadership functions and continuous self-improvement of the manager. At the same time, it was shown that the managers of the highest group have the influence of cognitive characteristics on managerial analytical potential, an increase in the ability for self-development and expert competence, an increase in the ability to compare, the ability to quality, and the total indicator for the identified cognitive characteristics. Increased creativity and flexibility of thinking leads to a decrease in the level of strategic leadership, willingness to work together, as well as competencies and self-management.