scholarly journals Systemic leadership development: impact on organizational effectiveness

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Douglas ◽  
Daisha Merritt ◽  
Robin Roberts ◽  
Daryl Watkins
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
Organizational Effectiveness ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Executive Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Development Program

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of leadership development programs on organizational outcomes and organizational effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach Using a grounded theory approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 executive leaders from aviation firms in Brazil with employees participating in a leadership development program. NVivo12 was used for coding and managing the data. Thematic analysis was performed to determine themes and categories. Findings The leadership development program was found to influence organizational level outcomes identified as themes of internal impact, external impact, skill development and capacity. The interviews also found that executive leaders perceived the leadership development program to impact organizational effectiveness. Connections to human capital, social capital and collective leadership were found as outcomes of the leadership development program contributing to organizational effectiveness. Research limitations/implications The findings are dependent upon the executive leaders’ interviews and are limited sample size. The protocol of subjective inter-coder reliability was followed supporting the credibility and dependability of the findings; however, researcher bias may still be present in qualitative studies. Generalizability outside of the Brazilian aviation context is cautioned until further studies in additional contexts and industries are completed. Practical implications The findings of this study support leadership development programs as impactful on organizational outcomes and effectiveness. Incorporating leadership development programs as part of human capital management strategies supports organizational effectiveness through increased collective leadership capacity, human capital development and social capital. Originality/value A large amount is known regarding the outcomes for individuals as a result of leadership development programs with less examination on the contribution to organizational level outcomes and organizational effectiveness. This study aids in bridging this gap.

Learning to lead from outsiders

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 1262-1271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Kotlyar ◽  
Julia Richardson ◽  
Len Karakowsky
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Peer Coaching ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Personal Coaching ◽  
Leadership Development Program ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose – An increasingly popular method of facilitating employee and leadership development is via a career community (Parker et al., 2004), where individuals self-organize to obtain career support. This study was driven by the following research question: how do external peer coaching groups – which are a form of career community – impact leadership development? The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a research study that examined one such career community focussed on providing peer coaching for managers in business organizations. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with participants who attended a leadership development program that was based on harnessing a career community for the purpose of peer coaching. The authors report the results of the study and its implications for leadership development programs. Design/methodology/approach – The authors chose a qualitative methodology to conduct this exploratory examination, where the authors conducted in-depth interviews with participants in a unique leadership development program which involved peer group coaching supplemented by one-on-one personal coaching. A key reason for adopting a qualitative methodology was that the authors were looking for a deeper understanding of interviewees’ perceptions and experiences regarding peer coaching. The first component of the leadership program involved eight peer coaching sessions over a 12-month period. Participants met in small, exclusive groups – typically in cohorts of seven to eight peers, but as many as 12 peers – every six weeks to discuss a variety of topics relevant to their jobs and stage of career and to provide each other with peer coaching and advice. Each group was comprised of people from different organizations. Sessions were led by a facilitator and lasted three hours each. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with 17 graduates of the program. The sample comprised 14 women and three men. Interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim and then analyzed using thematic analysis (King, 2004) to identify the key themes in interviewees’ experiences of the respective program. Findings – Thematic interpretation of participants’ responses yielded the following four major themes: first, the value of a learning community; second, the utility of a formal approach to peer coaching; third, the value of diversity and “externality”; and fourth, the value of an open learning environment (each fully described in the manuscript). The study revealed that external peer coaching and personal coaching deliver distinct types of value as part of a complete leadership development program. Research limitations/implications – This was a case study and specific to one leadership development program. Consequently, the authors cannot necessarily generalize the findings. Practical implications – The findings draw critical attention to the major contribution that learning communities can make toward leadership development. Although many leadership development programs assume that “leadership” is best learned from top leaders (e.g. Presidents and CEOs), organizations can acquire unique benefits by leveraging the concept of peer coaching, which can produce substantial results by having managers at the same organizational level learn from each other. In addition, the study underscores the potential value of external sources of peer coaching and leader development. Organizations may further maximize such benefits by sending their mid and senior-level managers to external peer coaching programs, which can deliver unique value in addition to any internal leadership development initiatives. Social implications – This study underscores the need to better bridge the gap between two literatures – careers and leadership development. Career scholars explore the activities involved in developing careers (e.g. career communities) and leadership development scholars explore activities involved in developing leaders. This study demonstrates the value of integrating knowledge from both these literatures to suggest that learning communities can impact leadership development in significant and positive ways. Originality/value – This study makes a novel contribution to the literature addressing leadership development. It draws attention to the use of career communities for leadership development – an issue which has largely been ignored. In addition, while much of the extant research has focussed on either academic or student participants, the study focussed on business professionals. Few studies have examined the use of peers from outside organizations to serve as coaches for leadership development.

