Search

Leadership has been considered as an essential foundation for universities to flourish, more so in the context of emerging higher education systems. Using an exploratory qualitative approach, this paper reviews the challenges and prospects in the development of higher education leaders in selected countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). While variations were reported by the respondents, the challenges were somewhat similar: lack of leadership development policy and training centres, the non-availability and questionable quality of programmes, the irrelevance of western and corporate leadership theories, and the lack of systematic talent management programmes. For the lower income countries' respondents, contextual issues seemed to affect leadership development. Since there seems to be inadequate leadership development systems in most ASEAN countries, we propose a synergistic approach among stakeholders with tracked records in intra- and inter-regional level capacity building to design and monitor programme implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human service organizations can support leaders through training to become resilient, adaptive, and innovative during rapid complex changes. This qualitative descriptive exploratory research study reports findings on a leadership resilience training program using online evaluation surveys of 56 directors and managers in a large Canadian not-for-profit mental health/substance abuse agency. Thematic data analysis and descriptive statistics revealed positive training outcomes on four levels: satisfaction; knowledge/skills; work/team performance; and organizational resilience/sustainability. Leaders identified adaptive, resilient, and authentic leadership styles, clan/adhocracy organizational cultures, psychological safety and innovation, and organizational preparedness as important to successfully manage the pandemic and future extraordinary organizational challenges. Practice Points: Leaders' satisfaction with training structure/content was high; ensuring topic relevance, including small group discussions and team-building opportunities are valuable. Leaders' knowledge/skills improvements were very/mostly high; they learned coping and resilience strategies to build with their staff and nurture organizational sustainability. Anticipated positive impacts on work/team performance were extremely/very/mostly high, including change management abilities, supporting the goal of training transfer. Organizational resilience/sustainability was very/mostly high, with planned meeting restructuring, although intentional implementation of actionable steps is required. Leaders endorsed adaptive, resilient, and authentic leadership styles, clan, and adhocracy organizational cultures, psychological safety/innovation for organizational sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid the backdrop of the global pandemic and other complex societal and organizational challenges, the demand for proficient people management skills among managers and leaders has become increasingly urgent. The ensuing narrative offers an account of a leadership development initiative tailored for line managers and delivered amid the pandemic. This account focuses on a specific facet of the training - a series of online action learning sessions conducted between April 2021 and May 2022. The article commences by laying a contextual foundation for the project and profiling its participants. Subsequently, the paper delineates the precise action learning methodology adopted within the project, detailing its structuring and implementation. This is followed by the presentation of case studies featuring participants who engaged with the action learning process, delving into their training experiences and elucidating key outcomes pertaining to their learning, development and alterations in professional practice. Ultimately, the article culminates by reflecting on crucial findings and insights gleaned from the execution and assessment of the action learning initiative, thereby underscoring valuable recommendations for the future implementation of action learning in leadership development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation is an organizational learning process that demands a reflexive perspective to take on uncertainties and question deeply held assumptions, propelling leadership and organizational structures forward. Discussions on the relationships between innovation and reflexivity predominantly focus on individuals rather than considering it a shared capability within an organization. This study elucidates the impact of reflexive-learning-based leadership development on promoting collective reflexivity, navigating its implications for organizational leadership and structures in innovation. A reflexive-learning-based leadership development program is a set of collective actions comprising four fundamental steps: acknowledging problems, reassessing assumptions, thinking of alternatives, and developing new perspectives. This study demonstrates its effectiveness in developing collective reflexivity within an engineering organization by repurposing the After-Action Review (AAR) as reflexive learning training. The findings underscore reflexive learning, making leaders exhibit the traits of ambiguity tolerance and interdisciplinary knowledge that favor innovation. This research contributes to an academic framework, opening avenues for future investigations into organizational development from a reflexive perspective and providing a proven managerial practice to improvise an effective solution to overcome those uncertainties in real-world innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of leadership to creating supportive organizational cultures and positive team cultures for social work practice is well recognized. Yet, there are few opportunities provided for developing leadership behaviors among social workers. Jointly developed by a university and an improvement body, this paper examines the experiences of social workers participating in a post-qualifying leadership program that was aimed at developing participants’ leadership that is embedded in the principles of strengths-based practice. Employing a case study approach, the study presents findings from an end-of-program survey, semi-structured interviews, self-reflection forms, and focus groups. Following the Kirkpatrick evaluation framework as our analytical tool for data collection and analysis, our findings suggest that the design and delivery of the program provided theory informed opportunities for reflection, improving the knowledge, skills, and leadership behaviors of participants. By offering theoretical and practical opportunities for reflection, participants were more confident in claiming a leadership identity and recognizing how to reflect their social work values within their leadership. Greater emphasis in social work education and by professional bodies on the nature of social work leadership would further strengthen its legitimacy and contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the United States' first disability-specific leadership academy in