The Evolution of Leadership Theory

The Leading Traits of the Modern Corporate Leader: Comparing Survey Results from 2008 and 2018

This article deals with the evolution of leadership in the corporate business environment by presenting the results of comparative empirical studies conducted in 2008 and 2018. Based on an analysis of empirical research on the 2000 largest global corporations, obtained from the Forbes Global 2000, this work presents the changes that took place over a decade in the characteristics and competencies of contemporary leaders. The results allowed us to identify the desired characteristics, competencies, and character traits of contemporary leaders. In fact, the comparative analysis of these data showed the dynamics of change in the approach of global corporate leaders over the decade. The research results have important implications for the energy sector. Some of the companies participating in the study operate in the energy sector, therefore the opinions of these CEOs indicate significant determinants of modern leadership in this type of enterprise. When analysing the research results on the vision and scope of leadership impact in corporate business, we pointed, among other things, to the assessment of leadership traits, the evolution of leadership activities’ delegation, and the assessment of the importance of managers’ individual action areas and leadership factors.

Do surgeon non-technical skills correlate with teamwork-related outcomes during robot-assisted surgery?

Introduction

To evaluate the impact of non-technical skills (NTS) on team performance, workload and clinical outcomes.

Methods

The operating room (OR) environment of 20 robot-assisted radical prostatectomies performed by three different surgeons was recorded. Trained observers assessed NTS utilising the Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS) questionnaire. Associations between NOTSS scores, teamwork attributes (anticipation and inconveniences), workload (measured by National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX)) and clinical outcomes (operative time, blood loss and surgical complexity) were determined using logistic regression and Pearson correlation.

Results

1780 requests were observed, 703 (39%) were non-verbal. Utilisation of non-verbal requests differed significantly among surgeons (26%, 36% and 44%, p<0.001). Anticipation was significantly associated with ‘Situational Awareness’ (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.52 to 4.38, p<0.001), ‘Decision Making’ (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.55, p<0.001) and ‘Communication and Teamwork’ (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.74, p=0.002) domains. Inconveniences were significantly associated with ‘Situational Awareness’ (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.59, p=0.003), ‘Decision Making’ (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.53 to 4.86, p<0.001), and ‘Leadership’ (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.94, p=0.03). There was a significant positive correlation between NOTSS scores and perceived physical and mental workload measures of NASA-TLX, as well as self-perceived performance. There was no significant association between NOTSS scores and any of the investigated clinical outcomes.

Conclusion

NTS in the OR were associated with team efficiency, fewer surgical flow disruptions and an improved self-perceived performance.

Leadership in academic dentistry

The transformational changes occurring in academic dentistry are a response to many, different innovations as well as new demands, challenges, pressures and expectations. Despite dental schools and clinical academic centres having responded to rapid, multifaceted change, the ever increasingly complex and changing nature of oral healthcare provision, together with the growing body of evidence on the impact of oral health on general health and wellbeing at all ages, requires academic dentistry to redouble its efforts to remain fit for future purpose. Central to success in this demanding quest is strong, visionary leadership.

EFFECT OF LEADERSHIP STYLES ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE: MEDIATING ROLES OF EXPLOITATIVE AND EXPLORATORY INNOVATIONS CASE OF KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE FIRMS

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of transformational and transactional leadership styles on firms’ financial performance in a context of knowledge-intensive firms and the mediating role of exploitative and exploratory innovations in this relationship. To achieve this purpose, a quantitative research was conducted on 201 top executives working in knowledge-intensive firms in the context of an emerging country, namely Tunisia. The data analysis was performed via the structural equation modelling method. As a result, the empirical study revealed that the transformational leadership style is a key determinant of exploitative and exploratory innovations and firms’ financial performance. In this perspective, the two types of innovation partially mediate the link between transformational leadership and financial performance. However, transactional leadership affects only exploitative innovation. This original study offers a better understanding of the contribution of the transformational and transactional leadership styles on exploitative and exploratory innovations and the firms’ financial performance in a context of firms’ intensive knowledge. It offers a reading grid for managers of knowledge-intensive firms to better lead and identify key elements that may boost the firms’ innovation ambidexterity and performance.

Never let an academic crisis go to waste: Leadership Studies in the wake of journal retractions

In 2014, leadership studies saw the retraction of a number of journal articles written by prominent researchers who are closely associated with popular concepts such as transformational leadership, authentic leadership, ethical leadership and spiritual leadership. In response, The Leadership Quarterly published a lengthy editorial that presented these retractions as a sign of health in a mature scientific field. For the editors of The Leadership Quarterly, there is no crisis in leadership studies. In this paper, we suggest that the editorial is a missed opportunity to reflect on positivist leadership studies. In our view, leadership ought to be in crisis because this would stimulate the community to question its guiding assumptions and reconsider its methods and objectives. We therefore hope to open up a critical discussion about the means and ends of mainstream leadership studies – not least of all its scientific pretensions.

