Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Succession Planning: Strategies for Identifying and Developing Future Leaders

Advancing leadership in medical radiation sciences: Incorporating systematic leadership education in pre-registration curricula

Deepening leadership identity development.

The millennium age of educational leadership opens a new perspective towards student leadership (Black et al., 2014). The idea of student leadership in the 21st century has risen (Adams & Velarde, 2018), the call for student leadership gaining in momentum, as various enhanced leadership models and trends are developed for students (Tan & Adams 2018; Tie, 2012). Scholars argue that students’ leadership development should be a priority to assist students to form a strong leadership identity at an early stage (Adams, Kamarudin, & Tan, 2018; Amirianzadeh, 2012; Keselman et al., 2015; Simonsen et al., 2014; Villarreal et al., 2018). There are still lingering doubts over the leadership competencies of student leaders. As leaders of tomorrow; it is imperative they grasp an understanding of the many leadership styles, know the leadership models and exposed to leadership development programs that enables them to increase their knowledge, competence, skills and capabilities as leaders. Student leadership development is now the responsibility of all members of the learning community (Dugan & Komives, 2007) and schools have a responsibility to prepare students to lead (Adams, Kamarudin, & Tan, 2018). However, there is little research regarding student leadership and leadership development models (Wisner, 2011). Astin’s (1977) decades of research on student leadership may have sparked initial discussions. Astin’s introduction of the Student Involvement Theory and subsequently developing three important models of student leadership; namely the College Impact Model, the Social Change Model, and the Transformative Leadership Model serves as a guide for other research on understanding student qualities and characteristics and the nature of the educational environment students experience (Astin, 1991), students’ leadership development (Astin et al., 1996), and to transform a campus to a leadership environment (Astin & Astin, 2000). Subsequently, the Student Leadership Challenge Model was developed by Kouzes and Posner (2003) highlighting common practices of exemplary student leadership and how they influence others “a desire to make something happen, to change the way things are, to create something that no one has ever created before” (p. 15). Amirianzadeh, Jaafari, Ghourchian and Jowkar (2010) combined both Astin’s et al (1996) and Kouzes and Posner (2003) work to develop the Student Leadership Competencies Model. The model looks at the effects of students’ involvement, environment, attitudes and behaviour as important variables in student leadership competencies development. A more contemporary theory of student leadership emerged in Amirianzadeh’s (2012) Hexagon Theory of Student Leadership. This theory was built upon empirical student leadership research over the past two decades. The theory advocates that student leadership develops from education, training and development through the individual himself and their social environment, thus this model enables the students to function within these dimensions as a leader. Interestingly, Bolman and Deal’s (1997) Four-Frame Model, one of the best-known theories of leadership and management (Bush, 2011) remains relatively unexplored in the area of student leadership (Tan & Adams, 2018). A notable observation is that most student leadership literature comes from the researchers’ perspective rather the student’s perspective (Dempster & Lizzio, 2007). While it’s important to understand the various models of student leadership as the development of leadership training and development programmes will enhance` students’ leadership effectiveness (Adams, 2018; Wisner, 2011), the true voices of the students are outweighed by the voices of researchers (Aminitehrani, 2017). This has become all the more apparent especially among students with disability where research on student leadership among students with disability is yet to be uncovered worldwide (Chapman, Ainscow, Miles, & West, 2011). While researchers come up with various models of student leadership and educators wax eloquently about the importance of developing student leaders, these remain theories until they are applied practically in leadership development programmes for students. There is a need for more research on student leadership, factors that inhibit its effectiveness and the challenges encountered, in order to develop leadership programs for students to have the added competencies that the 21st century demands.

