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This paper aims to test the pipeline model of leadership development by investigating how the competency profile change across position levels.

The skill and importance ratings in leadership competencies were compared between four position levels. The data were from an archive 360 degree feedback (n=770). Six SMEs were also employed to rate the importance of the competencies.

The study found that the difference between two positions in terms of the relative importance of the competencies increases as the organizational hierarchical distance between the two positions increases. Comparing the skill ratings yielded similar results. Further, the correlation between the skill and importance ratings for the same position level was higher than correlations of the two types of ratings for different position levels.

The study discusses the implications of the research findings in the context of leadership development and succession management.

One of the essential tasks in a succession system is to clearly define critical leadership skills at different levels of management. By defining the leadership pipeline, companies will be able to get their best people the right developmental experiences to help them transition from one position level to another.

The paper provides empirical support for the pipeline model of leadership skill requirement across the organizational hierarchy.

A crucial aspect of a school's capacity to promote and sustain change and improvement in student learning is the depth, breadth and endurance of both its formal and informal leadership. Shortages of willing leaders, however, have forced governments around the world to expend a considerable amount of time, effort, and money to fill up the leadership “pipeline” with qualified candidates for leadership positions. This paper aims to address these issues.

This paper uses the examples of school districts in Ontario, Canada, in England and in the eastern United States to look beyond the common practice of merely filling up “pipelines” with credentialed leaders to an examination of the development of leadership “pools” and “reservoirs” of leadership capacity through distributed forms of leadership.

It is found that there has been a subtle but important shift in thinking over the past few years. Where once money spent on leadership recruitment and development was considered a cost, it is now viewed as an investment and as a result some school authorities have shifted focus from “replacement planning” in which specific people are identified to fill certain jobs, to a “succession management” approach which involves building an organization's leadership capacity by identifying, recruiting, and developing a “pool” of high‐potential individuals for both current and future roles.

The paper shows that developing this pool depends in large measure on the “reservoir” of leadership capacity in an organization and perhaps most importantly, the willingness of potential leaders to come forward.

Organizations often fail to utilize managerial personnel effectively for leadership development and succession planning systems, and many execute these critical practices through separate human resource functions that shift the responsibility for leadership development away from line managers. The purpose of this article is to present a best practices model for optimal development of the leadership pipeline and a series of practical recommendations for organizations.

A group of 30 CEOs and human resource executives across 15 best practice organizations were asked via semi‐structured interviews to describe the content and delivery of their respective organizations' leadership development and succession planning practices.

Analysis of interview data indicated that best practice organizations effectively integrate leadership development and succession planning systems by fully utilizing managerial personnel in developing the organization's mentor network, identifying and codifying high potential employees, developing high potentials via project‐based learning experiences and manager‐facilitated workshops, establishing a flexible and fluid succession planning process, creating organization‐wide forums for exposing high potential employees to multiple stakeholders, and establishing a supportive organizational culture.

The interview data are drawn from a relatively small number of executives and from a single industry, which may limit the overall utility of the findings.

This study offers needed empirical support for the value of integrating leadership development and succession planning practices through utilization of managerial personnel. Management development practitioners will benefit from assessing their respective organizations' current practices vis‐à‐vis those discussed here, while scholars may utilize the best practices model for generating further research on the role of managerial personnel in talent management systems.

Many higher education institutions have not invested in leadership succession planning despite suggestions for such action. In this article, the authors discuss the relevance of succession planning to the senior levels of leadership in higher education institutions, proposing that the role of succession planning and accompanying leadership development must be carefully considered based on the internal and external context of an institution. The authors present a modified model of succession planning for the higher education context.

This article includes arguments for and against succession planning and leadership development in higher education using relevant literature and theory.

The literature reviewed highlights the need for each educational institution to find its own optimized mix of external hiring and internal succession planning and leadership development to replace outgoing leaders based upon factors such as the institution's culture, needs, external environment, talent pool, and levels of leadership.

This article makes a unique contribution by questioning succession planning's utility in higher education and guiding practitioners and researchers on the risks and benefits of such practices. The article also provides a model to guide selective implementation of succession planning.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a case study of the development and implementation of a diversity strategy to recruit, retain and promote more women to partnership positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a global network of professional services firms. At PricewaterhouseCoopers gender diversity is a business issue, not a gender issue. The business case for gender diversity is undeniable and numerous studies underline the impact of women on the profitability of the organization. With women now representing half the workforce, the strategy now focuses on providing an environment that allows women to progress and to be successful in positions of leadership. This paper looks at the context and approach undertaken by the firm in addressing this issue, and the future implications in the context of both the firm's existing approach and the wider labor market and business environment.