state government, the Leadership Academy for Excellence in Disability Services is a year-long competency-based training experience designed for employees who manage programs that impact the lives of Tennesseans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The Tennessee Department of Human Resources, in collaboration with the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, began implementing this program in 2017. The lasting impact of such a training experience on the practices of state employees once they complete the program is not known; this was the aim of the study. A follow-up survey examining graduate perceptions and outcomes was sent to 71 graduates; 48 completed the measure. The results reveal an increase in knowledge of disability service systems and a perceived ability to lead and advocate for others. Leadership competencies deemed most important to graduates' current efforts in state government included developing direct reports, managing diversity, organizational agility, and innovation management. Graduates' written comments cited the variety of subject matter experts, networking opportunities, and small group projects as fundamental in breaking down barriers to cross-agency collaboration in their disability work. The impact of this experience continues to be seen years after completing the leadership academy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the effectiveness of leadership development (LD) in fostering paradoxical and authentic leader and leadership capabilities in hotel managers and hospitality management educators. Using a qualitative approach, the study evaluates how LD contributed to immediate and medium-term outcomes. The use of the Critical Incident Technique uncovered that the LD approaches enabled the growth in cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions, contributing to elevated individual and collective leadership capacity. The study expands the literature on paradoxical and authentic leadership and deepens the understanding of how LD can support the growth of authenticity and balanced decision-making in the visitor economy to drive organisational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While a wealth of conceptual literature attempts to describe the relationship between leadership and social work, there is a dearth of empirical research on teaching leadership skills to emerging social workers. This qualitative study focuses on the impact of using a community-based participatory project—photovoice—as a method to teach specialized community practice in graduate social work education. The study participants consist of masters of social work students at a Hispanic Serving Institution based in the southwestern region of the United States of America. The data sources of the study are reflection papers that students wrote after completing a photovoice project as part of the course requirement. We sought to understand what students learned from implementing and evaluating a photovoice project. Through inductive thematic analysis, findings show that students gained experiences with professional leadership and management skills. The team constructed two themes that capture the essence of what students learned: (i) navigating leadership qualities and (ii) deconstructing preconceptions of leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of this study is to map the temporal impact of a transformational leadership development intervention on leaders' awareness in the two public universities. Deans and heads from the two universities were involved in a six-week-long intervention. To study the short-term impact, an evaluation was conducted three months after the initial intervention with leaders of University A, and one year later, the next evaluation was conducted with leaders from University B to study the long-term impact. Semi-structured interviews and a case study method were adopted for data collection, and content analysis was carried out to identify indicators of awareness levels in leadership behaviours. Compared to the immediate post-intervention evaluation results, awareness levels decreased, but the results were still sufficiently robust compared to the baseline awareness levels measured in a control group. Implications and recommendations for future research will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this paper lies in our special interest in women leaders and those aspiring to leadership positions in schools and other educational contexts within Australia. Leadership is a gendered concept, and due to a myriad of factors including conscious and unconscious bias, and the challenges of balancing career with other life commitment, the reality is that women's career journeys are different from men's. Women's unique career trajectories have implications for achieving their leadership potential. In addition to reviewing some of the extant literature in the area of women in educational leadership, we share our experiences and reflections based on our research and the leadership development programmes we have run for women mainly in Australia. These programmes have reinforced to us their value, place, and contribution to enhancing women's capacities for leadership. In this paper, we address the following four key questions as they pertain to women leaders within the Australian context: (1) Why a focus on gender and leadership? (2) What are some of the barriers impeding women leaders? (3) Why is it important to have multiple faces of leadership? (4) Why is women's leadership development everyone's responsibility? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines potential negative human resource consequences of leadership development. Applying theoretical perspectives on job demands and resources, we argue that leadership development may result in potential negative outcomes by introducing new and different demands on workers, requiring adjustment and adaptation. We further argue that the pervasiveness of this risk increases as leadership training is distributed across an organisation. We examine the effects of the implementation of a leadership development programme across a whole organisation (N = 9471), analysing data on incidences of withdrawal (absenteeism) and conflict (formal grievances) over a four-year period. We analyse data using fixed-effects modelling, and our findings indicated that increases in the proportions of leaders undertaking development in nineteen service units of the organisation over this period predicted increases in absenteeism and grievances raised by staff. Implications for theory in leadership development, and the management of development initiatives are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relying on experiential learning theory and adopting the framework of the emotional intelligence leadership styles, this research analyses the effectiveness of a leadership development programme for graduate students in promoting a change in individual behaviours. A quasi-experimental research design was implemented to analyse the improvement in the adoption of leadership behaviours over time through self and external evaluation. Participants showed a higher frequency