Abstract
Few of us would disagree with the proposition that, under certain conditions, leaders have an impact on organizations (Kozlowski, 2012). The style of the leader makes a difference in the success of the cultures in the workforce. Leaders must use continuous improvement to stay competitive in an ever changing environment. This chapter will provide an overview of theories surrounding leadership and Organizational Development (OD). Included will be an introduction and background of leadership theories, organizational development, levels and skills of leadership, and transferable skills. Organizational success in the future will rely on the practices and processes organizations put in place now. How they develop their leaders to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing and unpredictable world.
TopIntroduction
Leaders in the 21st century recognize that building their organization’s leadership potential is going to be a major differentiator for future success. For them, the development of a leadership pipeline in their organization will be a top priority. These leaders know that they must venture into new waters for concepts, processes and practices to enable their people to develop the qualities necessary for success today and in the future (Kets de Vries, & Korotov, 2010, p. 6)
When describing and discussing leadership requirements that are necessary to lead an effective organization, it is imperative to look at leadership competencies. Leadership competencies are leadership talents and activities that give to greater performance (Society for Human Resource Management [SHRM], 2015). This is crafting a distinctive leadership brand via leadership competencies that yield results to stakeholders and allows organizations to gain a competitive advantage (SHRM, 2015). Investigators at the Center for Creative Leadership have documented a couple of vital leadership competencies that are constant among organizations. Table 1 shows the split of the total structure into competencies for leading the organization, leading the self, and leading others in the organization (SHRM, 2015).
Table 1.| Leading the Organization | Leading the Self | Leading Others |
| Managing change | Demonstrating ethics and integrity | Communicating effectively |
| Solving problems and making decisions | Displaying drive and purpose | Developing others |
| Managing politics and influencing others | Exhibiting leadership stature | Valuing diversity and difference |
| Taking risks and innovating | Increasing your capacity to learn | Building and maintaining relationships |
| Setting vision and strategy | Managing yourself | Managing effective teams and work groups |
| Managing the work | Increasing self-awareness | |
| Enhancing business skills and knowledge | Developing adaptability | |
| Understanding and navigating the organization | | |
Adapted from McCauley (2006). Developmental assignments: Creating learning experiences without changing jobs. Greensboro, N.C.: Center for Creative Leadership Press.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Change Agent: A person from inside or outside the organization who helps an organization transform itself by focusing on such matters as organizational effectiveness, improvement, and development.
Vertical Development: Refers to advancement in a person’s thinking capability. The outcome of vertical stage development is the ability to think in more complex, systemic, strategic, and interdependent ways. It is about how you think, which we can measure through stage development interviews and surveys ( Petrie, 2014 ).
Organizations: Organized bodies of people with a specific resolve, especially a business, society, or association.
Leadership: The action of leading a group of people or an organization.
Horizontal Development: Refers to the adding of more knowledge, skills, and competencies. It is about what you know, which we can assess through measurement of competencies e.g., 360-degree feedback ( Petrie, 2014 ).
Center for Creative Leadership: A top-ranked global provider of leadership development.
Organizational Development: A field of research, theory, and practice dedicated to expanding the knowledge and effectiveness of people to accomplish more successful organizational change and performance.
Leader: The person who leads or commands a group or organization.
Technology: The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry.