FHSU LDRS 600 VA

The Process of
Leadership
Development
A Literature Review and Critical Analysis
James Myers

The Process of Leadership Development - 1

ABSTRACT
Leadership is often an ambiguous word. The intended purpose of the word is to describe the
interactions between a leader, formal or informal, and their followers. In todays world, the word
is used so frequently that it seems to have lost some of its specificity. For the purpose of this
course, LDRS 600: Supervisory Leadership at Fort Hays State University, the author will attempt
to address the provided question, What is the impact of an individuals personal development to
the leadership process? While conducting research to this question I discovered that a paucity
of extant research exists and that development related to both the leader and leadership process
seem to merge into one topic. Through a review of current literature, the author intends to
describe and focus on the role of leadership development process in an organizational setting.
The author also intends to critically analyze the extant literature to examine the role of leadership
development, the approach to leadership development and the outcome of leadership
development in an organizational setting.

The Process of Leadership Development - 2

INTRODUCTION:
One of the more consistent themes in the workplace is leadership. It is present in all
levels of life, be it personal or professional. Regardless if a formal leader is announced or an
informal leader rises from the ranks, there is some degree of leadership occurring in most
situations. In addition, leadership is one of the most researched and studied topics in the world of
academia. During recent times, the leadership process has garnered new attention as researchers
have recognized that the skills necessary for leadership can be learned and improved upon.
Furthermore, by doing so, a person can advance in their career, organization, education and
industry. Given this, organizations are starting to realize that in order for them to remain
competitive in uncertain markets, strong leadership is necessary throughout all levels of the
organization. Strong leadership provides a vehicle for organizations to address problems and
make strategic decisions.
LITERATURE REVIEW:
Brass and Krackhardt (1999) believe that the primary element of human behavior is
leadership. Wherever a society exists, there is leadership in one form or another. Furthermore,
they believe that regardless of the definition of leadership, it accounts for the universal nature of
the core concept of leadership and have even gone so far as to surmise that the concept can be
linked to the root essence of humanity. While there is no guarantee that each individual will
have the unique experience of being a leader, Brass and Krackhardt (1999) do believe that each
person will at least have had the opportunity to be part of a leader-follower relationship at some
point in their life. This is particularly true when someone moves into the workplace, as
leadership is abound and is generally found in all levels of an organization. Extant research has

The Process of Leadership Development - 3

noted that both individuals and organizations have the ability to create circumstances and an
environment favorable for the development of self-leadership abilities (Ashford and Tsui, 1991;
Hamel and Prahalad, 1994; Hambrick, 2007).
Northouse (2013) advises that leadership is a common thread in daily life and that the
concept of leadership has constantly been studied over time, with a dramatic increase in recent
times. Given that leadership positions change as organizational structures evolve, it would also
make sense that leadership techniques change as well. Therefore, it is important that the study of
and research into leadership should continue. Northouse (2013) also explained that it is societys
love of leadership that drives the desire to learn more and more about it. Many people believe
that leadership is a way to improve their professional, personal and social lives (Northouse,
2013, p. 1). In addition, companies search for people with leadership experience or ability to
potentially to fill vacancies within the organization, because they recognize that these people
bring assets that will help the organization survive, succeed or grow. Northouse (2013) also
recognizes this idea when by describing leadership as a highly sought-after & highly valued
commodity (p. 1).
Leadership can be influenced many different factors, such as a leaders unique
personality, environment, group setting etc. Given this, it is important that a definition is given to
such an interesting topic. While there are many definitions of leadership by many different
people, scholars have worked diligently to identify themes that are common within each
definition. Hamel and Prahalad (1994) identified communication in leadership as being the main
theme and broke in down into three sub-themes; (a) the ability to influence, (b) a relationship
between group context and leadership, and (c) an emphasis on collaboration in leadership. While
attempting to define leadership with these three sub-themes, Hackman and Johnson (2004)

