Examining the Leader Development Process: The Development and Validation of a Leader Education and Development Model

December 3, 2025

Examining the Leader Development Process: The Development and Validation of a Leader Education and Development Model

Nicole Hawkins | 2015

Abstract

The premise of the study was to maximize the capacity of human capital and social capital relationships in organizational leaders through a multistage educational model. Traditional leader development efforts have tended to focus on the collective unit of leadership within an organization, that is, how leaders and followers interact for the greater good of the group or organization. The model suggested in this research encompasses individual leader development and interpersonal content. This research operationalized a framework for a multistage leader development model for developing individual leaders, maximizing leadership capacity, and gaining insight into the evolving process of leader development. The nascent literature of leader development theory and the multidimensional and ever-evolving construct of leader development was also examined. Utilizing Kegan’s (1980) framework of constructive-developmental theory as validated by McCauley, Drath, Palus, O’Conner, and Baker (2006), the current research operationalized Day, Fleenor, Atwater, Sturm, and McKee (2014) identified content areas for leader development (the dimensions of intrapersonal and interpersonal development) into an applicable model that can be utilized to guide leader development in organizations. A mixed-method approach was utilized to determine validity of the proposed model by conducting a single data collection from two groups (identified as subject matter experts and practitioners). The first group involved a qualitative process by interviewing five subject matter experts. The second data group consisted of 57 practitioners from industry and academia who participated via a quantitative survey. Findings indicate support of the suggested model and the emergence of the evolved leadership capital development model.

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