Leadership Look Research Articles

Understanding Leadership from the Inside: Using Ethnographic Methods to Examine How the Interplay between Leaders, Followers, and Group Context Shapes Leadership Outcomes.

This paper outlines a novel method for leadership researchers and practitioners to understand how and why effective and ineffective leadership look different in different groups. Leadership is a complex and contextually dependent process influenced by the interplay between leaders, followers, the group, and their environment. The social identity approach to leadership describes how a group's identity shapes the ways in which people can lead effectively. It also implies that (in)effective leadership looks different across diverse groups and teams. Accordingly, it follows that there is no single correct way to lead. To explore these ideas, we propose ethnographic methods, where researchers and practitioners immerse themselves in a group environment, as a novel type of method for examining leadership in action. We suggest the social identity approach as a framework to help guide researchers' data collection and sense-making of leadership behaviours. Additionally, we explain that ethnographic data can be represented well through creative non-fiction stories that capture the context surrounding leadership behaviours. These stories could support leadership consultancy and development programs to demonstrate the complex interplay between leaders, followers, and the group context.

What Cross-Silo Leadership Looks Like

This article discusses the concept of cross-silo leadership and key practices for breaking down organizational silos. It argues that as organizational structures have become more complex, traditional vertical leadership has given way to more collaborative cross-functional approaches. The abstract outlines key points from the article, including how cross-silo leaders cultivate collaboration through establishing shared goals, fostering interdependence, and facilitating social bonds. It also discusses how they enhance communication using multiple channels, promote transparency, and engage in active listening. Leaders must also develop a "networked mindset" through valuing relationships over silos, thinking systematically, and embracing ambiguity. The article presents strategies for cross-silo leadership such as redesigning structures, rotating staff, empowering failures at interfaces, and modeling collaboration. Overall, it positions cross-silo leadership as critical for driving effectiveness in networked environments by dissolving barriers between groups.

Time to move over, micromanagement – what good nurse leadership looks like

Time to move over, micromanagement – what good nurse leadership looks like

Protecting digital rights of India: planning for succession at Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF)

Learning outcomes The learning objectives of this case study are based on Bloom’s taxonomy. Upon completion of the case study discussion and exercises, successful students will be able to design a leadership transition and succession plan for non-profit organisations; identify and evaluate critical skills and competencies required in leadership positions; and frame expectations and responsibilities for new and departing executives. Case overview/synopsis Apar Gupta co-founded Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), a digital rights organisation born out of SaveTheInternet – Net Neutrality movement of 2015, credited for urging the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to uphold net neutrality in India. And ban zero-cost internet services that promoted data discrimination in the country. After working on and winning the net neutrality movement, Gupta identified many areas in technology where democratic rights had not been identified or were yet to be clearly defined (like in the case of net neutrality). There was also a service gap between the existing internet volunteer groups and digital rights organisations, which could IFF fill. This was to provide objective clarity, stakeholder identification, handle policy discussions and, most importantly, arrange resources to support movements over the long term. This prompted him to co-found IFF in 2017, which he later joined as a full-time executive director in 2018. IFF worked at the intersection of technology, democratic rights and government policies and was comparable to some global organisations, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation in the USA and the Open Rights Group in the UK. Still, none existed in India at the time. After four years as a full-time executive director in 2022, he was convinced that it was finally time for him to act on the pre-defined strategic departure plan and work towards succession for the executive director position. While there were visible gaps in the system, Gupta’s leadership design and plans had helped IFF overcome existential challenges in the past. Also, while digital rights were still at a nascent stage in emerging economies, under Gupta’s leadership, IFF had delivered unmatched value to its beneficiaries in the world’s biggest digital consumer market. However, constant changes in regulations and continuing financial constraints made him nervous about the outcomes of the succession and the overall sustainability of IFF. Gupta wanted to ensure that this phased transition from executive director after two years and then trustee manager after the next four years are carefully communicated to reduce the likelihood of attrition and loss of trust. Being the co-founder and the first and only executive director IFF had seen, the organisation would also require significant skill and competency mapping to identify the new executive leadership. But with no clear internal successor in sight, the non-profit trust would also need a successor who not only was competent but also would share a passion for the type of work done by IFF, its unique delivery mode, and also would openly inherit its position in society. The other alternative strategic routes present were to look for dual leadership or interim leadership, but then there could be concerns about Gupta’s influence overshadowing any such alternative. In the case scenario, IFF is planning for succession while navigating the organisation through financial constraints and constant regulatory changes to ensure long- and short-term sustainability. Complexity academic level The case study has been written to gain insights into departure-defined successive planning in non-profit organisations. The case study can also be used to gain insights into innovative start-ups and innovative non-profit start-ups, as digital rights are still at nascent stages in emerging markets. The case study will be valuable for courses such as human resource management, strategic human resource management, social entrepreneurial leadership, leadership development, start-up environment, innovation and entrepreneurship, public policy, development studies, cyber security and information technology. The case study also allows students and young professionals to take the perspective of an innovative start-up founder and design a departure-defined succession plan. The case study can also be useful for senior students wanting to undertake an entrepreneurial career by starting or joining a non-profit organisation. While the case study is suitable for postgraduate- and executive-level courses, it can also be used for conducting entrepreneurial workshops and skill training. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Inclusive leadership in hospitality: a driver of social inclusion?