Secondhand learning from graduates of leadership development programs

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 511-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen F. Goldman ◽  
Marilyn Wesner ◽  
Margaret M. Plack ◽  
Nisha N. Manikoth ◽  
Yolanda Haywood
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Training Transfer ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Development Program ◽  
Interview Methodology ◽  
Member Checks ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the impact leadership development program graduates had on their workgroup, the nature of that impact and how that impact occurred. Design/methodology/approach – This research was conducted at three sites using a qualitative interview methodology with thematic data analysis. Techniques to ensure trustworthiness included purposive sampling, triangulation of researchers, member checks and code checking. Findings – Analysis of the data revealed secondhand learning as specific changes in practices, behaviors and attitudes, transferred by program graduates to their peers and supervisors. The transfer of learning was described as both intentional and informal learning during episodes of varying duration, and occurred through a variety of dyadic and group interactions in a manner generally consistent with the 4I framework of organizational learning. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to medical educators. Recommendations for supervisors and organizations to maximize training transfer are identified. These suggestions advocate for actively encouraging graduates in departmental leadership and faculty development; focusing transfer on specific practices, behaviors and attitudes; and considering both short- and long-term outcomes. Originality/value – This paper makes an original contribution to the literature by describing the process of secondhand learning from leadership development program graduates. The paper also expands our understanding of the nuances in transfer methods and associated learning episodes in the context of an educational environment. Finally, the research illustrates how qualitative methods can be used to expose secondhand learning.

Collusion with denial: leadership development and its evaluation

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth King ◽  
Paul Nesbit
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Development Program ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate ways to gain deeper understanding of the evaluation challenge by reporting on insights about the impact of a leadership development program. It focusses on participants’ reflective post-course analysis of their learning, comparing this to a traditional evaluative analysis. Recently there has been a greater focus on programs to develop leaders who have the requisite cognitive and behavioral complexity to lead in challenging environments. However models for the evaluation of such programs often rely on methodologies that assume learning of specific skills rather than assessment of how well participants are able to cognitively and behaviorally adapt to uncertain and complex environments. Design/methodology/approach – The leadership development program was evaluated in two stages and the findings compared. Stage 1 elicited responses to the program using a traditional evaluation approach. Stage 2 involved 30 semi-structured interviews with the participants exploring the connections made between their development experience, work environment and approach to challenge. Findings – Evaluation approaches which focus on assessing reflection about personal learning provide greater detail on learning experience than traditional approaches to evaluation and can increase our understanding of the broader impact of leadership development programs. Current evaluation practices are mostly traditional despite dissatisfaction with outcomes. There are functional and financial benefits flowing from this practice suggesting collusion with denial between the suppliers and purchasers of leadership development and posing a question of causation. Originality/value – This study supports the use of qualitative evaluation techniques and in particular a focus on post-learning reflection to increase understanding of the impact of leadership development programs. The increased understanding provided by this type of evaluation can play a significant role in both the design of leader development programs and the creation of strategic alignment between business strategy, the purpose of leadership development interventions, learning objectives, program design and program evaluation.

Competencies development for women edupreneurs community – an integrated AHP-TOPSIS approach

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jitendra Kumar Dixit ◽  
Vivek Agrawal ◽  
Sucheta Agarwal ◽  
Shqipe Gerguri-Rashiti ◽  
Dina Sabry Said
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Initial Attempt ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Agility ◽  
Community Needs ◽  
Leadership Development Program ◽  
Topsis Approach

