Support Leadership Development Research Articles

Creation of a sustainable longitudinal women in Leadership Development (WILD) curriculum focused on graduate medical education trainees

BackgroundAlthough women comprise the majority of medical students, gender disparities emerge early and remain at the highest levels of academia. Most leadership courses focus on faculty or students rather than women graduate medical education (GME) trainees.AimTo promote the leadership development of women GME trainees through empowerment, community building, networking and mentorship, and concrete leadership skills development.SettingUniversity of California, San Francisco.Participants359 women residents and fellows from 41 specialties.Program descriptionA longitudinal curriculum of monthly workshops designed to support leadership development for women trainees. Sessions and learning objectives were designed via needs assessments and literature review.Program evaluationA mixed-methods evaluation was performed for 3 years of WILD programming. Quantitative surveys assessed participant satisfaction and fulfillment of learning objectives. Structured interview questions were asked in focus groups and analyzed qualitatively.Discussion23% of invited participants attended at least one session from 2018 to 2021, despite challenging trainee schedules. Surveys demonstrated acceptability and satisfaction of all sessions, and learning objectives were met at 100% of matched sessions. Focus groups highlighted positive impact in domains of community-building, leadership skills, mentorship, and empowerment. This program has demonstrated WILD’s longitudinal sustainability and impact for women trainees.

The Role and Impact of Saudi Vision 2030 in Leadership Development

Organizations continually try to improve the level of leadership capability and increase the number of qualified successors for leadership positions by supporting leadership development (LD) training program. This qualitative research explores the influence and impact of Saudi Vision 2030 in developing potential and existing leaders to succeed as leaders and support the realization of Saudi Vision 2030. The study is conducted to bridge the gap and highlight the influence and impact of Saudi Vision 2030 in LD. Analyzing the influence of Saudi Vision 2030 in LD will significantly help HR leaders to assess, identify, and evaluate the needs of LD programs in the organization. The study is aimed at two main objectives: First, identifying the LD programs in light of Saudi Vision 2030. Second, assessing the impact of LD programs in achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. A purposeful sample of seven participants is drawn from semi-structured interviews conduced by a researcher from Oil & Gas Company at Saudi Arabia. The results provide evidence that LD programs are essential. The results provide evidence that designing and implementing LD programs to fill a leadership gap is productive. The study supports the influence and impact of Saudi Vision 2030 in LD, by the expansion and implementation of LD programs in the Saudi labor market. Participants who pursued LD opportunities indicated the importance of institutional involvement in LD programs.

An empirical study on the role of leadership development program and its impact on entrepreneurial activities

Organizations support leadership development training programs to continuously improve the level of leadership competence and the supply of suitable applicants for leadership roles. One of the skills that entrepreneurs should cultivate to become “leaders” is leadership competency. In entrepreneurship, leadership has a significant role. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the role of leadership development programs that include personal development, self-assessment, team management, strategic leadership, skilled knowledge, and relationship development, to know the way they influence entrepreneurial activities. To test the hypothesis under study, this research applies the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) approach to the data being gathered from 365 employees and managers of entrepreneurial business firms in India. The obtained results show that personal development, skilled knowledge, and relationship development have a beneficial impact on entrepreneurial activities. In contrast, self-assessment, team management, and strategic leadership are found to have no beneficial impact on entrepreneurial activities. The combination of the ideas of leadership and entrepreneurship is suggested in this study, filling the gap in the previously provided cross-sectional data of the literature.

Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) – Advancing and supporting leadership development in South African higher education through scholarship

Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) – Advancing and supporting leadership development in South African higher education through scholarship

Digital transformation and middle managers' leadership skills and behavior: a group concept mapping approach.

This study, with the aim to test theory in practice, used group concept mapping to develop a comprehensive conceptualization of middle managers' leadership behaviors concerning digital transformation as a form of radical change. Participants were professionals in the largest public organization in the Netherlands (a police organization) who were dealing with digital transformation in their own practice and who enrolled in an education program on leadership and intelligence. Based on 94 unique statements, the participant-driven results revealed six thematically coherent clusters representing leadership skills and behaviors regarding improvement and results, digital technologies, cooperation, the self, change and ambivalence, and others. The stress value of 0.2234 indicated a good fit. Further analysis showed that clusters containing soft skills and people-oriented behaviors were considered the most important. These results can serve as input to support leadership development programs for middle managers to develop themselves into people-oriented, empowering leaders who can adapt their leadership approaches to fit and support change in general and technology-driven change in particular. Ultimately this will benefit their and their employees' overall well-being at work. This study is the first to investigate middle managers' leadership skills and behaviors in a large public organization that is entirely participant-driven.