PurposeThe importance of inclusive leadership has been recognized by scholars and practitioners alike. However, the ways in which inclusive leadership can be achieved and implemented in hospitality seem to be unclear. In order to answer how inclusive leadership can be put into practice in hospitality, this paper explores (1) employees' and managers' perceptions of inclusion and (2) diversity practices in hotel organizations.Design/methodology/approachBy espousing a qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews with management representatives, as well as local and foreign employees of 4- and 5-star hotel organizations, were utilized in order to identify what inclusive leadership looks like in theory and in practice. Data were analyzed via thematic analysis and the utilization of the NVivo software.FindingsFindings suggest that an inclusive leader should be caring and respectful, pursue fair treatment, support employee development, express employee appreciation and recognize their role in social inclusion more widely.Originality/valueThis original work reduces the research-practice gap in the field of diversity management by providing succinct recommendations to hospitality managers in the form of an adaptable best practice framework. The diagrammatic framework includes the values related to inclusive leadership as they emerged, as well as the practices through which each theme could be enacted.

Sustaining data use professional learning communities in schools: The role of leadership practices

Sustaining professional learning communities (PLCs) focused on data use is a challenge for schools. Sustainability is achieved by making the PLC’s core components evident in schools’ organizational routines. Leadership can support sustainability according to literature, but it is unclear what leadership for sustainability looks like in practice. We therefore investigated what sustainable data use PLCs and leadership look like in three secondary schools, and explored how leadership influences sustainable data use PLCs. A mixed methods design (observations, social network questionnaire, school documents) was used to gain in-depth insight. The findings show that sustainability is difficult to achieve at both the ostensive and performative level. The schools differed in the form of sustainability they achieved. A broad set of leadership practices (e.g., organize meetings, participate actively in PLC, know content and procedure) were carried out in interplay by both formal and informal leaders.

“There wasn’t a guidebook for this”: caring leadership during crisis

IntroductionIn this study, we seek to add to the descriptive literature on caring leadership through an examination of the work principals did to guide school communities through the COVID-19 pandemic. In this time, one essential role they played was as caretaker for all; not simply deciding, advising, or providing resources but responding with advocacy and compassion. Even so, they simultaneously had to consider traditional instructional leadership expectations including teacher observation and supervision as well as student evaluation.MethodsThis study examines the acts and expressions of caring leadership. Our research responds to one overarching question: What does caring leadership look like in action? Through close examination of 17 elementary principals’ recollections of work during the school closures of 2020, this study highlights the elements of their decisions and choices that embodied caring leadership as well as demonstrates how these moves both incorporated and exceeded traditional leadership work.ResultsOur findings highlight the centrality of caring leadership not merely as part of leaders’ work, but as the actual work itself. We extend a presumed tautology of caring leadership to explicate the discrete tasks undertaken by caring leaders to sustain the work of schools.DiscussionResearch on leadership practices frequently emphasizes professional work as relational and interactive to achieve instructional goals without acknowledging that much of the contemporary leadership work both centers on and draws strength from mutual, authentic caring for others to accomplish work. Thus, this investigation enhances research on leadership in education to recognize the caring work that principals perform and the value they ascribe to caring.