of adoption of visionary, coaching and affiliative leadership styles in relation to the pre-test and compared to the control group. In addition, this study explores the influence of the journaling and learning plan techniques on the development of leadership behaviours. Results show that both the definition of a learning plan encompassing individual change goals and the personal reflections on the practice of leadership behaviours influence leadership development. Moreover, engaging in both learning techniques creates a synergistic effect on leadership development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) aims to assist all young children and their families in meeting educational, developmental and behavioral outcomes to enhance their quality of life. However, in the United States (US), the field of ECEC lags behind in policies and practices to develop and sustain quality ECEC leadership. Although international initiatives in ECEC leadership have been growing, in the United States, effective leadership practices have been few, isolated and lacking rigor, resulting in a shortage of evidence-based policies and practices in ECEC. This theoretical paper discusses leadership development and system building in ECEC through an ecological framework elaborates on current issues in preparing effective leaders, and offers recommendations to develop a leadership structure for a high-quality ECEC system. The concepts underlying these recommendations can transform the current leadership situation and create well-integrated state and local coordination in leadership development and capacity building in ECEC in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an investigation of how Early Years leadership is conceptualised by frontline staff in the context of a social enterprise nursery group in London, England. Moving beyond academic splits in the conceptualisation of Early Years leadership, it considers how those in practice make sense of leadership in the complex and fragmented Early Years sector in England. A diverse sample of 18 staff members across four nurseries developed conceptualisations of Early Years leadership through reflective dialogue. Thematic analysis suggested the following four facets in their conceptualisations of leadership: 1) being hands-on, warm and non-hierarchical, 2) renewing passion through a culture of sharing, 3) committing to a strong sense of social purpose and 4) acting with optimism in difficult contexts. We argue that these themes respond directly to the difficult balance of pedagogical, business and social needs encountered in the Early Years sector. Our main contribution though is the emphasis on leadership as a dialogical construct made and re-made in context and the implications of this for practice-based leadership development in the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morale research over the past several years documents a crisis in the library profession and a 2021 report by Ithaka S + R reveals a confidence deficit in library administrators around work toward equity, diversity, inclusivity and belonging. The connections between belonging, resilience, and morale are strong and immediate action is required to address the crisis. This article posits that a strategic approach to leadership development, with a focus on coaching, is key to bridging the gap. Authentic and adaptive leadership models as supportive strategies are explored and a coaching approach to management is presented to launch readers into their next action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst ongoing calls for teaching improvement, there has been growing interest in the work of middle leaders in leading school-based curriculum and professional development. Research and policy initiatives have acknowledged that these leaders in schools are well placed to successfully drive educational change that leads to improved educational outcomes for students. This has led to an increase in development programmes for middle leaders, but there appears to be a distinctive disconnect between the research and theory that should inform these, initiatives. This article reports findings gathered from a questionnaire completed by almost 200 middle leaders from across Australia, conducted as part of a larger national mixed method research studying middle leader practices. The instrument was designed to investigate the practices of middle leaders who were responsible for leading school-based development, based on three domains of middle leading practices: leading and teaching, managing and facilitating, and communicating and collaborating. Multivariate analysis techniques were used to analyse the data, and there were statistically significant differences in the practices of middle leaders based on school type and their professional accreditation levels. Participant responses related to highlighted high administration workload potentially impacted ML practices related to leading teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of leadership models can leave practitioners confused about which model to use in guiding their leadership development initiatives. Although 'new' leadership models (e.g. authentic, ethical, and servant leadership) suggest theoretical differences, empirical research has shown considerable overlap among these models and longer standing ones such as transformational leadership. With extant literature questioning the added empirical value of these newer models, this paper aims to distil the best evidence about transformational leadership into a 'primer' that can help practitioners use evidence-led practices in their leadership development. To do so, we briefly review major leadership models, highlight evidence for empirical redundancy between new leadership models and transformational leadership, and discuss meta-analytic findings between transformational leadership and outcomes of leadership. Our review suggests that these newer leadership models add little incremental validity beyond transformational leadership in predicting various leadership outcomes. Moreover, transformational leadership demonstrates medium to large effect sizes on a range of individual, team, and organisational outcomes. Taken together, our findings suggest that organisations can benefit by focusing their resources on transformational leadership development, rather than on the latest leadership fad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication is at the heart of leadership and management. It is how we set expectations, provide feedback, and ensure that the work of the organizations we lead is in alignment with larger institutional or organizational priorities. Communication works at high levels through annual reports and goal setting, but it is also the backbone of day-to-day teamwork and conversation. During a crisis, particularly a prolonged one such as the COVID-19 pandemic, any breakdowns in communication will be magnified. When we are under stress, we tend to be more reactive than we would likely be during calmer times. Clear, calm, and regular communication is needed to assure staff that the boat will stay afloat in the storm. Transparency and authenticity are key