Developing the next generation of leaders: a global study of student leadership

Schools play a crucial role in developing the next generation of leaders. However, most leadership research in schools focuses on adults rather than students. In this article, we apply a reimagined human capital framework to investigate student perspectives on leadership at a global association of elite schools. Based on survey data from 6,760 students in 34 countries and interview data from 93 students in 11 countries, the findings demonstrate student perspectives on leadership, how leadership is developed, and how student leaders can drive social change. First, we discuss how schools can support leadership development by understanding how students conceptualise leadership, promoting an ethos that leadership can be learnt, and providing opportunities for ‘hands-on’ leadership experience. Second, we highlight student views on the social returns of student leadership. Finally, we draw attention to the importance of inclusivity in leadership opportunities. Overall, we underscore the importance of schools expanding student leadership opportunities.

Leadership self-efficacy and nurses' aspiration to leadership: An evolutionary concept analysis

BackgroundThe complex nature of leadership in nursing and healthcare requires a vast skill set. Leadership self-efficacy (LSE) has emerged as an important concept to support leadership development in the nursing literature. An analysis of LSE can clarify and inform strategies for leadership development among nurses. ObjectiveTo clarify the concept of LSE and understand how it relates to nurses' motivation and aspiration for formal leadership roles. MethodA concept analysis using Rodgers' evolutionary method identified attributes, antecedents, and consequences of LSE. Twenty-three articles published between 1993 and 2022 were analyzed following a Boolean search of four databases - Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Scopus. ResultsLSE is an important element of nurses' aspiration to leadership. Leadership training, individual traits, and organizational support affect levels of LSE. When LSE is increased, job performance and nurses' motivation to take on formal leadership increase. ConclusionThe concept analysis further expands knowledge about factors that affect LSE. It provides data on how LSE can be harnessed to support leadership development and career aspiration for nurses. Developing and nurturing LSE among nurses may be key in promoting leadership career aspirations. Nurse leaders in practice, research, and academia can use this knowledge as a guide in leadership program development.

Developing Leaders Using On-Line Action Learning: An Activity Theory Analysis

The Problem. There is an urgent need for leadership development in today’s turbulent, organizational context. Methods that support leadership development in collaborative and peer settings as well as spaces and environments where leaders can develop, learn and grow through their collaborative interactions are critical. The Solution. This article explores how an online action learning set established as part of a large-scale management and leadership development intervention provides a space where leadership learning can flourish. The article draws on a theory of practice known as Cultural Historical Activity Theory to identify the micro level details of what occurs when leaders work with others in an online action learning set. The Stakeholders. Human resource development (HRD) researchers, scholars, organizational leaders, practitioners and others interested in contributing to HRD theory.

Effectiveness of donor supported leadership development interventions intended to promote women’s leadership in health in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review

ABSTRACT Women remain underrepresented in health leadership. Promoting women’s leadership in development has resulted in the proliferation of donor-supported leadership development initiatives to address barriers to women’s participation. There is limited evidence synthesis regarding their effectiveness. This scoping review aimed to summarise evidence regarding the efficacy of donor strategies in this field. Seven of 3365 studies were identified. Findings were overwhelmingly positive however there was an overreliance on anecdotal evidence, and short evaluation periods. Overall, evidence is lacking on the effectiveness of such initiatives. More robust evaluation designs are needed to determine best practices to overcome gender inequality in leadership.

