An experience based view on leader development : leadership as an emergent and complex accomplishment

• PurposeThe paper aims to identify and address matching problems in leader development and to propose how these problems can be dealt with.Design/methodology/approachBased on previous research, traditional leadership development (LD) is criticized and alternative approaches are suggested.FindingsThis research identifies two major matching problems in traditional LD – between participant and development effort and between development effort and realities of managerial work. A context-sensitive and emergent view of LD is suggested to address these matching problems.Practical implicationsThe paper illustrates the need of leader development that is addressing the complex nature of managerial work in a more holistic way and to help participants to understand how such complexities can be dealt with.Originality/valueAn alternative view of leader development is identified. It matches managers’ diversities and the realities of managerial work better than traditional leader development does.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Företagsekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Business Administration (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Leader development

Complexity

Identity

Emergent

Context-sensitive

Managerial work

Humaniora-samhällsvetenskap

Humanities and Social sciences

Medarbetarskap och organisatorisk resiliens (FORE)

Followership and Organizational Resilience

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)