to effective communication. Authentic leadership embodies the empathy, transparency, and focus on the long term that are needed to endure the uncertainty of a global health and economic crisis. This article explores aspects of authentic leadership as they relate to employee engagement and trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the department head is one of the most vital and challenging positions held within higher education. Due to lack of training, many department heads experience role strain and subsequent burnout. This leads to a high turnover rate for administrators at this level. Succession planning, realized through a strong mentoring program and support structures, is an essential element to the success of department heads, particularly regarding the unique challenges of those in kinesiology. The purpose of this paper is to discuss succession planning utilizing relational cultural theory (RCT) for training kinesiology department heads prior to assuming the role so that they can develop the relational and cultural skills to help them effectively lead their departments. Additionally, structural support in the form of strategic planning that includes leadership training and professional development is also discussed. One important strategy is the implementation of a robust mentoring program that begins before the individual becomes department head and continues throughout one's career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces neuroscience methods in HRD through a study that highlights the role of reflection in developing leaders. Despite increased attention on neuroscience discoveries and its methodologies in the social sciences, there is limited research among HRD scholars that incorporates neuroscience approaches. Relatedly, HRD practitioners and scholars often view reflection as a critical element for developing human resources and leaders. Yet, there is a dearth of research that focuses on the impact of reflection in the brain and the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms that support it. The purpose of this paper is to neurobiologically examine how individual or collective reflection impacts leaders' frontal lobe brain activities during challenging situations, incorporating electroencephalography (EEG) as a method. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the likely relevance of socio-cultural context, very few studies have examined the influence of cultural values on teachers' perceptions of gifted students' leadership development. This study chose three nations representing collectivistic to individualistic contexts and compared how 478 teachers from these countries (South Korea = 176, 36.8%, Australia = 169, 35.4%, U.S. = 133, 27.8%) differed in their beliefs about the prevalence and development of gifted students' leadership talent. Differences were found between the individualistic (Australia and the U.S.) and collectivistic (South Korea) settings in their beliefs regarding which students have leadership potential; their judgments about effective leadership styles and leader qualities; their perceptions of gifted students' qualifications as future leaders; and their preferred criteria for recommending students for a leadership education program. Although unable to identify causal relationships, this study nevertheless cautiously suggests that leadership and leaders are intertwined with culturally mediated values and practices. Future studies should continue examining these differences in cross-cultural comparative contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to describe junior military officers' leadership development experiences and to draw implications for leadership learning in their professional development. The research uses a systematic grounded theory design. Through in-depth interviews of 19 military officers, the data were coded and analyzed with a paradigm model that was developed to describe the development of military officers' experiences as leaders. The findings show that military leadership development is a process that is defined by the experiences of establishing oneself as a vocational leader, developing confidence in leadership skills, and leading with mission clarity and genuine concern for their "subordinates." The results reinforce the notion that leadership development is a continuous learning process beyond formal program and other transient events. Results also imply that fundamental assumptions for formal leadership development programs must be conceptualized and conceived as a process of "being, becoming, and belonging." This non-positivist empirical study answers the call for more qualitative and interpretive approaches in leadership development research and contribute to the body of knowledge of leadership learning in military leadership development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using validated and reliable psychometric instruments, 87 non-manager library employees were surveyed to determine the nature of the relationships between non-manager perceptions of authenticity and trust in two levels of leadership with self-rated engagement. The results provide insights about how non-managers perceive authenticity and trust in both direct managers and senior supervisors, and how those perceptions are related to self-ascribed employee engagement. While perceptions of trust and authenticity accounted for some of the variance found, undetermined variables may explain more of the variance in employee engagement. Recommendations for developing authentic leaders and engaging employees in a library setting are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The empirical research examining the effects of virtual mentoring and coaching (VMC) on principal leadership development is limited. Furthermore, little is known about school leaders who engage in virtual professional leadership learning communities (VPLCs) and how much school leaders grow with VPLCs who are also receiving VMC at the same time. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of VMC on school leaders' professional growth and to determine how school leaders perceived the effectiveness of the VMC while being engaged in VPLCs. The findings showed positive effects of VMC on school leaders' professional leadership development, and the younger practicing leaders tended to benefit more from the VPLCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership development in academia is generating a lot of interest due to its idiosyncrasies and complexities, as well as recent studies highlighting the neglect of systematic leadership development in academia. The purpose of this qualitative research study is to discover the subjective experiences of academic leaders enrolled in leadership development. Following a leadership development program and focus groups, the main finding is that the subjective experience of academics enrolled in leadership development is positive, leading to greater knowledge, self-awareness, self-reflection, and the development of emotional intelligence, leadership styles, and skills in building high performing teams. The subjective experience is shaped by leadership development through