A new model for training public sector leaders: the role of self-other perceptions in leadership development.

• Author: Ihrke, Douglas M.

When was the last time you attended a conference that did not include in the program at least one session with the word "leadership" in the title? This often used but little understood term has become one of the latest buzzwords in public administration and, it seems, just about every other profession. While talking about leadership has become commonplace in both professional and academic circles, it is not common to find evidence as to whether leaders can be developed or whether the investment we make in developing leaders makes a difference in the performance of either individuals or organizations. Based on the premise that leaders can indeed be developed, this article presents a training program that has proven effective in developing leaders in the public sector.

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

Leadership has many definitions. Ralph Stogdill concludes that "there are almost as many definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept." (1) Because of this problem, there does not seem to be any common understanding as to the most effective ways to train and develop leaders. In fact, the lack of a precise definition of leadership is often used to justify failed attempts at leadership training. Yet most people agree that leadership does exist and, at a minimum, involves influencing others. In an organizational context, leaders influence employees toward goal achievement through their actions and behaviors over time.

Organizational culture, another fuzzy concept that has received a lot of attention in recent years, has some relevance to the debate about how to best train leaders. Culture is to the organization as personality is to the individual. It consists of the underlying beliefs, values, assumptions, and patterns of interaction among employees, all of which influence the way decisions are made in an organization, often at an unconscious level.

Leadership and organizational culture are related, both conceptually and in the reality of our day-to-day work lives. The most successful leaders influence or change organizational cultures for the better, as measured, for example, by more positive interaction patterns among employees and higher performance. These leaders are therefore referred to as transformational in that they transform the organization into something unlike it was in the past.

James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner argue that leadership, or the ability to influence others and transform organizations, depends on the level of credibility leaders have with their employees. They assert that the process of developing credibility involves five broad practices and 10 commitments. Exhibit 1 lists these practices and commitments. (2)

According to Kouzes and Posner, credible leaders challenge the process by experimenting and taking risks in their work as a means to finding new and better ways of doing things. They inspire a shared vision among employees by envisioning the future and enlisting others to bring about that vision. They enable others" to act by fostering collaboration and strengthening others. They model the way by setting the example and helping...