The Process of Leadership Development - 4

developed a definition that reads, Leadership is human (symbolic) communication, which

modifies attitudes and behaviors of others in order to meet shared group goals and needs (p. 12).
In his text, Northouse (2013) was able to identify similar themes within the various
definitions of leadership. Where he differs though is that he believes that leadership is process
that usually involves the attainment of a goal and provides the following definition: Leadership
is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal
(Northouse, 2013, p. 5). The text used for LDRS 600 Supervisory Management at Fort Hays
State University, by Mosley, Pietri and Mosley (2011) echoes the definition provided by
Northouse (2013) but also adds to it by providing the additional element of goal setting. Mosley
et al. (2011), further the research by identifying the various ways that leadership can be
determined, such as formal leadership that is granted by an organization or informal leadership
that is conferred unofficially by the organizations members.
In recent times, leadership has garnered a significant amount of attention in the academic
world. This is evidenced by the number of leadership programs that have been developed over
the last two decades. Likewise, the concept of leadership development has also come to the
forefront. Two primary reasons for the increased attention on leadership development were
surmised by Cacioppe (1998). First, rapid changes in global communication, business,
technology and human value (p. 44). Second, a lack of confidence in the problem-solving ability
of science and technology has caused a need for problem-solving using a human perspective.
The core of leadership involves the human perspective and leadership can be used by
organizations to address problems in todays fast-paced business environment where things are
ever-changing.

The Process of Leadership Development - 5

Some scholars, such as Leskiw and Singh (2007) have recognized the need for leadership
and developing leaders within organizations. They surmised that organizations will have
increasing difficulties in filling leadership vacancies with qualified candidates externally due to
anticipated skill shortages in North America and Europe (p. 446). Given that the baby boomers
currently represent the largest segment of our society and are reaching retirement age in record
numbers, todays seemingly preferred senior leadership pool, with an age range between thirtyfive and forty-four will undoubtedly dwindle. The leadership candidate pool will also be reduced
by the burnout factor experienced by some who are placed into leadership positions too early in
their career.
While there is likely an infinite amount of extant scholarly literature about the concept of
leadership, very little research has been done in the area of leadership versus leader development.
Most of the extant literature seems to focus on the leader, the effectiveness of the leader or the
personal traits of the leader (Olivares, 2008). Many research studies purport leadership
development to be a process by which an organization develops the leadership abilities of their
members, which is really more about leader development as opposed to leadership development
(Dalakoura, 2010). Hackman and Johnsons (2004) approach to leadership development states it
can possibly be defined as, the expansion of a persons capacity to be effective in leadership
roles and processes (p. 344). It is clear that this definition is biased toward the development of
an individual, which again is more relevant to the concept of leader development. Hackman and
Johnson are not alone, as many other scholars have also failed to recognize the difference
between leader development and leadership development.
Leader development focuses on the individual and seeks to build intrapersonal
competence, and the associated knowledge skills and abilities, and other characteristics, that is,

The Process of Leadership Development - 6

human capital (Olivares, 2008, p. 531). Conversely, leadership development focuses on

individualized techniques such as mentoring or coaching, that have learning outcomes which are
general in nature and less defined (McGurk, 2010).
Popper and Lipshitz (1993) believe leadership development can be defined as a planned
effort to improve the overall leadership ability of an organization. This view allows for the focus
to be on leadership skills across an entire organization as opposed to being about an individual in
a formal leadership position. It was defined further by Steel and Konig (2006) who surmised that
leadership development is a process of increasing the capacity of all individuals to assume a
leadership role and to effectively be involved in the leadership process. Houghton and DiLeillo
(2010) advise that leadership development can occur both on a formal level through specific
professional training or on an informal level through peer to peer mentoring, coaching or
networking. Olivares (2008) furthered this ideology by offering that leadership development is a
process that takes place over a period of time and is the result of numerous and complex
interactions between the leader, the given environment and any others involved.
An organizations success is dependent on both leader development and the development
of leadership. Dalakoura (2010) states leaders are responsible for building organizations in
which people continuously expand their capacity to learn, to understand complexity, and to set
the vision for the organization (p. 432). Using this ideology, leaders should not only seek to
develop themselves, but should also develop their direct reports in order to work towards
maximum productivity, creativity and success. Dalakoura (2010) confirms this by advising
organizations that wish to survive and succeed in todays turbulent and highly competitive
business environment need to develop leadership at all levels (p. 432).