In the contemporary context, the concept of leadership is well established as a significant object of management research and practice. It is among the most frequently used terms across various spheres of human activity, including business, politics, religion, and sports. Increasing attention is directed toward understanding the role of leadership in the lives of young individuals, particularly through the development of personal qualities and competencies. Leadership today is not exclusively associated with managerial positions; teachers, students, and active youth members may all demonstrate leadership qualities. Young people recognize that modern society demands adaptability to constantly changing conditions. Therefore, leadership development has become a key process for both individuals and youth organizations. It contributes to the formation of self-confidence, responsibility, initiative, and cooperation skills. The relevance of this topic is reinforced by the continuing academic debate concerning the multifaceted interpretations of leadership. Scientific literature highlights its decisive role in ensuring the effectiveness of individuals, teams, and organizations. Leadership is often incorrectly equated with authority or high-level positions (Šilingienė, 2011); however, in essence, it represents a personal and social development process that transcends formal hierarchies. Previous studies (Hartley, 2018; Chelsey, 2020) have predominantly focused on leadership among organizational managers, while youth leadership development has been explored mainly within school education. To date, no studies of this kind have been conducted in youth organizations in Klaipėda. Therefore, this research seeks to identify how leadership development is implemented and which methods are most effective, based on the experiences and perceptions of youth organization members. Research object – leadership development within youth organizations in Klaipėda. Research aim – to develop a youth leadership development model grounded in the experiences and opinions of Klaipėda youth organization members. Research methods. Theoretical analysis, synthesis, and comparison of scientific literature, as well as a quantitative written questionnaire survey. Collected data were processed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel software. Theoretical Insights. Leadership is conceptualized as a continuous and purposeful process of personal growth and influence. A central component of leadership is emotional intelligence — the capacity to understand and regulate one’s own emotions and to respond appropriately to the emotions of others. Emotionally intelligent leaders demonstrate empathy, collaboration, and motivation, which enable them to inspire and guide their teams effectively. Youth leadership development enhances young individuals’ ability to participate meaningfully in organizational and community life while fostering self-awareness, ethical decision-making, and communication competence. Transformational approaches — including experiential learning, critical reflection, coaching, and mentoring — are particularly effective, as they promote adaptability, creativity, and resilience in dynamic environments. Empirical Findings. Empirical data from Klaipėda youth organizations indicate that respondents most strongly associate leadership with personal growth (mean 4.00), followed by group activity and leader guidance (mean 3.89) and a process grounded in values and beliefs (mean 3.75). Participants emphasized the significance of emotional intelligence in effective leadership, particularly its role in adapting to complex and changing circumstances. The most frequently applied methods include conflict resolution training (mean 4.5), cooperation exercises (mean 3.4), and mentoring or coaching (mean 3.4). Respondents identified the most desirable development methods as leadership in diverse situations (mean 4.7), critical reflection (mean 4.6), network building (mean 4.5), emotional intelligence training (mean 4.3), and effective communication and motivation (means 4.2). The developed youth leadership development model integrates theoretical and empirical insights. It encompasses key dimensions such as leader identification, skills formation, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness. Implementation relies on structured educational interventions — leadership programs, critical thinking workshops, mentoring, and communication training — which together foster the comprehensive development of young leaders. In conclusion, leadership development is a dynamic, continuous process oriented toward personal and social growth, responsibility, and the ability to influence others positively. The findings demonstrate that Klaipėda’s youth organizations employ diverse leadership development methods that strengthen collaboration and initiative. The proposed model provides a structured framework aligning theoretical knowledge with practical experience, emphasizing self-expression, accountability, and civic engagement as essential elements of effective youth leadership.