This paper examines the global context and drivers for the firm's gender policy development, the stakeholders/sponsors, primary initiatives, approach to measurement and evaluation and progress to date. It specifically examines a number of examples of activities undertaken in this particular UK firm.

This case study examines the issue of gender equality at director and partnership level in a limited liability partnership environment.

The paper outlines practical lessons learned, and shares PwC's global research into how organizations can address the leaking pipeline of future female leadership.

PricewaterhouseCoopers' strategic approach to developing and advancing women in its firm has been frequently recognized in the UK by Opportunity Now, a membership organization for employers who are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for women, and Aurora – Where Women Want to Work, a service for women to research and compare organizations. It has also been recognized in the USA by the Catalyst research and advisory organization, which aims to build inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women, for its innovative, engaging and results driven approach. This paper provides practical insights and examples on the development and implementation of activities to address and advance gender diversity issues.

The purpose of this paper is to advocate an approach to leadership development to support the increasing trend of India‐based executives of multinational companies' (MNC) subsidiaries taking on global roles.

The paper defines distinctive competencies and recommends the alignment of individual development to the organization's evolution.

This approach enables leadership development efforts in MNC subsidiaries to focus on building a pipeline of leadership talent for the global organization.

The paper demonstrates that cultural intelligence, result orientation and thought leadership – the distinctive competencies required for a global career – can be built effectively on job opportunities that India‐based MNC subsidiaries provide.

As consultants working with multinational organizations predominantly in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, the authors frequently find themselves working with clients to create strategies for building their talent pipeline and developing leaders at multiple managerial levels. The purpose of this article is to introduce a model and approach for developing transnational leaders that will serve as a basis for learning design going forward.

The authors introduce the reader to five paradoxes: presenting a continuum for each dilemma; listing the key aspects of the dilemma; describing a situation in which this particular paradox has manifested itself; and posing a provocative question to stimulate thinking and dialogue to address the paradox.

The five paradoxes leaders and managers in the twenty‐first century need to consider to effectively manage for organization success are the: paradox of knowing (self and other); paradox of focus (individual and communal); paradox of communication (direct and indirect); paradox of action (doing and being); and the paradox of response (time focus: short and long‐term).

Leading transnationally is a continuing dilemma to be considered and managed. It requires a willingness to understand the system in which one is operating and requires adaptability and flexibility in response.

Previous leadership development efforts have been primarily designed to offer competency based skills and tools. The authors instead propose that transnational leadership development needs to focus on paradox management, which will develop abilities to manage these dilemmas.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Maintaining a quality leadership pipeline is a concern for organizations. Traditionally, high potential employees were identified based on proven in-role experience. Identifying recognizable potential leadership traits and qualities means “new grad” programs can be set up, recruiting final year university students and then investing in their training and development before fast-tracking them to management positions. This article investigates one such program, looking at its creation and operation, and highlighting potential challenges.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Because leadership competencies differ from the clinical and scientific competencies that make physicians successful in their clinical and scientific roles, leadership development programs are now receiving attention.

As one component of the leadership development program at the Cleveland Clinic, the Physician-Leader On-Boarding Program offers newly appointed chairs a structured interaction with executive coaches with the goal of increasing self-awareness and, secondarily, developing a personal leadership development plan. New leaders review their inventory of healthcare leadership competencies and receive expert guidance regarding their ratings on a 360o feedback assessment and a self-rated psychometric instrument. The final activity of the two- to three-month program is the new leader's presenting and discussing a personal leadership development plan with the coaches.

Between December 2006 and June 2010, 25 new Cleveland Clinic department or institute chairs participated in the program, of whom 22 were invited to participate and 14 responded to a survey regarding their experience of the program. Respondents rated the program highly 4.92 out of maximum 5 on “I would recommend the program to my colleagues,” and also suggested that expectations could be better clarified, that the scope of on-boarding should be broader, and that longitudinal coaching should be offered.

The results generally support the value of an on-boarding program for new physician-leaders while identifying future opportunities. The aforementioned suggestions regarding broader scope, clear expectations and follow-up are discussed as opportunities to strengthen the on-boarding experience, and to identify areas that may need to be reinforced.

Faced with rising numbers of employees due for retirement and dwindling numbers of younger workers stepping up to replace them, forward‐thinking companies are implementing succession plans for senior management. Such schemes can help create a culture of learning and development at all levels and can also build a structural developmental process for top managers and provide practical tools for employee advancement.