Kirchner & Akdere (2014) noted that although leadership development programs have been implemented by organizations worldwide, discussion on the topic has been sporadic. Despite the emergence of leadership as an interdisciplinary field, research on the subject has been minimal. In the article, the authors claim that leadership has been discussed in modern management circles with little advancement.
Although no one would dispute the fact that poor leaders are not beneficial for any organization, the impacts of a strong leader or leadership development programs on organizational effectiveness have not been evaluated. According to Kirchner & Akdere (2014), traditional conceptions on leadership suggest direct control over other employees. Nevertheless, advancements and changes in political, social, and technological factors have led to the need for effective leaders who do not control others but lead (Chuang, 2013). Kirchner & Akdere (2014) revealed the need for a broad understanding of leadership development programs.
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In order to expound on the meaning of leadership, Kirchner & Akdere (2014) utilized an integrated literature review to attempt to answer questions on leadership development programs. The literature review attempted to uncover what is known about leadership development program, how to assess its effectiveness, and what is still missing in the literature. The authors note that existing literature contains sparse answers to these questions. Therefore, the systematic review attempts to fill the gaps in the literature. The authors utilized multiple literature searches of using DOAJ, Wiley Online Journal, SAGE Publications, SAGE Journals, Emerald Management Journals, and Taylor & Francis Online (Kirchner & Akdere, 2014).
Kirchner & Akdere (2014) start their systematic review by defining what leadership development is. They claim that a true understanding of the term is vital because a comprehensive theory of leadership has not been developed yet. They define leadership development as a calculated effort to provide leaders with opportunities for growth, learning and change. Although there are many definitions of leadership development, they conclude that all of them is about the concerted and formalized effort by persons and organizations towards leader enhancement.
The literature review reported in the article highlights several characteristics and components that are necessary for leadership development. These include the need for training to be practical, realistic, and to provide opportunities for growth. Additionally, there also the need to include exercises and feedback that will enhance the ability of a leader to lead. Other important traits that characterize leadership development programs include the development of skills such as analytical thinking, effective communication, and the ability to confront and challenge others.
An important finding reported in the article, which supports findings by Avolio, Avey, & Quisenberry (2010), is where to conduct leadership development programs. According to Kirchner & Akdere (2014), the definition of leadership development may be vague, but there is a consensus in the literature that leadership development can occur anywhere. Successful interventions reported in the article include assessment centers, classroom training, experiential coursework, self-help- books, retreats. Another significant finding is the consensus on the purpose of leadership development programs. The skills gained from development programs provide leaders with additional knowledge on content and the way they are seen by others. Furthermore, leadership development programs offer direction, purpose, and motivation that enables leaders to bring people together to attain a common objective.
In their conclusion, Kirchner & Akdere (2014) claim that progress towards an understanding of the significance of leadership development is limited. Furthermore, the skills and qualities that leaders have remained open to argument and effective assessments of these training programs are required. Although research has shown correlations between leadership development programs and leadership effectiveness, these studies are limited in scope. Therefore, there is a need for more research to understand how leadership development programs contribute to growth in customer and employee satisfaction, revenue, and return on investment.
References
Avolio, B. J., Avey, J. B., & Quisenberry, D. (2010). Estimating return on leadership development investment. The Leadership Quarterly , 21(4), 633-644.
Chuang, S. (2013). Essential Skills for Leadership Effectiveness in Diverse Workplace Development. Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development ; Volume 6 Issue 1.
Kirchner, M & Akdere, M. (2014). Leadership Development Programs: An Integrated Review of Literature. The Journal of Knowledge Economy & Knowledge Management ; Volume: IX SPRING.