Purpose Education is the most promising and prominent domain for entrepreneurs who are willing to infuse innovation and creation to initiate the change in existing educational practices. These changing agents are known as edupreneurs. Educational domain generates an opportunity for women entrepreneurs to balance work and life, both. However, women edupreneurs community needs to enhance their competencies and capacities to handle diverse issues and challenges posed by stakeholders. This paper aims to explore competencies helpful in designing a customized leadership development program, especially for women edupreneurs community. Design/methodology/approach From the extensive literature, a number of competencies for women's edupreneurs were found and 12 competencies were selected in this study after experts’ opinions. These competencies were analyzed by an integrated analytical hierarchy process (AHP)-TOPSIS approach. Findings The study has extracted competencies (visionary, delegative, inquisitive, learning agility, cognitive ability, self-reflection, tolerance, decisive, self-development, receptive to feedback, building partnership networks and save face) to be included in leadership development program specially designed for women edupreneurs community engage in operating child care, pre-school, primary-elementary schools and secondary-high schools, addressing the problems and issues related to students and parents community. Practical implications Future leadership development programs designed for women edupreneurs can include these competencies and trainers, educators and policymakers can follow the suggested structure for execution purpose. Originality/value This study is an initial attempt to set a benchmark for improving competencies of women edupreneurs.

Team characteristics and leadership training participation

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 135-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Solansky ◽  
Derrick McIver
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Development Program ◽  
Team Characteristics ◽  
And Training

Purpose By relying on social learning theory, the authors aim to evaluate how team characteristics as evaluated by a team coach impact participation in leadership development program activities. Specifically, the authors hypothesize that teams with high levels of competence and social support would participate more team and program-wide training activities. Design/methodology/approach The authors examine 41 teams (266 participants) in a leadership development program and develop a two-by-two matrix to categorize teams based on their underlying characteristics for the purpose of identifying participation differences. Findings The mixed results indicate how team social support is a key driver for participation in team activities and how team competence is associated with less participation in program-wide activities in a leadership development program. Practical implications The results point to the importance of team characteristics when using teams for education and training programs such as leadership development programs. Team characteristics such as team competence and team social support should be considered when building teams and for team facilitation needs during education and training programs that implore teams to enhance learning. Originality/value Although the use of teams as an organizing strategy is popular, very little research has examined the effectiveness of this strategy by taking a deeper look at team characteristics and how these impact participation in a leadership development program.

Leading Organizational Change: Improved Leadership Behaviors Among Public Health Leaders After Receiving Multirater Feedback and Coaching

2021 ◽  
pp. 216507992110017
Author(s):  
Crystal Spears-Jones ◽  
Ranell Myles ◽  
Tichelle Porch ◽  
Stephanie Parris ◽  
Michelle Ivy-Knudsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Organizational Change ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Leadership Coaching ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Leading Change ◽  
Multirater Feedback ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Leadership Development Program

Background: Leading Change is one of five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) used in developing leaders in the federal government. Leadership development programs that incorporate multirater feedback and executive coaching are valuable in developing competencies to lead change. Methods: We examined the extent by which coaching influenced Leading Change competencies and identified effective tools and resources used to enhance the leadership capacity of first- and midlevel leaders at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Tuberculosis Prevention. Data included qualitative data collected via semi-structured interviews that focused on leadership changes made by leaders in the Coaching and Leadership Initiative (CaLI), a leadership development program for Team Leads and Branch Chiefs. Findings: Ninety-six participants completed leadership coaching; 94 (98%) of whom completed one or more interviews. Of those 94 respondents, 74 (79%) reported improvements in their ability to lead change in 3 of 4 leading change competencies: creativity and innovation, flexibility, and resilience. All respondents indicated tools and resources that were effective in leading change: 49 (52%) participated in instructor-led activities during their CaLI experience; 33 (35%) experiential activities; 94 (100%) developmental relationships, assessment, and feedback; and 25 (27%) self-development. Conclusions/Application to Practice: First- and midlevel leaders in a public health agency benefitted from using leadership coaching in developing competencies to lead organizational change. Leadership development programs might benefit from examining Leading Change competencies and including instructor-led and experiential activities as an additional component of a comprehensive leadership development program.