Improving management of vaccine supply chains: A multi-methods evaluation of vSTEP in Zambia

BackgroundEquipping supply chain professionals at all levels of the health care systems with essential leadership and management skills is essential to achieving global immunization targets. Numerous and diverse professional development initiatives have been established to support vaccine supply chain managers in Gavi-eligible countries. However, COVID-19 catalyzed rapid innovation in approaches to support leadership development in times of rapid change, and systematic evaluation of these approaches can inform future workforce development strategies to ensure resilient health systems. Therefore, we sought to evaluate outcomes and short-term impact of the fully virtual Strategic Training Executive Program 2.0 (vSTEP 2.0) program in Zambia on participant engagement, skill development, and application of new skills to improve supply chain performance. MethodsWe used a multi-method design to describe the outcomes and short-term impact of vSTEP 2.0 at three levels: (1) delegate response to the training experience (including participation, completion, and satisfaction); (2) delegate change in leadership skill (including achievement of learning objectives and change in competencies); and (3) application of new skills to impact supply chain performance. ResultsThe program achieved high levels of engagement and an 83% graduation rate despite the length and rigor of the program. High satisfaction was evidenced by positive feedback from delegates on the quality and relevance of the program, especially in the context of COVID response (100% would "definitely" recommend). Delegates demonstrated significant growth in all domains of leadership competencies and applied their learnings to address a complex challenge in supply chain performance in their home organization. DiscussionThese findings demonstrate a strong appetite for leadership development support among vaccine supply chain professionals, especially in times of rapid change such as during the COVID response. These results also demonstrate the feasibility and impact of a fully virtual model for leadership development, with implications well beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pediatric Palliative APRN: Leading the Future.

Pediatric palliative advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) leaders are essential in advancing the field of pediatric palliative care. With expertise in pediatrics and strong advocacy skills for children, APRNs are well suited to lead interprofessional clinical teams, educational programs, community hospice and palliative organizations, policy changes, and research initiatives. Despite the prominence of their positions, there is a paucity of literature on pediatric palliative APRNs. This paper explores the leadership roles of the pediatric palliative APRN, offers resources to support leadership development, and showcases the importance of this role in various domains of pediatric palliative care.

COMPETITIVE TEAM ENVIRONMENTS AND STUDENT LEADER CAPACITY GROWTH

We conducted a national study of the Collegiate Leadership Competition (CLC), which since inception in 2015, has included over 75 higher education institutions. The CLC brings students together in collaborative institution-based teams to compete with other teams in competitions to achieve goals and practice effective leadership skills. Our goal was to assess leadership capacity growth over the course of a four-month team practice period through the daylong inter-team competition and evaluate participant leadership assessed several months later. Results suggested students made significant and sustainable gains in leader-self-efficacy and short-term gains in leadership skill and motivation to lead. Our results also indicated the team’s coach played a significant role in student leadership development. Leadership development programs for students in educational settings are proliferating in number and design. Curricular programs range from academic minors and certificates to doctoral programs in a variety of academic homes (e.g., education, business, healthcare). Co-curricular programs often take the form of drop-in workshops, day-long experiences, alternative spring breaks, service-learning trips, and other programs housed in student affairs and administrative offices (Guthrie & Jenkins, 2018). Moreover, the number of programs has steadily increased over the last 15 years from just under 1,000 in 2006 (Brungardt, et al., 2006) to more than 2,000 (ILA Program Directory, 2021). And while there is some commonality among the approach of these leadership programs in terms of content and delivery (see Harvey & Jenkins, 2014), vast differences exist in the structure and learning goals of student leadership programs compared to other social science disciplines. A potentially fruitful area in which to explore its effectiveness in supporting leadership development is the environment of competitive teams, where individuals work together as a group to compete against other teams. The purpose of our research was to investigate the degree to which such a competitive environment might support or detract from student leadership group, employing a potentially effective example of a formal program that utilizes the innovative approach of team competitions to motivate learning (the CLC).

Supporting leadership development: Women academics in the Hong Kong academy

This quantitative and qualitative study explores the leadership challenges for women academics in the Hong Kong academy. It is informed by the theoretical lens of intersectionality and Mohanty’s feminism, which seeks to give a voice to women in different nations and regions. Findings show that the majority of women did not feel supported to enter a leadership role and that the perceived barriers to doing so differed between women academics and senior male leaders. Academic women are negotiating several identities, the most pertinent of which relates to being Chinese or non-Chinese, in addition to age, length of time in the profession, and rank. Power and patriarchy were identified as the most influential factors limiting women’s potential. Practice-based interventions that developmentally start with what women want are discussed. Key messages from the research are the need for a level of consciousness-raising, and the education of men, in relation to the barriers academic women face, along with widespread support for the development of a sector-wide women academics’ leadership programme.