Embracing whistleblowing for enhanced firm self-regulation

Whistleblowing is extraordinarily controversial because its occurrence is often reflective of fundamental failures in organizational governance, making leadership look bad. I argue that this perspective is shortsighted; rather, whistleblowing is a critical self-regulatory mechanism that, when properly actualized, protects asset value. I build on new research exploring a whistleblower orientation and integrate it with existing research on internal whistleblowing programs and whistleblowing cultures. Against this background, I present a novel, three-tier integrated program focused on promoting, supporting, and protecting a specific group of value-driven, highly moral—herein termed offended—whistleblowers to enhance firm self-regulation against fraud, sexual harassment, toxic cultures, and other malfeasances that occur both within firms and by their own actions. Whereas previous research has focused on organizational responses to whistleblowing, central to this program is identifying, nurturing, and supporting an idiosyncratic whistleblower orientation within key employees for a firm’s own protection. The implication is that owners and managers can harness the power of whistleblowing, thereby protecting their firms, with less risk of individuals taking their grievances outside, where they could instead harm firms.

Kepemimpinan Ideal dalam Perspektif Pendidikan Islam

Being a leader will be held accountable, at least that is to lead himself or to lead others. Does not discriminate between race, ethnicity, nation, or class. The word leader in the perspective of Islamic education has several words, namely khilafah and imam. Khilafah which means successor, heir, who is in front, followed in his footsteps both in words and deeds. While the word priest is defined as a husband and is also exemplified by the prophet Abraham as a leader for his people. Who commands in virtue and helps those who are weak as Allah has taught his people. In writing this article using the method of literature study approach. This approach is taken in collecting data from articles, journals, and others related to the theme of this article. Of course to know what ideal leadership looks like in the perspective of Islamic education as a reference.

Leading Change in Communities Experiencing Economic Transition: Place Leadership, Expectations, and Industry Closure

ABSTRACT This paper considers the nature, origins and expression of place leadership in communities undergoing large-scale economic transformation. It examines where people look for leadership in the management of the places where they live, and how their perspectives are affected by an adverse event. It documents community attitudes on the influence those who occupy positions of authority have been able to exert on this transition, drawing on perceptions from places affected by the shutdown of the Australian automotive industry in the second decade of the twenty-first century. It seeks to understand which individuals and roles were seen to be influential in leading this process of change. This article gains insights into how leaders have an impact, and where this ability to effect change comes from. It does so with reference to the structural conditions embedded within Australian political life and the way leadership finds expression in periods of uncertainty and transformation. The paper finds communities are acutely aware of where the power to lead change resides, but concerns with the efficacy of that leadership have contributed to discontent. A greater focus on further empowering local leadership while delivering on long term expectations would have resulted in more positive perceptions. MAD statement This paper answers the question, how can local leaders manage large-scale, disruptive change such as the closure of a major employer or the shutdown of an entire industry? The paper makes clear that different types of leaders need to respond in varied ways, depending on their source of authority, their degree of connection to the affected community and the nature of the shock experienced by the local economy. Senior government leaders need to map out and deliver a roadmap for economic recovery, social service providers need to be responsive to local needs and those leaders living in the community must continue to strengthen social networks.

