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Why and when leadership training predicts effectiveness: The role of leader identity and leadership experience

Darja Kragt (Business School, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia)
Hannes Guenter (School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands)

Leadership & Organization Development Journal

ISSN: 0143-7739

Article publication date: 18 April 2018

Issue publication date: 9 May 2018

5710

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to build and test an integrative model of leader identity as an important mechanism explaining why reactions to leadership training associate with leader effectiveness. It is proposed that this mediation relationship is conditional on leadership experience (i.e. time in a formal managerial role), such that it will be weaker for more experienced leaders because they already possess complex leadership-related knowledge and skills.

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses were tested using a sample of German managers (n=196) in formal leadership positions (i.e. with direct subordinates) across a range of industries. Data were collected using online questionnaires. The proposed first-stage mediation model was tested using the structural equation approach.

Findings

Leader identity was found to mediate the relationship between reactions to leadership training and leader effectiveness. This mediation was conditional upon leadership experience, such that the indirect effect only held for less, but not for more, experienced leaders.

Research limitations/implications

The findings should be interpreted with caution because all data are self-report and cross-sectional.

Practical implications

Leadership training for senior leaders should qualitatively differ (in terms of content and length) from that for novice leaders.

Originality/value

Leadership training can substantially improve managers’ ability to lead effectively. The present study is the first to establish leader identity as a motivational mechanism that explains this relationship. This is also the first study to test for the role of leadership experience in leader development.

Keywords

Citation

Kragt, D. and Guenter, H. (2018), "Why and when leadership training predicts effectiveness: The role of leader identity and leadership experience", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 39 No. 3, pp. 406-418. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-11-2016-0298

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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