Learning how to lead from King David?

Purpose

The initial purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of intra-organizational training for developing leadership skills and the techniques used to assimilate course content. The study aims to understand incongruities in training and assess their impacts on training effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research methods were used to assess a five-day course in the Israeli Defense Forces entitled, “Developing leadership skills in the spirit of the Bible.” Triangulation of data was achieved through observations, interviews and conversations with participants. Grounded theory and thematic analysis were used, respectively, to interpret and analyze the data.

Findings

Results suggest that the course did not support the development of leadership skills. The analysis revealed two themes representing different domains: form (training techniques) and content (values). Combining the two themes indicates an incongruity between the declared and actual content of the training course. Further, this incongruity is supported by the training techniques that were used in this course.

Practical implications

A clash of values may ensue that leads to long-term confusion and difficulties for participants of the training course and the organization.

Originality/value

The study makes several theoretical contributions to the literature focusing on the importance of congruence between declared and real training content, and between form and content.

Counseling Psychology and Reproductive Justice: A Call to Action

Although it remains an underresearched topic in the field, counseling psychology can and should play an important role in enhancing individuals’ sexual and reproductive health (SRH), as well as promoting reproductive rights at the systemic level. SRH issues affect virtually all people, especially those whose sexual and reproductive behaviors and identities are stigmatized. In this article, we make the case for the importance of SRH and rights in counseling psychology, and introduce the reproductive justice framework as a means to incorporate these issues into research, training, practice, and advocacy for social justice. We introduce four case studies with a focus on the ways in which restrictions on SRH differentially affect individuals across dimensions of social inequality including race, class, and sexual orientation. Next, we assess the state of scholarship on SRH in counseling psychology. Finally, we offer an action plan for incorporating reproductive justice principles into counseling psychology.

When Human Rights and Cultural Values Collide

This reaction article commends the authors of the Major Contribution articles for their courage and creativity in responding to a tension in the field of multicultural training. In an effort to extend the conversation on how the field should respond when cultural values collide in the training of psychologists, this reaction highlights some of the most provocative points raised in the Major Contribution and, in particular, expands on what are arguably the most contentious aspects of reconciling cultural conflicts in the training process: those conflicts involving religious beliefs.

Valuing Diversity

Articles in this issue describe the genesis, development, and implementation of the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity. This commentary extends the dialog on issues inherent to the Values Statement and the accompanying articles contained in this issue, with particular attention to the resolution of conflicting values and to empirical findings related to attitude change of bias and prejudice.

Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity

This article provides a brief overview of this Major Contribution. In addition to previewing the articles contained in this Major Contribution, two principles guiding the use of the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity (henceforth referred to as the “Values Statement”) are discussed. In addition, the authors present a concise summary of the development of the Values Statement, including a description of how feedback received influenced the final product. The authors conclude by articulating their hope that this Major Contribution will move the field forward in terms of more directly discussing, and perhaps even resolving, the long-standing dilemma of resolving value clashes.