The Process of Leadership Development - 7

Rapid advancements in technology, the growth of economic uncertainty and stronger

global competition have caused organizations to make decisions much quicker than ever before,
just so that they can remain competitive. The days of traditional organizational hierarchies are
likely gone. Organizations today must be flexible and thus must challenge the role of the
traditional leader. They must also flatten their organizational structure and place leadership
across all levels of the organization (Leskiw & Singh, 2007). Effective leadership exists when
members, at all levels in the organization, are making their maximum contribution and carrying
out responsibilities essential to the success of the enterprise (Jago, 2012, p. 26). Jago (2012)
furthers this by inspiring todays organizations to develop flexible leadership grids that are
designed to shift and meet the unique needs of the organization.
Hambrick (2007) believes that the growing body of research that leadership has
the ability to make a difference to organizational effectiveness, has caused those who
commission and pay for leadership programs, particularly those within the public sector, to focus
on outcomes and organizational improvements as an actual result of the investment. Several
approaches to strong leadership development exist. Boaden (2006) asserts that the development
of leadership should include four primary areas; teamwork, skill building, identifying the
differences between leadership and management, and feedback related to leadership skills.
Popper and Lipshitz (1993) agreed by recommending leadership programs that focus on selfconfidence in ones ability to effectively lead, self-efficacy, developing skills that can be used to
motivate others, and furthering leadership skills such as leading meetings, public speaking and
the ability to provide feedback. Hackman and Johnson (2004) simplify it by suggesting that
leadership development programs should include or cover three basic ideas; (a) leadership

The Process of Leadership Development - 8

learning thru individualized preparation, associating organizational vision and values, and
initiatives on strategic leadership, (b) leadership experience, and (c) developing relationships.
Leskiw and Singh (2007) suggest that organizations that possess a certain penchant for
leadership development, have also developed an organizational structure or culture that supports
it, and have a strategic plan for their leadership development program in order to attain their
goals. Using this information, what should organizations consider when planning and how
should they prepare to design a leadership development program? Leskiw and Singh (2007) were
able to identify six primary areas of importance through an extensive review of extant literature
on the best practices; a thorough needs assessment, the selection of a suitable audience, the
design of an appropriate infrastructure to support the initiative, the design and implementation of
an entire learning system, an evaluation system, and corresponding actions to reward success and
improve on deficiencies (p. 446).
Leaders within an organization that desire to plan, build, and implement a successful
leadership development program need to first identify clear and concise objectives that are inline with the strategic mission of the organization (Leskiw & Singh, 2007). Next, they should
look for what key elements are missing in organizational leaders they have already identified as
effective, so that the program can address these gaps while at the same time supporting the future
mission of the organization. Then, organizations should consider the experience, level, function,
previous management education, current challenges faced and demographic background of the
potential participants (Cacioppe, 1998, p. 46). It is also recommended that organizations vary
the position, level and kind of employee that they target for leadership development, as this allow
for greater success (Leskiw & Singh, 2007). In addition, the organization having the
infrastructure to support a leadership development program is vital. Leskiw and Singh (2007)

The Process of Leadership Development - 9

added The essential infrastructure needed to support these initiatives means leadership
development is embedded in the culture and there is ongoing support and involvement from
senior management (p. 451). The essential infrastructure needed to support these initiatives
means leadership development is embedded in the culture and there is ongoing support and
involvement from senior management (p. 451).
The organization also needs to make a determination as to how to best implement their
leadership development program. The program can involve formal training but should also have
a real-world action learning component that allows any new learning to be both applied within
the organization and for any improvements to be made (Leskiw & Singh, 2007). Popper and
Lipshitz describe six methods of learning that increase effectiveness: (a) the use of coaching
and/or mentorship, (b) role play and/or learning, (c) hands on experience, (d) learning with
validation, (e) learning through exposure to new and various concepts, (f) learning through
personal growth and feedback. Leskiw & Singh (2007) also suggest that when developing a
leadership program that is best suited for the organization, it is important to find a balance
between the needs of the organization, those in the program and the team. Furthermore, once
implemented, the program should be evaluated to determine its effectiveness. A leadership
development initiative that is evaluated effectively would involve questions in terms of how
effective the program is in fulfilling the initial needs outlined in the assessment process wherein
the program objective, leadership characteristics, and the desired types of results expected were
outlined and defined for the organization (Leskiw & Sing, 2007, p. 457). In a separate
evaluation, Cacioppe (1998) recommends any program evaluation include the following: (a)
knowledge gained by involved members, (b) changes in behavior or improvements noted, (c)

