Self‐leadership: A meta‐analytic Review of Intervention Effects on Leaders’ Capacities

Abstract

Leadership interventions are increasingly popular, but their effects on self‐leadership of leaders are largely unknown. The objective of the current study was to evaluate benefits of leadership interventions on leaders’ self‐leadership capacities. The search encompassed studies published between 1986 and 2019. Included were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled before‐and‐after studies (CBA), before‐after studies without controls (BA), case studies, and qualitative longitudinal studies that examined potential effects of interventions on leaders' self‐leadership capacities. Primary outcomes attributable to self‐leadership theory and its strategies measured by validated instruments were extracted. A meta‐analysis was conducted for quantitative controlled studies with comparable primary outcomes. Eleven studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria, with a total of 571 participants in leadership positions. Eight quantitative studies, two RCT studies, four quasi‐experimental field studies with a pre‐post design (CBA), and two intervention case studies (BA), were included. Three qualitative studies evaluated a comparable form of leadership development. All studies showed positive but small to medium‐sized effects of leadership training on primary outcomes. Results of the review contribute to knowledge of the effectiveness of training for self‐leadership capacities of leaders and identified gaps where evidence remains limited. The findings tentatively suggest that leadership interventions could be beneficial for developing self‐leadership skills. Future studies should focus on content, frequency, and intensity of interventions. Mixed methods are strongly recommended.