Whiteness in leadership theorizing: A critical analysis of race in Bass’ transformational leadership theory

Leadership theorizing is largely constructed from a positional vacuum, as if leadership looks and works identically across contexts, and as if those who theorize about leadership are not themselves subject to biases based on their own gendered, racial, class, sexual, and national identities. This article challenges the assumed neutrality of leadership theorizing by analyzing one of the most utilized and researched leadership theories, Bernard Bass’ “Transformational Leadership Theory” (TLT) through the lens of Critical Race Theory. Understanding that the language through which transformational leadership is conveyed is indicative of its underpinning assumptions, the tools of critical discourse analysis are employed to identify the normativity of whiteness operating within this theory. The analysis reveals how normalization, solipsism, ontological expansiveness, and the creation of “abject others”—followers—infuse the theory. Through its deconstruction of TLT, the article calls for deeper interrogation of leadership theories whose unquestioned assumptions harm not only leaders and followers identified as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color, but White leaders and followers as well.

Leveraging Innovative Leadership Models within Community and Healthcare Organizations to Support Safe School Reopening during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Little has been published on successful leadership models within integrated care systems. Within East Toronto Health Partners, there have been considerable efforts at the executive leadership level to empower local leadership, particularly physician leaders, to develop and execute effective solutions across the community. What does distributed leadership look like, and what does it take to implement it? A number of activities demonstrating the impact of a distributed leadership model in East Toronto are outlined in this paper, offering an effective defence against the enormous challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instructional leadership in a centralized and competitive educational system: a qualitative meta-synthesis of research from Turkey

PurposeThis study sought to provide an understanding of what a culturally contextualized model of instructional leadership looks like in Turkey, and how this differs from models disseminated in the USA.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed qualitative meta-synthesis to systematically review the full set of 22 qualitative studies of instructional leadership in Turkey. A systematic synthesis strategy was applied to code the findings from each study to develop broad themes that describe key domains of principal instructional leadership practice.FindingsThe results showed that instructional leadership of school principals in Turkey is composed of four main dimensions and ten subdimensions. The main dimensions include: (1) emphasis on national goals and competition, (2) maintaining the learning environment, (3) motivating and enabling teachers, and (4) monitoring program alignment and test results.Research limitations/implicationsWhile broad dimensions of instructional leadership described in the international literature are relevant in Turkey, some practices used to enact those dimensions appear poorly aligned with the institutional–cultural context of Turkish schools. Thus, findings from this study support the assertion that the specific practices used to measure, assess and practice instructional leadership must be adapted to the context of a specific society.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to international efforts to develop a globally validated knowledge base in educational leadership and management.

When learning how to lead, an exploratory look at role models

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify who people indicate are their role models for learning how to lead and explore how demographic characteristics may affect these choices.Design/methodology/approachA global online survey, involving over 34,000 respondents, indicated, from a list of 14 possibilities, the role model category from whom they learned to lead. Respondents indicated their age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, educational level, hierarchical level and job function. Chi-square analysis was used to identify how these factors may have affected the choice of role models distribution.FindingsFamily member (parents, siblings and other family outside of the immediate family) was found to be the most important role model category when it came to learning how to lead. Ranked second was immediate supervisor/manager. The rank order in terms of frequency of role model choices was not substantially different across demographic characteristics, though there were statistically significant differences regarding the relative importance of the various role model categories by demographics.Research limitations/implicationsThe results offer plentiful opportunities for future scholars to delve more into both the nature and actions of role models, in keeping with social learning theory. Future scholars can investigate the nature of people's relationships with leadership role models, especially conceptualizing why and how various demographic factors affect how people learn to lead.Practical implicationsUnderstanding who people have as role models for what they have learned about leadership can provide important insights for those responsible for leadership development. Similarly, individuals who are in role model “positions” (e.g. parents, teachers, managers) can be more aware of how their behaviors have implications for how their audience learns what effective leadership looks like in action.Originality/valueThis study addressed a relatively unexplored area in the leadership literature, namely within what category of role model have people found to be most important in helping them learn to lead. The large and diverse sample, across a multitude of demographic characteristics, strengthens the generalizability of the findings.

What Does Leadership Look Like in Child and Youth Care Practice: A Course-based Qualitative Inquiry

The aim of this course-based research is to explore how child and youth care (CYC) students understand the concept of leadership within the context of CYC practice. Data was collected through online interviews and an arts-based activity. From the data analysis, four main themes were extracted: leadership as relational process, leadership as authenticity, leadership as complexity, and leadership as praxis. The findings reveal that CYC students characterize CYC leadership as a way of being relationally engaged with others that is more a way of being in the world than a matter of what one knows or does.