experience, communication, and interaction with other leaders in a community of learning. Practical and theoretical implications, together with recommendations, in this study are a source of useful information for higher education institutions recognising the need to nurture the core competency of leadership within their academic cadre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership by health professionals is key in any health system, but health leadership training programmes are varied in their conceptualisation, learning objectives, and design. This paper describes an undergraduate leadership and management module for health students at the University of Sierra Leone and provides lessons from the design process. Our methods included an initial scoping review and qualitative study, followed by a co-design process of 10 workshops and 17 consultation meetings. The result was a curriculum with learning outcomes emphasising leadership identity, proactiveness, management of people and of change, and the formation of peer relationships. Learning methods included group teaching, team quality improvement projects, mentoring, and reflective practice. Lessons from the design process included the importance of support from university leadership and extensive consultation. Virtual workshops enabled broader participation but limited relationship building. Integrating doctoral research into the process facilitated inclusion of evidence and theory but risked reducing ownership by faculty. The importance of interprofessionalism and management skills in leadership training emerged during the process, illustrating the effectiveness of a co-design approach. Our programme is broadly aligned with other health leadership frameworks and is distinctive due to its undergraduate focus, offering insights for leadership training design in other settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although leadership is consistently found to be the main success factor for lean transformations, our knowledge about how to develop the necessary leadership competences at the level of the individual and the organisation remains limited. Based on an action-research study of lean leadership development in a Norwegian high-tech manufacturer, this article proposes an integrated model for how to develop corporate lean leadership. The model combines earlier research on 'hard' versus 'soft' leadership competencies and individual versus collective competency development in a two-dimensional framework, which highlights four areas of intervention. We argue that conventional lean leadership training should be supplemented by insights and practices from human resource management and organisational development. Hence, lean professionals (coaches and trainers) should reach out to HR-professionals often organised in different functional departments. The model might guide future practical interventions. We encourage further research to investigate the model with respect to its wider applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This account of practice focusses on insights from the 'early days' of an action learning set within a leadership development programme in the English NHS. The account describes experiences of forming as a set as an important foundation for trust. Developing trust between set members enabled members to take more risks, sharing current and complex work and leadership challenges within the set. The structured space for thinking and reflection alongside people facing similar challenges brought learning and insights that led to taking new action on work issues. Included in this account are stories and reflections from set members and set facilitator on their experiences of trust, safety and trying new approaches to learning and leadership through action learning. This account will be of relevance to healthcare leaders that are participating in action learning, healthcare leadership developers involved in the delivery and facilitation of action learning and those considering including action learning as part of healthcare improvement programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes an initiative to promote gender equity across sport organizations in Western Canada. Twelve sport leaders and six mentors cultivated a Community of Practice (CoP) as a space to co-create solutions to existing problems, and advance gender equity in sport. Each sport leader implemented a project to promote sport participation for women, girls, and in other disadvantaged communities. Our study examines the results of these projects in terms of the impact on their sport organizations and participants, and the types of value that were created. Data were collected from the sport leaders, the program participants, and the sport leaders' supervisors, and analyzed inductively and deductively. This resulted in three main themes: increased equity; long-term investments and organizational buy-in; and increased confidence, comfort, and connection. The data highlights an increase in equity (i.e. sport opportunities for girls) and the creation of some types of value (i.e. strategic value). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present an examination of a game-based business simulation. We approach the simulation as a provocative technique and analyse it as a business simulacrum. Business simulacra are referential artifacts that partake in the coordination of business and economy. In the study, we shed light on how business simulacra affect actors' subjectivity. We suggest that Lyotard's writing provides hitherto underappreciated inspiration for addressing this issue. Lyotard offers a theorization and a vocabulary which centers the simulacrum's performativity in the space between the perceived and the perceiver. The analysis shows how the simulation designers have assembled the game by sourcing established business simulacra and translating them into easy-to-discern figures of business reality. The designers couple this translated business simulacrum with ludic elements and reflexivity techniques, aimed at making the learning subjects realize and articulate change management problems. With the sensitives provided by Lyotard, the paper discusses simulacra's potentials to provoke business reality in events that entangle business subjects' subconscious with figures of business reality sourced from popular business discourse. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the analysis for current debates on artificiality in business education, and business simulacra's performativity more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local leadership is increasingly recognised as essential to community-led development interventions. This exploratory qualitative study considers how such community leadership develops within rural Filipino communities. Informed by current definitions of community leadership, Leadership-as-Practice literature, and nine individuals' experiences, emerging themes denote practices of capacity development, personal change, and relationship building as most significant to community leadership development. These practices happen within the context of collective action, and activities related to the identification and critical analysis of shared challenges; accessing resources communities need to address their identified challenges; management of locally owned projects; and structuring of local groups into formal organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, serious games have been used in the development of hard skills, particularly in technical areas such as health, engineering, defence or the environment. However, they can also be applied in the assessment and development of soft skills, which are increasingly key competencies for an individual in the twenty-first century. In this sense, this study proposes the adoption of the FLIGBY serious game in a higher education institution to evaluate and develop students' skills in this field. The findings indicate a large correspondence between the soft skills fundamental to the twenty-first century and the assessment dimensions recorded by the game. Furthermore, the findings reveal that FLIGBY can be used primarily to develop skills in dimensions such as leadership, conflict management, diplomacy and emotional intelligence. These findings are relevant for higher education institutions that intend to include and foster the development of soft skills competencies in their curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mentoring programmes are popular within organizations as well as educational institutions. Research has shown that mentoring can be an effective tool for employee career development broadly; however, there has been a relatively small amount of research on the effectiveness of mentoring as a tool for leadership development specifically. This paper reviews the research on mentoring relationships, leadership development programmes, and the overlap of the two. Additionally, it provides a qualitative review of the three extant longitudinal intervention studies that have explicitly evaluated the impact of mentoring programmes for leadership development. The review shows that mentoring programmes are promising arenas for developing leadership capabilities for both mentees and mentors, but more evidence is needed to reach a definitive conclusion. The article concludes with recommendations for human resource development practitioners who would like to use mentoring for leadership development purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given social workers' role in developing programs to respond to social issues, it is important to offer examples on how to apply all steps of intervention research to ensure the development of evidence-informed interventions. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how one specific intervention research framework was applied in the development and refinement of an intervention aimed to foster youth compassion, leadership, and advocacy skills. Further, specific group work skills embedded in the design of the intervention will be shared as well as results from an initial pilot study completed to aid in the further refinement of the curriculum-guided group program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work seeks to understand how undergraduate students view development of their engineering and leadership identities. The construct of engineering identity is important because its development improves student retention in college and into industry. Similarly, developing leadership identity influences leadership interest and self-efficacy. Through data collected in twenty focus groups and coded using consensus techniques this study finds similarities and differences between the development of each identity. Similarities include the positive impact of authentic experiences and importance of both internal and external recognition, while the linear development of engineering presents a stark contrast with student views of how leadership develops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women are often overlooked for leadership coaching. Facilitated peer coaching (FPC) has emerged as cost-efficient and effective; however, lacks research in HSOs. We collected focus group and interview data from 30 racially diverse women and two women coaches in a human services leadership program on key benefits, effectiveness and challenges of FPC for learning application. Areas of greatest growth included individual mind-set and interpersonal behavior in organizational practices. Challenges included time restraints and powerlessness to shift organizational culture. HSOs can scale up leadership coaching for women by providing time, resources, support, and partnering with organizations for coaching across a network. Participants noted that the area of greatest growth for them from facilitated peer coaching was a shift in their mind-set, including boosted confidence in being a leader and advocating for themselves, becoming more self-aware and self-reflective about their perceptions of and behaviors toward others, and becoming stronger personally and professionally. Many participants described increased competence in and application of technical types of skills and some described teaching others to deepen organizational learning. Facilitated peer coaching helped women develop a deeper sense of connection with each other and a clearer understanding about the work other managers are engaged in and the common challenges they face. Peer coaching is most effective when participants share similar levels of power within their organization. A necessary step for human service managers is to provide women with leadership learning and coaching opportunities, whether individual or collective, in which knowledge, skills, and ideas can be collaboratively shared and supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnostic and dialogic organization development present two contrasting change practices that are frequently discussed in tandem. Yet, an increasing body of evidence shows they are co-applied in practice. For those involved in leadership of these practices, co-application means switching their engagement, such as commencing with a diagnostic analysis to determine the goals of change, then switching to dialogic processes to foster the emergence of new ways of working. However, theoretical descriptions of these two practices remain bifurcated and, as such, overlook leadership development approaches that help leaders switch between engagement styles. Addressing this problem, this paper explores a leadership development approach that focusses on mindsets. We propose six mindsets from psychology settings that are relevant for leadership of diagnostic and dialogic practices. A key contribution of this work is a new perspective on leadership development. Extending psychology-derived knowledge on how to activate mindsets provides leaders of change practices with a means to increase awareness of, and take control of, their mindset, helping them to adjust their engagement as change contexts dictate. This paper seeks to Make a Difference (MAD) by offering a practical means to develop change leaders. Far too often, change practice literature has studied successful leaders with the aim to identify what they do, while at the same time overlooking the mechanics that develop