A simplified framework for 21st century leader development

Leadership development among public health officials in Nepal: A grounded theory

Leadership in public health is necessary, relevant, and important as it enables the engagement, management, and transformation of complex public health challenges at a national level, as well as collaborating with internal stakeholders to address global public health threats. The research literature recommends exploring the journey of public health leaders and the factors influencing leadership development, especially in developing countries. Thus, we aimed to develop a grounded theory on individual leadership development in the Nepalese context. For this, we adopted constructivist grounded theory, and conducted 46 intensive interviews with 22 public health officials working under the Ministry of Health, Nepal. Data were analysed by adopting the principles of Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory. The theory developed from this study illustrates four phases of leadership development within an individual-initiation, identification, development, and expansion. The 'initial phase' is about an individual's wishes to be a leader without a formal role or acknowledgement, where family environment, social environment and individual characteristics play a role in influencing the actualisation of leadership behaviours. The 'identification phase' involves being identified as a public health official after having formal position in health-related organisations. The 'development' phase is about developing core leadership capabilities mostly through exposure and experiences. The 'expansion' phase describes expanding leadership capabilities and recognition mostly by continuous self-directed learning. The grounded theory provides insights into the meaning and actions of participants' professional experiences and highlighted the role of individual characteristics, family and socio-cultural environment, and workplace settings in the development of leadership capabilities. It has implications for academia to fulfill the absence of leadership theory in public health and is significant to fulfill the need of leadership models grounded in the local context of Asian countries.

Reflections of a feminist organizational ethnographer: considering the subject matter and the research setting

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reflexively reconsider the effects of the author’s pre-understandings, both academic and non-academic, on the subject matter and the research setting. The unforeseen implications of this disjuncture on our research practice and the expected deliverables are discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper engages in a critical, self-reflexive dialogue of a journey through a stimulating yet, uncomfortable piece of feminist, organizational ethnographic research drawing on the insights from the author's research diary.

Findings

The account presented in this paper describes the problematic nature of undertaking a collaborative, reciprocal research project in the distinctive and foreign cultural landscape of the military. The author shows the importance of delving into matters of positionality and preparedness for what might emerge, as a form of closure.

Practical implications

The paper provides insights into the importance of sponsors to access “the field” and our obligation as researchers to produce written deliverables.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the emerging literature on the significance of reflexivity in feminist inspired organizational ethnographies in highly gendered settings such as the military.

Leadership competencies for the 21st century: a review from the Western world literature

Purpose

The proliferation of studies on leadership competencies have not yet provided a consistent set to guide the work of researchers and practitioners. This paper aims to generate a clear, literature-based overview of the relevant leadership competencies for the twenty-first century.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is an integrative literature review and identifies four strands of literature on leadership, reaching back to traditional works. It reviews each strand to establish which leadership competencies remain relevant for the twenty-first century.

Findings

This paper shows it is essential to clarify and harmonize terminology used in leadership literature. It identifies 18 groups of leadership competencies required for the twenty-first century. The research reveals that leaders of the twenty-first century must be able to combine a strong concern for people, customer experience, digitalization, financialization and the general good.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is based on a non-exhaustive list of literature derived from studies published in Western journals, written in English. Future research should include papers beyond the confines of Western academia and entail fieldwork to test the comprehensive framework derived here.

Practical implications

This paper will help practitioners develop leadership training curricula and transform the leadership culture in their organizations. The competency list can be useful in recruitment and selection processes for leadership positions. Professionals will find it helpful as an index in self-diagnosis and personal development for their career decision choices.

Originality/value

The paper addresses the growing need for clarity on the required leadership competencies for the twenty-first century.

Transformative dynamism in pharmaceutical and biomedical research: Complexity of integration of innovative R & D hubs

Introduction: To be fully functional, pharmaceutical, and biomedical research centers need to be transformed to become innovative research and development (R & D) hubs. Such transformation, however, is a dynamic complex matter.

Methods: To establish an innovative R & D hub, a simple and concise manifesto is conceptualized for the nonlinear dynamic transformation towards an innovative research hub to reinforce the transition of the 2nd generation R & D centers.