Reviewed by: College Student Leadership Development by Valerie I. Sessa Paige Haber-Curran College Student Leadership Development Valerie I. Sessa New York, NY: Routledge, 2017, 213 pages, $49.95 (softcover) Informed by her research on college student leaders, Valerie I. Sessa focuses College Student Leadership Development on how students can learn leadership and develop as leaders. The book serves as a resource to college students, providing a learning model for intentionally guiding one's leadership development. In acknowledging that many skills-based models of leadership exist, Sessa aims to focus less on what one should learn (i.e., skills and behaviors) and more on how one can learn leadership. Sessa has a background in industrial and organizational psychology and has experience as a faculty member in academia, a research scientist and director at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), and an organizational consultant. The definition of leadership presented in the book, "accomplishment of three tasks: direction, alignment, and commitment" (p. xiv), is influenced by the CCL's approach to leadership. This definition allows for individuals, regardless of whether or not they hold a positional role, to participate in the tasks of leadership through developing direction and vision, working together through alignment, and committing to the vision by making it a priority. [End Page 255] The author bases this book on research she and her colleagues conducted on college student leaders (Sessa, Morgan, Kalenderli, & Hammand, 2014). In their study, Sessa et al. (2014) sought to extend research on the leadership competencies and skills learned by successful business executives, which was conducted by CCL researchers in the 1980s (Lindsey, Homes, & McCall, 1987), by replicating the study with college students. The study focused on key developmental events that college student leaders said they experienced and key learning lessons gained from these events. Such events included tackling challenging assignments, receiving mentorship, taking a leadership course, and engaging with peers. The first three chapters in the book set the foundation of learning and leadership for the rest of the book by introducing the reader to the concept of leadership and helping the reader connect with the topic, presenting key fundamentals about learning and specifically learning leadership. Sessa emphasizes four leadership learning outcomes: learning about oneself as a leader (i.e., leader identity); learning about different ways to think about leadership and leaders, learning key leader skills and competencies, and learning formal leadership knowledge (i.e., models, theories, language). The next five chapters are framed around the ReAChS model for leadership development, which includes the four components of reflection, assessment, challenge, and support. Sessa developed the model by integrating components of CCL's Assessment, Challenge, and Support Model of leadership development (McCauley, VanVelsor, & Ruderman, 2010) and a systems analysis organizational learning model that she and a colleague developed (London & Sessa, 2006). The ReAChS model is meant to be a tool for students to "take control of [their] leadership learning and development while in college and beyond" (p. 38) and includes four components. Reflection focuses on stepping back from an experience in order to examine it and make meaning of it. Assessment involves learning more about oneself including one's strengths, developmental needs, leadership effectiveness, motivation, self-efficacy for leadership, and personality or character traits. Challenges are described as "learning triggers" that are new experiences requiring skills or perspectives that haven not yet been used or developed. Support focuses on the network of people who can assist in one's learning process. The ReAChS chapters include a range of reflection prompts, exercises, self-assessment exercises, and other tools. These interactive components invite readers to make meaning of their experience, personalize the content, and consider how they can intentionally craft their leadership development journey. There are also many examples from student leaders and excerpts from Sessa et al.'s (2014) research. The book closes with a chapter on synthesizing and communicating one's leadership story. Sessa provides guidance on creating a leadership learning and development portfolio that includes many components such as accomplishment stories; verbiage about jobs, positions, experiences to highlight on a resume; and a personal statement on leadership. The hands-on and interactive exercises can help readers better understand their own leadership learning and effectively communicate...

Higher education (HE) in the changing context requires leadership training and development as a vital element for university governance and innovation. While there are several theoretical frameworks on leadership development, most of them are outcome evaluation‐oriented. Consequently, there is a lack of a leadership development model which emphasises both design process and expected outcomes. In addition to this, HE leadership development has been gradually transformed toward complexity and flexibility due to the volatile external environment of the 21st century. Thus, instead of having a development programme that simply focuses on individual skill enhancement, a comprehensive leadership development programme that equally fosters leaders' competencies (leader development) and develops collective leadership (leadership development) is increasingly utilised. Unfortunately, previous theoretical frameworks fail to take into consideration these new features. The main aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive theoretical model for academic leadership development (ALD) that promotes both leader development and leadership development. In the present study, 24 academic leaders, lecturers and researchers from five European and six Chinese HE institutions co‐designed the ALD model. The constructed model consists of four main dimensions: theoretical core, types of training and providers, training format and ultimate goals. The results contribute to developing, promoting and enhancing leadership development in academic settings.