The Process of Leadership Development - 10

reaction to and satisfaction of the program, and (d) results obtained. Leskiw & Singh (2007) also
caution about using feedback to reward program successes or improve on program deficiencies.
There are endless positives to a successful organizational leadership development
program. One of the best positive outcomes could include leadership development at every level
of the organization. Kouzes & Posner (1987) notes that if an organization has developed leaders
at all levels, then its employees tend to behavior more like owners and/or entrepreneurs than just
hired workers. Studies have shown that employees positively view an organization that has the
capacity to provide leadership development opportunities to all willing participants and that
communicates care and concern for its members (Houghton & DiLiello, 2010). Furthermore,
employees who participate in leadership development programs are more likely to solve
problems, more willing to experiment to find solutions, and are more engaged in the organization
as a whole (Dalakoura, 2010). Looking at an individual level, participation in a leadership
development program improves self-worth, increases self-knowledge, changes mindsets,
improves skills and/or abilities, improves relationships and allows for action learning (Cacioppe,
1998).
Boaden (2006) suggest that in order to improve the success of an organizations
leadership development program, the program be implemented and carried out over a period of
time. An organization who views leadership as one of its top priorities will likely have to make
sacrifices to achieve expected outcomes and understand that time away from work can also pose
challenges for the organization. Vardiman, Houghton, and Jinkerson (2006) advise that the risk
and investment associated with a leadership development program are outweighed by the
outcomes from having an organization that has a leadership development culture. Also, an ideal
culture should include an organizational learning orientation that seeks and shares new

The Process of Leadership Development - 11

knowledge, the effective use of measurement, assessment, and feedback in developing leaders,
growing and retaining leadership talent, sense-making or reflective learning; and the importance
of leader developers, that is, those who incorporate the development of others as a central work
activity (Vardiman et al., 2006, p. 97). Last, Leskiw and Singh (2007) suggest that the use of
those in positions of senior leadership can be immeasurable when they state senior leaders are
able to provide the best insights into the unwritten rules of the organization, help navigate
employees around potential issues, and provide encouragement (p.456).
CRITICAL THINKING
It is apparent to the author that there is obviously great benefit to organizations that
design and implement a leadership development program. By recognizing that an organization
needs to go beyond developing only its top or senior leaders, an organization can reap the
rewards of such thinking, so long as they extend the development to all levels of the
organization. The driving concept behind leadership development programs is to develop people
for future roles while maintaining leadership abilities at every level of the organization. Too
often, the author believes that leadership development is overlooked or even undervalued as not
being directly related to the overall success of an organization. Many times, these organizations
are too focused on short-term results and bottom-line numbers (Vardiman et al., 2006). It is the
authors position that organizations with this kind of mentality will eventually find themselves in
a position where they are unable to survive in the short-term and wish they had done more to
ensure potential success in the future.
Given the fast-paced and progressive nature of business today, organizations need to
invest in their people and develop leaders at all levels, which will be able to address the needs of
the organization and meet the demands of the current business climate. It is apparent that