Results: Interdisciplinary research is the most demanded field of research to overcome various multi-sided health issues. To become an innovative R & D hub, pharmaceutical centers must function as a small-scale physical infrastructure to support the inter-communication of scientists and provide specific technological needs to promote the related innovation and entrepreneurship with advanced business plans and prototypes. Given that a success paradigm within an unorderly surrounding setting has already been condemned to fail, the orderly integration of nested systems and groups should be carefully implemented towards a shared vision with formal and tacit agreements among all parties, including academia, industry, and finance team.

Conclusion: To achieve a fully functional innovative R & D hub, a "know-how" approach with the systems thinking mindset within all the parties is of paramount necessity. The healthier the order of the whole working system is, the more effective will be the encompassed entitles and players. However, systems should have several checkpoints to enhance clarity and evade discrepancy and divergence. Since the medication is a highly trusted and needed public enterprise, the drug discovery and development paradigm should be practiced at the highest speed with maximum transparency and accountability.

A review of leadership theories: identifying a lack of growth in the HRD leadership domain

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the life-cycle of leadership theory from both the human resource development (HRD) and the organizational/leadership literature while providing a contrast between the two bodies of literature. The current research identifies which theories are being represented within the HRD literature, followed by a review of current directions in the leadership fields, primarily from literature in the organizational and leadership fields. By identifying these two bodies of leadership theories, the following research question will be answered: How current are the leadership theories provided in the literature of HRD compared to research that is reported from other external leadership fields?

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines how leadership theories are represented in the HRD literature. Data for the current article provide a preview of leadership theories that are used to inform HRD scholars and scholar–practitioners for a period of 15 years (2000-2015) in the four Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) publications (Advances in Developing Human Resources; Human Resource Development International; Human Resource Development Quarterly; and Human Resource Development Review). The four journals within the AHRD were reviewed to identify which leadership theories were being researched and used to inform members of HRD. The search terms for the current study included “leadership AND theory,” “team AND leadership,” “leadership AND development” and “team AND development.” Studies that presented a leadership theory and either described or defined the theory were coded for the current study. Within this body of literature, there were a total of 74 leadership theories identified (some repeating), among those there were a total of 20 unique leadership theories. The literature external of HRD was identified using the ScienceDirect database for 10 years (2007-2017) with the topics limited to “topics–leadership.” Once the HRD and organizational/leadership literature are presented, a comparison between the two literature streams will be provided, highlighting any deficiencies within either body of literature and recommendations for future research efforts for the field of HRD.

Findings

This examination of leadership theory study within HRD and other fields highlights the deficiencies within either body of literature and offers recommendations for future research efforts for the field of HRD. In line with the trend in leadership research, HRD should call for more longitudinal and multi-level research efforts to be conducted as opposed to cross-sectional studies.

Research limitations/implications

The current study is limited in the literature that was used to collect/code data. Also, the time frame for the HRD literature ended in 2015 due to the long duration required to review articles and to code the data. Secondary data were obtained from organizational/leadership literature and are more current because they are more recent. Overall, even with an end date of 2015 for the HRD literature, the HRD field has not changed too much during this time and the authors recognize some minor changes, but the research findings are still relevant and the leadership deficits presented are still realized.

Practical implications

The field of HRD is behind when it comes to leadership theories. This paper identifies this in an effort to aid researchers, students and practitioners to look beyond the leadership theories presented in the HRD literature for more relevant and current leadership theories. This paper highlighted a number of newer and current leadership theories and trends for scholars and scholar-practitioners to begin to focus on; however, this list is only a snapshot and is bounded by the data collected for the current paper.

Originality/value

This paper is original in that it is both critical of leadership research within the HRD literature while also providing new directions for the field. The snapshot of where the field of HRD is compared to the leadership and organizational fields becomes apparent with multiple future directions for research.