OD Practitioners as Facilitators of Change

A study was undertaken to determine the degree of knowledge and understanding that organization development (OD) practitioners have regarding key issues in the management of change in organizations. Other variables of interest included the preferred mode of influence or consulting style based on a transformational versus transactional framework and the degree of tolerance for ambiguous situations. Data were collected using two survey instruments, the Managing Change Questionnaire (MCQ) and the Change Agent Questionnaire (CAQ), which were mailed to 1,500 OD practitioners randomly selected from the membership rosters of three professional associations. Of the sample, 24% returned completed questionnaires. Responses were compared with previous findings from managers and executives and then analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and multiple regression techniques to identify differences among categories of practitioners. Overall, OD practitioners were found to be quite knowledgeable about the concepts covered in the MCQ, more likely to be transformational than transactional in their consulting approach, and relatively tolerant of ambiguous situations. Formal educational background and nonacademic training experiences were identified as contributing factors in these trends, as well.

Attributes of embodied leadership: A beginning in the next chapter of leadership development

Research and guidance on leadership behaviour has been documented throughout history, from the epics to more recent leadership theories, evolved over the last century. However, despite ample research and practice, leadership failures continue in being typical. A review of literature in leadership studies reveals that recommendations have often been descriptive, assumptive and prescriptive without considering various individual differences. Additionally, leadership development often utilises methodologies in which individuals are trained to ‘act’ as leaders rather than fully embody leadership behaviour. This paper explores the generic attributes that describe embodied leadership behaviour. Semi-structured interviews were performed on a panel of individuals from different backgrounds and analysed using a grounded theory approach. Along with the interviews, the works of Scharmer (2008) and behavioural traits identified in leadership by Derue, Nahrgang, Wellman and Humphrey (2011) were taken into consideration. A final consensus was reached using a set of ten attributes that potentially contribute to embodied leadership behaviour; being non-judgemental, embracing uncertainty, active listening, congruence (morals and ethics), intuition, reflective practice, sense of meaning/purpose, holistic decision making, authentic presence and intention.

What does leadership in surgery entail?

BACKGROUND

Leadership is not formally taught at any level in surgical training; there are no mandatory leadership courses or qualifications for trainees or specialists, and leadership performance is rarely evaluated within surgical appraisal or assessment programmes.

METHODS

Literature obtained from a MEDLINE search was reviewed to determine the characteristics of surgical leaders; outline an analytical framework through which these characteristics can be developed both in surgeons and surgical departments; and reflect on future challenges and recommendations for the central role of leadership in the field of surgery.

RESULTS

Leadership in surgery entails professionalism, technical competence, motivation, innovation, teamwork, communication skills, decision-making, business acumen, emotional competence, resilience and effective teaching. Leadership skills can be developed through experience, observation, and education using a framework including mentoring, coaching, networking, stretch assignments, action learning and feedback.

CONCLUSION

Modern surgery will need leaders with superior leadership skills that are well defined. It is vital that leadership programmes to develop leadership skills are put into practice in medical education curriculum and postgraduate surgical training. This will ensure maintenance and improvement in the quality of patient care.

Inter-leadership: Why and How Should We Think of Leadership and Followership Integrally?

This article raises questions about and provides meta-paradigmatic perspectives on an integral understanding of leadership. In view of the various shortcomings of conventional leadership discourse, an integral orientation considers that leadership research demands a comprehensive framework and multi-level approach suited for investigating the complex, interrelated processes involved. Correspondingly, the outlined integral framework of leadership covers the interdependent subjective, intersubjective and objective dimensions of leaders and leadership. Furthermore, developmental levels and lines — classified in a dynamic cycle — open up a processual understanding of leadership. Finally, theoretical and methodological implications are discussed and some avenues for future research and perspectives of integral leadership presented.

You can take it with you: Individual differences and expatriate effectiveness

The authors report the collaborative efforts of 2 research teams that independently investigated the effects of stable personality traits (the Big Five) and specific behavioral competencies (cultural flexibility, task and people orientations, and ethnocentrism) on key dimensions of expatriate effectiveness: psychological adjustment, assignment withdrawal cognitions, and job performance. Analyses of multiple-source and longitudinal data from 3 studies, including a diverse sample of expatriates in Hong Kong and separate samples of Korean and Japanese expatriates posted around the world, indicate several direct effects of individual differences. Further data show reliable distinctions between the traits and competencies as well as incremental prediction by either set of predictors in the presence of the others.

Leadership Activities of Australian Executives

Our study examines the nature of Australian business leadership. Various extant concepts of leadership are reviewed in terms of current trends in Australian business leadership. Some of these concepts are used in the development of the Corporate Leadership Descriptor (CLD), and its sub-scales, namely the Leadership Operations Scale (LOS), Leadership Attributes Scale (LAS), and Job Outcomes Scale (JOS). Data were collected over a three year period from a variety of executive samples. Major findings indicate that key leadership functions focus on direction setting, team building, problem solving, and change agent responsibilities. Recommendations for further research and application of the CLD are provided.