Women in Anesthesiology Leadership: The Time is Now

Purpose – Organizations often fail to utilize managerial personnel effectively for leadership development and succession planning systems, and many execute these critical practices through separate human resource functions that shift the responsibility for leadership development away from line managers. The purpose of this article is to present a best practices model for optimal development of the leadership pipeline and a series of practical recommendations for organizations. Design/methodology/approach – A group of 30 CEOs and human resource executives across 15 best practice organizations were asked via semi-structured interviews to describe the content and delivery of their respective organizations’ leadership development and succession planning practices. Findings – Analysis of interview data indicated that best practice organizations effectively integrate leadership development and succession planning systems by fully utilizing managerial personnel in developing the organization’s mentor network, identifying and codifying high potential employees, developing high potentials via project-based learning experiences and manager-facilitated workshops, establishing a flexible and fluid succession planning process, creating organization-wide forums for exposing high potential employees to multiple stakeholders, and establishing a supportive organizational culture. Research limitations/implications – The interview data are drawn from a relatively small number of executives and from a single industry, which may limit the overall utility of the findings. Originality/value – This study offers needed empirical support for the value of integrating leadership development and succession planning practices through utilization of managerial personnel. Management development practitioners will benefit from assessing their respective organizations’ current practices vis-a-vis those discussed here, while scholars may utilize the best practices model for generating further research on the role of managerial personnel in talent management systems.

The Problem Arts-based leadership interventions have gained a foothold in the leadership development literature; however, few studies have investigated their effectiveness. These interventions include music, drama, art, and performance and are utilized to develop dimensions of leader mind-set. The Solution In this study, an arts-based intervention (leadership drawing exercise) is evaluated. Utilizing a quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test design, we evaluate the impact of an arts-based intervention on four dimensions of leader mind-set: emotional intelligence, leader identity, openness to experience, and feedback orientation. Leaders in the arts-based intervention showed significantly greater improvement in emotional intelligence, leader identity, and feedback orientation. The Stakeholders This article informs leadership development researchers, those making decisions about investment in leadership development and those who deliver leadership development. The article will be of interest to organizations that have to justify investment in leadership development.

A consistently effective and proven leadership development methodology has yet to be developed (Alvesson & Jonsson, 2016; Beer, Finnstrom, & Schrader, 2016; Rowland, 2016). Moreover, the variety of methodologies used for leadership development are numerous and the experiences that influence leadership development are vast (Allio, 2005; Guskey & Yoon, 2009; McCall, 2004; McCall, Lombardo, & Morrison, 1988). The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to discover the most salient methods of leadership development, the significant people, and life experiences that influenced the leadership development of seven organizational leaders. The question that guided this study was: How do leaders, who have been in a senior leadership role for at least 10 years, make-meaning of their leadership development experiences? The data gathered from this study lead to the development of the following significant themes: 1. Passion for one's industry or field is a prerequisite for leadership success; 2. Life experiences including those during childhood, enduring hardships and interacting with influential people are foundational experiences that fundamentally influence one's leadership development; and 3. Progressive work experience along with personal and leadership developmental activities significantly impact one's leadership development. An unexpected theme that emerged from the study was the lack of a leadership identity of five of the seven participants. These findings will contribute to the strategies and methods used by those who are developing leaders and by those who want to become leaders. Keywords: leadership development, leadership development methodology, leadership development and life experiences, leadership development and influential people, leadership development and hardships, leadership development and childhood, leadership development and work experience, leadership development and passion, leadership identity, lack of leadership identity, leadership development and CD theory

This article reports on outcomes from a study funded by the National College for School Leadership designed to explore the factors that assist in the leadership development of teachers at a number of stages of their career development. More specifically, the study sought to identify issues associated with leadership talent identification, development, succession and retention in contextually different primary and secondary schools in England. In the face of school leadership shortages in the United Kingdom and internationally, it has been suggested that leadership succession planning in individual schools can contribute to increasing the supply of successors as incumbent leaders leave their posts. Focus groups and a questionnaire were used to secure perceptions of heads, middle leaders and classroom teachers about leadership succession planning within their own schools. The study secures a better understanding of factors perceived either to aid or to hinder leadership succession planning across a sample of 70 schools. A variety of contextual, cultural and developmental influences on talent pool development and leadership succession planning are identified. The findings strongly indicate that a coherent and coordinated approach to leadership learning and development in individual schools, supported by incumbent senior leaders, is essential if succession planning is to be effective and the supply of able leaders entering the talent pool is to be increased.