Explicit preferred leader behaviours across cultures

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a reliable and valid field survey research instrument to assess national cultural cognitive templates of preferred leader behaviour dimensions to facilitate education, development, and training of managerial leaders operating across diverse organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The study consists of focus group evaluations of the validity and the translations to local languages of a survey instrument assessing leader behaviour preferences in business organisations.

Findings

The studies find that the survey instrument and its translations are valid and reliable for assessing preferred leader behaviour across national cultures. The length of the survey is problematic, and a new project is underway to produce a shorter version with equivalent reliability and validity.

Research limitations/implications

As the research project is long term, at this point, a relatively long survey is available for research, with a shorter version planned for the future.

Practical implications

Practical implications include producing and validating a field survey research instrument that is reliable and valid across cultures and languages, and can be employed to improve the understanding, development, and education of managers and leaders of international business organisations.

Social implications

Management and leadership processes are employed in all aspects of life, and can be better understood and improved through this research project.

Originality/value

The majority of cross-cultural research is leader-centric studies of implicit leader characteristics; this project expands the scope of studies further into follower-centric studies of observed leader behaviour.

Atuação do Líder na Gestão Estratégica de Pessoas: Reflexões, Lacunas e Oportunidades

Resumo A gestão estratégica de pessoas é um tema bastante estudado, enfatizando a relação entre políticas e práticas de gestão e outras variáveis organizacionais. A atuação dos atores organizacionais na gestão é pouco trabalhada, tornando o processo de implementação da gestão de pessoas pouco explorado. O estudo sobre a área de recursos humanos contribui para evidenciar uma lacuna na implementação, pois enfatiza o papel consultivo dos profissionais. Este trabalho objetiva analisar a atuação dos líderes como elo na gestão estratégica de pessoas por meio de reflexões sugeridas e pautadas em referencial teórico (gestão estratégica de pessoas, liderança e relações entre essas temáticas) e sugerir uma integração de modelos (liderança e gestão de pessoas) para suportar a evolução dos estudos. As quatro orientações do líder propostas por Yukl (2012), as definições de espaço organizacional de O'Reilly, Caldwell, Chatman, Lapiz e Self (2010), bem como o modelo tridimensional de Gratton e Truss (2003) e a proposta de papéis na gestão de pessoas de Ulrich (1997) podem ser base para a integração dos temas. Por meio deste artigo, pretende-se contribuir fornecendo sustentação para o desenvolvimento e o aprofundamento de estudos empíricos, além de endereçar uma lacuna sobre a temática da implementação na gestão estratégica de pessoas.

Diversity as an aspect of effective leadership: integrating and moving forward

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to elaborate an integrative framework that positions diversity considerations in a continuum of various leadership theories. The authors thus seek to differentiate between distinct leadership styles and assess their potential in fostering inclusive leader behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors proceed to a brief review of the extant literature on diversity leadership by distinguishing between diverse followers and diverse leaders on one hand, and leadership styles in diverse and heterogeneous teams, on the other. The authors then provide a rationale for leadership theories that are more likely to support leader inclusiveness and foster inclusive leader and follower behaviors.

Findings

– Four distinct theoretical frameworks capturing the importance of emerging leadership theories (ethical, authentic. servant and spiritual leadership) for informing caring and inclusive climates, are introduced. The authors thus seek to delineate leadership styles effectively entrenched in organizational environments valuing, affirming and supporting diversity, which can better fit to inclusiveness goals.

Practical implications

– In view of designing and implementing inclusive initiatives, organizations should consider the specific context in which diverse leaders operate and through which diverse followers interact with diverse leaders. In so doing, corporations should encourage leadership styles that effectively combine goal attainment with an unconditional affirmation of the intrinsic value of diversity.

Originality/value

– The paper offers certain insights into the particular conditions that may help organizational leaders implement inclusion strategies facilitating thriving and fulfillment of diverse employees. In this respect, the authors elaborate on distinct leadership frameworks that are more pertinent to, and commensurate with inclusiveness objectives.