Care of the Self and the Ethos of Leadership in Times of Pandemic and Crisis

Foucault’s notion of the “care of the self ” is essential in preparing leaders for crisis situations. Crisis situations are characterized by insecurity, uncertainty, and disruption. Hence, it demands for leadership who will provide direction, inspiration, hope, and solution. Leaders must be prepared in encountering crisis situation as well as in the effective performance of crisis leadership tasks. Leadership preparation for crisis situation need not only scientific and technical know-how but also the development of one’s character, values, and moral conviction. Leaders must be guided by rational discourse, convictions, principles, and truth. Their actions and decisions must be consistent with truth, beliefs, values, and convictions.
 References
 
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 Boris, Vanessa. How Leaders at All Levels Are Taking on Change Management. April 8, 2020 @ https://www.harvardbusiness.org/how-leaders-at-all-levels-are-taking-on-change-management.
 Champoux-Paille, L. and Croteau, A. The reason why female leaders are excelling at managing the coronavirus. May 18, 2020 @ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/why-women-leaders-are-excelling-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic.
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 Nyenswah, T. et al. Leadership in Times of Crisis: The Example of Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia in Health Systems and Reform. 2(3): 194-207. 2016. ISSN: 2328-8604 print/2328-8620 online, DOI http://doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2016.1222793

Revelation of Typology in Historical Native American Leadership: Implications for Contemporary Praxes

The various forms of damage, to include genocide, that historic colonialism has instituted upon Native American people is no longer a secret. Native Americans have suffered through many negative socio-psychological effects through this process. Despite their historical maltreatment, Native Americans have proven resilient. The authors hypothesized that specific traits have been prominent in the histories of Native American leaders although they mostly came from distinct tribal systems. What does this type of leadership look like? To engage the hypothesis we used Boolean operator search functions and computer-aided random selection for data with which to analyze leadership behavior of four Indigenous leaders. These leaders were drawn from a historic pool of fifty, from four separate databases. Through surveying the literature it was necessary to conduct four biographical case studies of these leaders. We detailed the various leadership traits exhibited by these randomly selected Native American leaders and were able to synthesize and classify the results as either innate or cognate characteristics. While these leaders were separated by time, tribe, and vast geographical distance —in an area that became the United States — their traits, when integrated, revealed a thematic framework of Native American leadership — a typology that could inform and guide leaders (and managers) in various contemporary praxes.

In Leadership, Look to the Practices Not to the Individual

This article introduces readers to a new approach to leadership that has come on the scene in recent years, and it is called “Leadership-as-Practice.” As an offshoot of the so-called “practice turn” in the social sciences, referring to the study of everyday activities, it challenges some of our traditional views of leadership that have relied on the grandeur of particular traits and behaviors of gifted individuals, who are accorded power over those called followers. And followers are those told to take their place in line. In leadership-as-practice, or L-A-P, we look for leadership in everyday practices, those regularized and sometime emergent activities performed by various actors within an organization or community. In L-A-P, to find leadership, we must look to the practices within which it is occurring.

Leading the way to a healthier world

Abstract The public health community worldwide is looking for leadership but too often is failing to find it. We need individuals who can inspire, motivate, and influence those who can promote health and who can confront those who undermine it. What does public health leadership look like? Where will that leadership come from? How do we create and sustain a new generation of leaders? How do we support potential leaders who face barriers based on their gender, nationality, ethnicity, or other characteristics?

Effective nurse leadership in times of crisis.

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has meant that nurse leaders need to respond rapidly and decisively to the demands and challenges of a pandemic in a context of increased staff shortages and limited resources. This article suggests essential leadership skills and characteristics that nurses can use to underpin effective leadership in a crisis, emphasising the importance of decision-making and emotional intelligence. It also addresses two important questions: 'what do leaders in a crisis need to do that differs from any other time?' and 'what does effective leadership look like in a crisis?'