The efficacy of an Executive development programme to facilitate behavioural change - a qualitative analysis of a programme enhancing the role of critical reflection in leader development

Abstract

The current business landscape is characterised by fundamental change to the ways of working to include globalisation, digitisation and deregulation. The pace and extent of the change has culminated in the emergence of a different way of working, which has brought with it a requirement for leaders to lead their organisations differently. The traditional approach to leading (characterised by hierarchical, top-down leadership styles) is no longer appropriate or viable in the increasingly unpredictable and interdependent world of today. Leaders, as a result, are presented with the challenge of acquiring the capability to meet growing leadership demands. Executive development programmes are but one of the means with which leadership capability can be improved. This study explored one such development programme developed by BANKSETA in partnership with the Wits Business School. The research process utilised a qualitative desk-based analysis of leadership journals to assess how critical reflection facilitated a behavioural change in leaders enrolled in the course, as a result of participating in the programme. Key findings endorse that critical reflection did indeed facilitate a behavioural change with key themes including a time application shift, use of feedback in the leader development process, the need for on-going self-assessment to aid development, coaching and it’s benefits. This study has confirmed the existing body of knowledge on critical reflection, the role of emotional intelligence in leader development and models of behavioural change by confirming that structured the IEDP strategies, which incorporate the use of reflection, accelerated leader’s behavioural change in their personal and professional leadership development journeys