Becoming “leaderful”: leading forward in turbulent times

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to offer a practice-based understanding of leadership based on the concept of “leaderful” practice. In supporting this concept, the paper describes the contexts that shape leadership capacity and introduces an integrative framework that further illustrates “leaderful” practice.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper draws on prior research conducted by the authors in a variety of industries. Insights were gleaned from both theoretical perspectives and qualitative data drawn from a number of empirical studies.

Findings

– In order to lead confidently in turbulent times, leaders need to first unlearn the conventional wisdom of leadership. Three contextual enablers contribute to “leaderful” practice, namely problem, action, and experience. Becoming “leaderful” is being mindful of how these three enablers could be harnessed and integrated to facilitate change in meaningful ways.

Practical implications

– In order to promote “leaderful” practice, both reflective and conversational spaces are imperative. Such spaces help leaders to be mindful of their internal and external contexts, including a keen awareness of self and others in framing references of the past for the future. In doing so, leaders need to be “present” to confront “wicked” problems and take action through collective experience and intelligence.

Originality/value

– Understanding how leaders think, feel, and act in actual practice helps us understand the genuine characteristics of leadership. The paper introduces a framework of “leaderful” practice with a focus on leading with confidence. It extends current understanding of leadership practice by viewing “leaderful” practice from the perspective of problem, action, and experience.

Metaphors for today’s leadership: VUCA world, millennial and “Cloud Leaders”

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evidence the scenarios any leader is currently facing in front of three specific situations: a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world (VUCA); a generation that is changing the way to form relationships, work and knowledge transfer;and the possibility for a “Cloud Leadership” to overcome today’s reality of constant change, redirection, new frontiers and formatting.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper seeks one theoretical entailment, so that the world today presented by Johansen (2012) from four perspectives needs to be considered from the perspective of leadership.

Findings

– The paper views leadership as “a Cloud.” It brings new insights to a social and organizational analysis of leaders today. The metaphorical language is creative in the formative accompaniment of the Millennials, it provides and clarifies the orientation in all areas where they interact.

Research limitations/implications

– Leaders leading Millennials face challenges with specific textures: convergence of traits, processes and outcomes with a leadership enriched by schools and theories immersed in a VUCA world where resiliency is a scarce commodity. Raising, building, taking advantage of the dynamism that each individual possesses, educating from the positive and toward the positive, is a benefit of a “Cloud Leader” in a VUCA world where Millennials have a strong presence.

Practical implications

– This paper offers a kind of vignette of leadership to illustrate the theories, skills, abilities and different approaches converging within leaders for these coming years: the immersion in a VUCA world, leading a workforce with more Millennial copartners present each day and the metaphors that can help us better understand them, and being a “Cloud Leader.”

Social implications

– Leadership is going to be a matter of discovering the positive energy in each person, to stimulate the best in every individual and develop the potential of everybody because this “energy” is a small assurance of the future. A leader who attempts to “bring out” the positive in each person, in every context in which he or she is immersed, a leader who seeks the best interventions possible according to his or her capabilities and resources, this is a leader we can call “a leader for the coming future: a Cloud Leader.”

Originality/value

– In this paper the author uses metaphors as an interesting method to say something with multimodal meanings under the “umbrella concepts” of Millennial generation, and leadership style. It is argued that scientific reasoning does not solely exist in the individual’s head, but emerges in conjunction with the expressed representations.

The Aesthetics of Leadership:Beau Gesteas Critical Behaviour

This paper focuses on the role of beau geste in organizations, showing that it is endowed with a specifically critical dimension as it challenges both the established order and customary practices. We also scrutinize its unique role that consists in critically resisting economic norms. Analysing the beau geste actually offers an opportunity to broaden the scope of our vision of leadership by relying on aesthetics rather than conventionally viewing the leader as an artist. In the first part, we thus concentrate on the way leadership scholars have so far dealt with aesthetics. In the second part, through a series of examples and by adopting a historical perspective, we describe the defining features of the beau geste in organizations: gratuity effect, impact on the common good, size effect and surprise effect. We then analyse how beau geste indeed constitutes a form of provocation against an ‘organized’ world in which economic rationality seems to prevail. In the conclusion, we outline future prospects for research.