Abstract
 Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the development and evaluation of leadership training and development programs.
 Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
 Findings: Leadership training programs in Uganda should be tailored to local needs, emphasizing experiential learning and ongoing support. Evaluations should consider both short-term outcomes and long-term impacts on organizational performance. Collaboration between stakeholders can improve program effectiveness.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Transformational leadership theory, adult learning theory & kirkpatrick's model of training evaluation may be used to anchor future studies on the development and evaluation of leadership training and development programs. Design training programs that emphasize experiential learning through simulations, case studies, and real-world projects. Advocate for organizational policies that prioritize investment in leadership development programs.

This paper presents a leadership development model that is designed to utilise the self-organising, self-managing, and self-regulating functions found in teams and small groups. This theoretical paper presents the Team Emergence Leadership Development and Evaluation Model as a new dynamic leadership development model designed to function in complex and non-predictive environments. Complexity theory, complexity leadership theory, and emergence were utilised to connect this theoretical model to leadership development, team cognition and learning, and knowledge management. This new theoretical model provides a new way of viewing leadership development, by incorporating naturally occurring team processes as a means of replicating the characteristics traditionally viewed as being related to leadership development. Emergent events occur through distributed leadership among various agents and are defined by levels of meaning, providing new knowledge to the agents, and allowing for the collective to move onto the next step towards goal attainment. Connecting leadership development competencies with the environmental factors is critical for successful leadership development programs. The methods and procedures within the evaluation plan and protocols should move beyond a reliance on competency development as confirmation of leadership development. Complexity theory can help to shed light on the formation of these connections while aiding other agents to become potential emerging leaders themselves.

Purpose The information in this paper covers the phenomenon of relational energy that is often overlooked in the development of leaders unlike is done with emotional intelligence (EI) and psychological safety. Design/methodology/approach An in-depth examination of relational energy is covered to demonstrate how it is an integral part of the relational triad with EI and psychological safety that form the core of human-centered leadership development that drives transformation of people from the inside out. Findings Examining the dimensions and mechanisms of relational energy alongside emotional intelligence and psychological safety completes the relational triad making leadership development more holistic, human-centered, and effective. Research limitations/implications While grounded in deep qualitative insight, a broader, cross-cultural, and exploration of relational energy would fully validate the relational triad’s impact on leadership across global industries. Practical implications For executives, practitioners, and strategists, embracing the relational triad offers a powerful blueprint for cultivating psychologically strong, emotionally intelligent, and energetically engaged leadership cultures that optimize sustainable human performance. Originality/value This study reframes leadership as a living system powered by the relational triad – relational energy, emotional intelligence, and psychological safety – offering an innovative framework for leadership theory, development, and practice.

This study aims to investigate how the integration of emotional intelligence and leadership development in education can contribute to achieving good governance and promoting sustainable development in Nigeria. The study employs qualitative research method in which analytic approach was used to review literature on emotional intelligence and its important, influence of emotional intelligence on leadership and sustainable development, the role emotional intelligent play on good governance, and how emotional intelligence can be used to nurture leadership development in Nigeria education system. Drawing from analysis of relevant literature, the author advocates the integration of emotional intelligence into the curriculum. It is believed that integration of emotional intelligence would equip educators and students with self-awareness, empathy, effective communication, and conflict resolution skills. This would empower future leaders to navigate complex social landscapes. This, in turn, would enable them to address societal issues with a greater understanding of the human dimensions involved. The researcher made further recommendations which include inter alia, that: The Nigerian government should prioritize the integration of emotional intelligence and leadership development programs among Educators. Educators should emphasize ethics, social responsibility, and sustainability across various subjects and cultivation of leadership skills among students. Furthermore, more trained Guidance Counsellors should be employed in the Nigerian educational sectors to cushion the effect of unwholesome development of emotional intelligence and enhancing good governance and sustainable development in Nigeria.