Creating Identity Development Spaces for Leaders in Higher Education

The current research study seeks to explore leaders’ processes of identity making within a higher education context as well as identify salient features of a higher education context that can best support leadership development. It is framed with the premise that cultivating one’s professional identity as a leader is a developmental process that is integrally connected to the sociocultural context. Different organizational contexts vary in terms of the nature and scope of what they can offer leaders as they shape their professional identities. The participants were seven higher education administrators, ranging from assistant deans to deans, from four public midwestern universities. A grounded theory methodological approach was used through individual interviews with each participant to explore the following two research questions: 1) What are the core elements that higher education leaders consider to be central to their senses of leadership identity? and 2) What do higher education leaders believe are the qualities of an organizational context that stimulate and support identity work and professional development related to leadership? The study’s findings revealed that supporting and advocating for others, keeping core values and identity at the center of one’s work, and embracing vulnerability were key themes in the interviews. Implications for the professional development and training of leaders in higher education are discussed.

Perceptions and experiences of leadership in undergraduate nurse education: A narrative inquiry

BackgroundThis research explored the experiences and perceptions of leadership preparation in pre-registration nursing education. The development of leadership skills in the pre-registration period is often considered a continuous process, and evidence suggests there has been an inconsistent approach to leadership within undergraduate nurse education. Exploring perceptions of experiences in this area was deemed important to guide future leadership development for undergraduate nursing students and formed the rationale for this Doctoral study. Design and methodsThe phenomena of interest were the expectations, experiences and perceptions of student nurses, academics, and nurses in preparation for the role of leadership. A narrative methodology to learning and contexts of learning was applied, data collection included semi structured interviews conducted early in 2020. Metaphorical associations through images are thought to support leadership development and philosophies; therefore, photographic elicitation was used to evoke association and emotions, facilitate reflection, and enable expression. The framework for narrative inquiry combined with the theoretical background was used for data analysis. ResultsLeadership is perceived to be an important aspect of the role of a qualified nurse and should be considered as central to learning development for undergraduate students. While all participants valued the importance of leadership in nursing, this research revealed how each narrated experience of leadership holds emotional impact on how leadership is viewed in self and others. ConclusionsParticipants' experience shaped each story of perceptions of leadership, both within education and in clinical practice. Students' narratives revealed tensions between expectations of leadership, defining leadership and associating their experiences with a personal vision of self as leader in the future role, along with a perceived disconnect between the social and cultural experiences and context of learning. Tensions within the experiences of the academics also revealed a juxtaposition between aligning their experience of leadership with the educational preparation of students and the experiences from clinical leadership, within the social constructs of dual professions and learning contexts.

School‐Based Leadership Talent Development: An Examination of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Participation and Postsecondary Plans

In 1972, the Marland Report included leadership as a domain of giftedness in the first federal definition. Although federal and state descriptions of gifted and talented services still include identifying and developing leadership talent, in many states, services are not mandated or funded. Consequently, leadership development is often left to extracurricular programs (e.g., student organizations, athletics). The Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) provides school-based military-focused leadership education and opportunities to apply emergent leadership skills. This qualitative study examined leadership talent development in JROTC and the postsecondary paths participants chose. A self-report survey was distributed to graduating seniors enrolled in JROTC in Texas public high schools. The findings highlighted characteristics of students who chose to pursue military-focused education or careers after high school and themes about their leadership development experiences in JROTC. Students benefitted from opportunities for career-related identity exploration, a culture that supported leadership development, and psychosocial skills coaching.