Identifying high potentials early: case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 684-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Kotlyar
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
University Students ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Potential ◽  
High Potentials ◽  
Early Case ◽  
Leadership Development Program

Purpose Driven by a shortage of leadership capacity, companies are seeking to identify leadership talent earlier. Some companies are introducing programs to identify leadership potential among university students and then hire “high potentials” directly into management designate roles. The purpose of this paper is to explore one such early-stage leadership development program. Currently, little information is available about these initiatives. Design/methodology/approach Case study based on interviews with 18 managers and director of HR and archival employee records. Findings This case study provides a detailed description of an early-stage leadership identification and development program. This program has been developed to identify leadership talent among senior university students prior to hiring and onboarding, provide support, training and development and fast-track them into leadership positions. The study provides insight into the challenges and effectiveness of an early-stage leadership program and offers some practical implications. Originality/value To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to document a leadership development program that identifies “high potentials” among university students for the purpose of developing them into company leaders.

Leadership development strategy: the missing links

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shilpa Kabra Maheshwari ◽  
Jaya Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Development Strategy ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Competitive Growth ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Business Complexity ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Current volatile environments, business complexity, and leadership gaps are compelling organizations to deploy effective leadership development strategies. Fueled by competitive growth and people challenges, efforts continue to scale up but fail to create the desired leaders. This paper aims to address the missing links and calls for new ways of deploying leadership development strategy. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data on experiential feedback have been collected from participants and stakeholders of leadership development programs in Indian organizations. Findings An integrated six-step approach to leadership development has been proposed for scholars and practitioners. Practical implications From the practitioner’s perspective, this study contributes to the field of leadership development by challenging the relevance of current approaches. It also adds to the scholarly literature on leadership development in the context of the organization and the individual. Originality/value Current studies in the area of leadership development in the Indian context are scarce.

Leadership self-efficacy: review and leader development implications

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (8) ◽  
pp. 637-650
Author(s):  
Laura Paglis Dwyer
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Cognitive Modeling ◽  
Group Performance ◽  
Leader Effectiveness ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper, on self-efficacy and leadership, has two objectives. First, it comprehensively reviews approximately 25 years of research on leadership self-efficacy (LSE), beginning with LSE measurement and related criticisms. Findings concerning LSE’s relationships with leader effectiveness criteria, as well as individual and contextual influences on LSE, are presented. Second, it examines the evidence on efficacy enhancement interventions and offers some preliminary recommendations for increasing LSE through leadership development programs. Design/methodology/approach The author conducted a comprehensive literature review of the existing research on LSE, covering the main contributors to this research stream and their findings. Findings The review revealed substantial diversity in LSE construct development and measurement approaches. Regarding LSE and leader effectiveness, many studies reported positive relationships with potential, performance and behavioral ratings of leaders. Collective (team) efficacy has emerged as a significant mediator between LSE and group performance. Influences on LSE include several of the Big Five personality traits, while contextual antecedents are under-researched, and potentially fruitful areas for further study. Executive coaching and mentoring, as well as cognitive modeling techniques and training in constructive thought patterns, received support for enhancing LSE in developing leaders. Originality/value This paper’s review and implications should be of substantial value to current and future LSE researchers, as it summarizes past research, synthesizes the findings to draw out common themes and consistent, corroborated findings, and identifies opportunities for future research. For practitioners, the reviewed research on interventions for increasing LSE through leadership development programs provides practical guidance.

Challenges facing Islamic Azad University academic leaders in managerial positions

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 694-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Hamidifar
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Academic Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Positions ◽  
High Level

Purpose – Over the past three decades, academic leaders at Islamic Azad University (IAU) have been facing different challenges for the success of the institutions. The purpose of this paper is to identify the challenges confronting IAU academic leaders in managerial positions. Design/methodology/approach – In this qualitative study, questionnaires containing open-ended questions were sent to academic leaders in managerial positions at IAU branches in Iran and the collected data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings – The results revealed that the main challenges were categorized into two themes: internal and external environmental factors. Internal challenges were sub-categorized into administration and managerial affairs, financial issues, organizational culture, and students’ affairs. External challenges were sub-categorized into political, economic, social, and technological factors, and international and national competitions. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited to Iran and IAU academic leaders who worked mainly in high-level and middle-level of managerial positions; therefore, the results cannot be generalized. The key implications are related to applying continuous professional growth through collaborative and qualified development programs. The implications could be appropriate for other higher education institutions in Iran. Originality/value – This is the first attempt to study the challenges confronting IAU academic leaders in Iran. The findings can help IAU academic leaders plan the most appropriate framework for professional academic leadership development programs.

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