these same actions and behaviours. The paper addresses this oversight with a focus on mindsets. It puts forward a means for leaders to increase awareness of, and take control of, their activated mindset and, in doing so, align what they do to change leadership contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated psychological capital (PsyCap) as an antecedent of servant leadership. Findings show that PsyCap was a strong predictor of servant leadership, particularly in counseling students when compared to experienced counseling professionals. Suggestions to develop servant leadership in counseling students, counselors, counselor educators, and supervisors are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities in China have faced great challenges in the past decade, such as challenges driven by globalization and technological progress. This requires leaders to meet the challenge of change. Little has been written from the perspective of educational leadership in Chinese higher education institutions (HEIs). This study aims to explore academic members' perceptions of educational leadership and to explore factors contributing to the professional learning and growth of academic members in Chinese HEIs. Through a qualitative study, we explored the perceptions of 12 academic members from eight Chinese universities. The results provide us with a comprehensive conceptualized educational leadership, perceived effective educational leadership, and perceived need for capacity building. The results can be helpful to support sustainable professional development and also for administrators, universities, and policymakers in China in creating the environment and policies that facilitate the implementation of successful educational leadership experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although young leaders and entrepreneurs have become prevalent in the business and technology industries, academic libraries remain much more traditional. Library administrator job advertisements often require seven to ten years of library experience in progressively responsible roles as well as supervisory experience. This article shares the experiences of an early-career community college library administrator working with different generations, provides suggestions to become a manager through intentional leadership, and explores how managers learn to lead. Additionally, the author encourages community colleges to consider younger and/or newer librarians that bring a different perspective to addressing the critical issues facing community college libraries today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ongoing leadership development is essential for academic health center faculty members to respond to increasing environmental complexity. At the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, an 8-month program, based on Conger's leadership development approach emphasizing conceptual understanding, skill building, feedback and personal growth was offered to mid-level faculty charged with developing educational programs, clinical services, and/or research initiatives. We studied how specific learning methods catering to different learning approaches contributed to improving leadership competencies. Session and program evaluations, participant interviews, mentor surveys, and supervisor interviews were used for data collection. Themes were identified through open coding with use of constant comparative methods to help find patterns in the data. Readings and classroom modules provided a broadened, holistic understanding of leadership; role plays and action plans helped participants apply and practice leadership skills; self-assessments and feedback from peers and mentors provided specifics for focusing development efforts; and personal growth exercises provided opportunities to reflect and consider fresh perspectives. Anchoring learning methods around a real-time project led to improved leadership competencies and personal confidence as reported by participants, supervisors and mentors. A faculty leadership development program that integrates understanding, skill building, feedback and personal growth and connects multiple learning methods can provide the synergy to facilitate behavior change and organizational growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can youth become leaders in their communities' resilience efforts? The Lentes en Cambio Climático (LECC) filmmaking program aimed to empower students to investigate how a changing climate affects their lives and use their own findings to inspire local resilience. Secondary students in LECC created films that explore the experiences of community members and document local knowledge around climate topics relevant to their lives. A mixed-methods study measured the program impacts on students. Results from summer implementations in 2018 and 2019 suggest that participation in LECC increased students' awareness, confidence, and engagement around climate topics and their interest in contributing to community resilience efforts. Additionally, by leading community discussions during film screening events, students gained confidence in their leadership roles, and ability to share their expertise with parents and community members. These conversations appeared to both empower students and amplify their voices as advocates for change in their communities. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2021.1949570. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the predictive nature of high-quality early childhood programs on children's social and learning outcomes, effective leadership is critical to facilitate program improvement. Recognizing the need for cohesive conceptual frameworks that undergird research-based practice, a 5-year training institute for early childhood program directors was evaluated to assess training effectiveness. Moreover, we developed a model of early childhood leadership professional development grounded in our iterative analysis of data from this study and guided by theorybuilding methods. The findings show positive impacts on leaders' self-reported facilitation and implementation of developmentally appropriate strategies in positive discipline and prosocial skills in early care and education settings. The practice-to-theory training model developed provides a theoretically cohesive framework to guide the professional development of early childhood program leaders that repositions the theory/practice binary by helping leaders problematize issues of practice and infuse theory as necessary tools and pragmatic anchors for solving real-world problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess medical leadership competencies of physicians in India, to analyse the competency gaps, and suggest measures for medical leadership development. Methods: A survey questionnaire was developed to assess 30 medical leadership competencies at 'Self-assessed proficiency' levels (1 very poor to 5 very good), 'Perceived importance of competency' levels (1 not important to 5 very important) amongst physicians and perceived need for medical leadership development programmes (MLDPs) to which 540 doctors responded (54%). Findings: Majority (70%) self-assessed their competencies between 'Average to Good'. Self-assessed competency levels fell significantly short of the perceived importance of each of the competencies across all demographic variables. Thus, the study demonstrated existence of significant 'Medical leadership competency gap'. The competencies, which were consistently deficient were in the NHS-MLCF domains of Setting directions, Working with others, and Managing services, with the lowest rated competency being 'Knowledge of HR, procurement, financial and contracts management'. The variables, which were observed to have significant influence on competency levels included: Formal management training, Speciality and Duration of management/leadership experience. Majority (94.8%) of physicians indicated need for MLDPs at all levels. Conclusions: This is the first study from India highlights leadership competency gaps amongst physicians and confirms need for MLDPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article applies Walker's Global Leadership Development Ecosystem to the leadership development offered to and/or valued by (full) professors at UK universities. It draws on 1,282 survey responses and 42 one-hour interviews. The survey data indicate that approximately 39% of respondents felt adequately prepared for the role, on appointment, whereas 29% did not, with a further 28% feeling it 'to some extent'. Male (full) professors were statistically more likely than their female counterparts to say they felt adequately prepared. The qualitative data reveal a small amount of cognitive/formal learning (whose value was sometimes disputed), some experiential learning, very little humanist learning (which may reflect distinctive features of the academy) and widespread social learning (which was universally praised). Most participants thought preparation was important and that informal, self-initiated, self-directed and personalised learning opportunities (particularly coaching and mentoring) were more valuable than formal training courses. The article concludes by arguing that focusing on leadership development (as opposed to leader development) may help the professoriate avoid burn-out and achieve greater organisational development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers a rare ethnographic lens into a political training program's efforts to develop women's leadership communication as a public relations process. Drawing from participant observation, interviews, and documents, findings indicate the importance of developing a leadership mind-set and authentic leadership communication rooted in intersecting identities, tensions surrounding authentic relational communication and the importance of building cohort-based supportive communities for women leaders. By broadening the umbrella of who counts as women leaders in public relations, the study opens additional contexts (political training programs) and concepts (vulnerability) for the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investing in human capital, especially in leadership development programs, has become the focus of many corporations. However, due to a lack of proper training evaluation, many companies fail to measure the impact of the training. Through evaluation, companies can also identify part of the training which still lacks and subsequently improve it. This study sought to evaluate a leadership development program held by one of Indonesia's state-owned enterprise corporate universities, conducted on the behavior level of Kirkpatrick's training evaluation model. With 360-degree feedback complemented by in-depth interviews of selected participants, the study found that the participants improved their leadership competencies after the training. This study gives rise to a simple and straightforward method for evaluating a leadership program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines an adapted action learning approach to develop four social learning leaders. The Alberta Women in Sport Leadership Impact Program is a social learning intervention with the goals of supporting women in developing their leadership capabilities and increasing gender equity across sport. To support the facilitation of this initiative, four social learning leaders engaged in action learning to develop their leadership capabilities and facilitation skills. Considering facilitators' development experiences have not been extensively explored in the context of action learning and social learning working in combination, examining the implications of an action learning approach for women social learning leaders' development was warranted. We used an interpretive qualitative methodology to interview and observe the four social learning leaders to gain insight into their experiences building their facilitator capabilities and the implications of coupling an action learning and social learning approach for development. The participants discussed the importance of developing self-awareness, engaging with and embracing uncertainty, and building trusting relationships. The findings from this action learning focused initiative highlight the importance of social learning opportunities for women to create networks and spaces where they can safely feel vulnerable and subsequently develop their leadership capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing interest in social justice leadership and awareness of the need to include this focus in leadership preparation and development, little is understood of practices used to support such commitment. In this article, Bacchi's (2012a) Foucaldian approach is drawn from, to provide a specific means of critically analysing what problem(s) social justice leadership preparation/development is intended to address. Through critical reflexivity, the political dimensions of policy and practice are surfaced. Through this process, key influences of regimes of power are identified, within which leadership development programmes are situated. Considerations for leadership development and school practices foreground the identification of next steps for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The academic department is a key administrative unit in universities, and so heading, or chairing, a department is a key role. However, it is also known to be a challenging role and academics are often reluctant assume this position. Despite its importance, the head's role has not received sufficient academic attention and needs further exploration. Existing research tends to focus on how to be an effective head and overcome common challenges, but it tends to ignore the benefits of being a head. In this qualitative study, therefore, we deliberately asked former heads about the positive aspects of their experience. Participants identified a raft of benefits associated with the role; some were limited to their tenure as head while others were long-lasting. Explicitly identifying what is positive about the head's role may encourage faculty members to consider themselves as potential leaders, and be used to enhance programmes of leadership development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]