EFFECTIVENESS OF A STRENGTHS-BASED LEADERSHIP COACHING PROGRAM FOR WOMEN

Strengths-based coaching has emerged in past decades as an asset-based approach that can help individuals identify, harness, and leverage their strengths to achieve professional and personal goals. This paper shares the design and outcomes of a year-long strengths-based coaching program to support leadership development within the context of one university’s women’s leadership initiative. Program outcomes and changes in participants’ perceived confidence in identifying and applying their strengths in different contexts were evaluated through an online survey using a Likert-based REDCap survey tool after participation in the program. Findings strongly suggest that most participants lacked the self-confidence and/or self-awareness to recognize their own strengths in a granular way prior to the program. Themes that emerged in the survey findings point to the following program outcomes: participants gained an increased ability to identify and value one’s own leadership strengths, an increased ability to recognize and value the strengths of others, and a supportive community of women leaders to share experiences and reflect on the application of their strengths as part of their leadership journey. Further studies are needed to understand and measure how a program such as this can impact one’s leader identity, self-awareness, and self-confidence. Given the critical need for women’s leadership opportunities, this program shows promise as a means to strengthen women’s leadership across career stages and disciplines.

CAMEROON PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERS Supporting leadership, management and administration development

Purpose: Effective leadership is about executing the organisation's vision (or redefining and improving it, in some cases), setting direction and the culture for that particular organization, developing people, engaging communities, and creating conditions for successful teaching and learning. But what does that leadership management and administration look like? The recently updated Cameroon Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (CPSEL) identify what an educational leader must develop the ability to Influence Others, Transparent to an Extent., Encourage Risk-Taking and Innovation, Value Ethics and Integrity, Balance Hard Truths with Optimism and do their job effectively in order to demonstrate and sustain effective leadership in today global society.
 Methodology: There are a number of essential understandings about the Standards that merit attention, since the Standards are based only on literature review and policy analysis evidence. The reality is that the Standards were never designed to be constructed using only literature and policy analysis findings. To be sure, a large portion of the Standards rest on the best available documental analysis of literature and policy documents governing educational leadership and administration. At the same time, the creation of the Standards was predicated on the conclusion that other empirical materials need to be employed in the building process of educational leadership; management and administration standards supporting educational leader’s development in Cameroon.
 Findings: The CPSEL maintain the same basic footprint of the original standards, emphasizing: Development and Implementation of a Shared Vision and core values of sustainable leadership, Mission, vision and core values of sustainable leadership, Good Governance, Ethics and Professional knowledge and interpersonal skills, Equity and Cultural Responsiveness, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Community Engagement, Recruitment and Selection, School Leaders, Teachers, Students and Community Development, Professional Learning Community for School Leaders and Teachers, Financial Management, Succession Planning, School Improvement for the Future. Elements and indicator examples for each of these standards are included to further define leadership.
 Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy (recommendation): The paper concludes with elements of all of the leadership standards are organised into inter-related categories with Professional Values and Personal Commitment at the heart of development. These standards emphasize equity, diversity, access, equal opportunity, and empowerment for students, educators, and all members of the educational community as they work together to ensure that all educational practitioners are ready for educational leadership career. CPSEL framework serves as a foundation for educational leader’s preparation, induction, professional learning, and evaluation.

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

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

Coaching: an approach for leadership development in the Singapore education system

PurposeThis paper aims to explore coaching as an approach to developing school leaders in the Singapore education system. It takes a close look at the nature of coaching experiences of beginning principals and principal-trainers, as well as the related benefits and challenges.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative inquiry approach was adopted, and four beginning principals and three principal-trainers were interviewed. An emergent coding method was deployed in data analysis.FindingsBeginning principals described a positive, helpful and empowering coaching experience when coached by principal-trainers. The latter skillfully asked questions in a safe, non-threatening space for deeper self-reflection. In the process, beginning principals gained greater self-awareness and self-empowerment, and appreciated the shared context of school leadership. While coaching is a useful leadership development approach, inherent implementation challenges were identified.Research limitations/implicationsCoaching as a system-wide strategy to support school leaders in Singapore has only recently been implemented. Further research using a larger sample is recommended as coaching becomes more pervasive.Practical implicationsThe findings revealed a compelling case for a more pervasive adoption of coaching as an approach to support leadership development. Coaching facilitates effective school leadership, and there is scope for self-coaching, peer coaching and coach supervision of principals, middle leaders and classroom teachers.Originality/valueThis paper highlights the nature and positive impact of principalship coaching within a specific policy and cultural context of the Singapore education system. It adds to the body of literature on principal preparation, development and support.