The Process of Leadership Development - 12

leadership development programs are time-consuming, costly and may initially stall performance
at an organization, but in the long-run, such programs eventually produce positive outcomes and
help organizations survive by being able to meet future demands and an ever-changing business
world. To say the leader development is too focused would be an understatement. Should a
leader decide to take their talents to another organization, all leader development efforts are then
lost and the organization suffers. Therefore, an organization should create a culture where
leadership development is embraced and people within all levels of the organization have the
kind of skills and abilities to succeed in the position above them. By doing so, organizations will
place themselves in a position to achieve results that were previously unknown.
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
It was the authors intention to focus on the concept of leadership development as
opposed to leader development, so therefore the discussion relates specifically to leader
development was limited. The author will acknowledge that leadership development programs
and individual leader training programs are fundamental for any organization with a future
mindset. Likewise, the author recognizes that there is going to be some relationship between
management and leadership development programs given the intent of both, however the author
chose not to discuss this area, as it lacked relevancy. In the authors attempt to address the
question presented What is the impact of an individuals personal development to the leadership
process?, the author chose to narrow the focus to leadership development, how it is defined, the
approach to it, the possible outcomes and the methods for improving organizational outcomes
related to implementation of a leadership development program.
In closing, todays organizations realize that in order for them to remain competitive in
both new markets and an ever-changing global economy, leadership is required at every level of

The Process of Leadership Development - 13

the organization. Furthermore, leadership development programs are necessary to address the
needs of an organization as it relates to quick fixes, decision making and solutions to problems.
These programs develop skilled employees into skilled leaders who have the ability to respond to
organizational needs. While the praises of leadership development programs can be sung, more
still needs to be done. The goal of any organization with such a program should be to create an
organizational culture that both supports the program and allows the culture to permeate its
mission. By doing so, organizations will be in the best position to ensure success regardless of
time.

The Process of Leadership Development - 14

REFERENCES
Ashford, S.J. and Tsui, A.S. (1991), Self-regulation for managerial effectiveness, the role of
active feedback seeking, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 34 No. 2, pp. 251-280.
Boaden, R. J. (2006). Leadership development: Does it make a difference? Leadership &
Organization Development Journal, 27(1), 5-27.
Brass, D. J., & Krackhardt, D. (1999). The social capital of twenty-first century leaders. In
J. G. Hunt, G. E. Dodge, & L. Wong (Eds.), Out-of-the-box leadership: Transforming
The twenty-first-century army and other top-performing organizations (pp. 179194).
Stamford, CT: JAI.
Cacioppe, R. (1998). An integrated model and approach for the design of effective leadership
development programs. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 19(1), 44-53.
Dalakoura, A. (2010). Differentiating leader and leadership development. The Journal of
Management Development, 29(5), 432-441.
Hackman, M. & Johnson, C. (2004). Leadership: A Communication Perspective. Long Grove,
IL: Waveland Press, Inc.
Hambrick, D.C. (2007), Upper echelons theory, an update, Academy of Management Review,
Vol. 32 No. 2, pp. 334-343.
Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C.K. (1994), Competing for the Future, Harvard Business School Press,
Cambridge, MA.
Houghton, J. D., & DiLiello, T. C. (2010). Leadership development: The key to unlocking
individual creativity in organizations. Leadership & Organization Development Journal,
31(3), 230-245.
Jago, R. A. (2012). Leader-follower relationships: Context and perceptions. The Canadian
Manager, 37(1), 26-27,2.
Kouzes, J., & Posner, B. (1987). Overcoming the dark side of leadership: The paradox of
personal dysfunction. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Leskiw, S., & Singh, P. (2007). Leadership development: learning from best practices.
Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 28(5), 444-464.

The Process of Leadership Development - 15

McGurk, P. (2010). Outcomes of management and leadership development. The Journal of

Management Development, 29(5), 457-470.
Mosley, D. C., Mosley, D. C., & Pietri, P. H. (2011). Supervisory Management: The Art of
Inspiring, Empowering, and Developing People. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage
Learning.
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications, Inc.
Olivares, O. J. (2008). The formulation of a leadership development praxis: Linking intentions to
outcomes. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 29(6), 530-543.
Popper, M., & Lipshitz, R. (1993). Putting leadership theory to work: A conceptual framework
for theory-based leadership development. Leadership & Organization Development
Journal, 14(7), 23.
Steel, P. and Konig, C. (2006), Integrating theories of motivation, Academy of Management
Review, Vol. 31 No. 4, pp. 889-913.
Vardiman, P. D., Houghton, J. D., & Jinkerson, D. L. (2006). Environmental leadership
development: Toward a contextual model of leader selection and effectiveness.
Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 27(1), 93-105.