Leadership development in the process of human resources development
Discuss about the Leadership Development in HRD and Adult workplace learning.
Human resource development refers to the process of training an employee after they are being hired in the organization. This process provides opportunities to the employees to learn and develop their skills during the job only. Under the process of human resources development, organization train, develop and mold the employees in such a way that the adequately work for the growth of the organization. Subsequently with the growth of organization, the employees also grow in their job. Leadership development is also a type of adult learning in the process of human resource development (Wang, & Ellinger 2011). Every employee in an organization get chances to lead some employees under them, however it depends on employees how they take the opportunity. The purpose of the essay is to provide information about the leadership development in the process of human resource development and adult workplace learning. It explains the review of different literatures on the topic of leadership development of employees in an organization. The essay also critically evaluates instances given by different authors. Further, the thesis statement of the essay is mentioned below:
Firstly, it should be noted that leadership is not something that can be taught to people, as it more of a practical approach than just a theoretical concept. Leadership cannot be learned through books and papers; however the best way to learn and develop leadership skills is by working at workplace. Leo Tolstoy stated a phrase that is, ‘a leader is a way pushed ahead by the ship’. This phrase explained that the activities of leadership are directly or indirectly influenced by the activities of organization; these activities influences the leaders to initiate activities in such a way that they learn from the organization and develop their skills to control workplace in a better way. According to Van Velsor, McCauley, and Ruderman, 2010, the main purpose of the leadership development is to improve the efficiency of organization. They also stated that several methods and practices are being used to improve the leadership behavior of employees. Talking about behavior, it should be noted that behavior is regarded as one of the most important aspect that takes lead role in the process of adult learning at workplace. In workplace culture, after spending quantum time with organization, the employees start becoming stiff and reduces their development efficiency at workplace. So, it should be noted that the employees of the company can learn at workplace by having positive approach towards certain activities of company (Dalakoura 2010).
Methods and practices used for improving leadership behavior
An organization provides various opportunities to the employees to learn and develop themselves, but it depends upon the mindset and behavior of employees towards certain situations. Also, it should be noted that it is the need of the employees along with the organization to initiate the leadership program as workplace activities are becoming complex and very few competent people are left to manage the human resource along with the activities of the company. In response to which, the adult workplace learning in human resource development activities are initiate to motivate the employees to learn on course of job and grow as well (Volz-Peacock, Carson, and Marquardt 2016).
Further, it should also be noted that it is easy to grow the leadership skills at workplace, as the workplace activities provide various opportunities to employees to grow and expand their skills set at workplace. The workplace can also be seen as a place where the employees are being paid to learn. Furthermore, leadership development involves a wide range of practices identified as essential for maximizing potential human capital and growth opportunities. In response to develop the leadership program, the companies need to initiate formal programs along with policies in order to develop the quality (Cumberland, Herd, Alagaraja, and Kerrick 2016). Companies in the current era strictly focus on leadership development program because it provides them better opportunities to work in external market. Leadership pipeline allow the companies to identify high potential of the employees that can become a successful leader in near future and develop them into leaders through structured as well as experiential training. The structured training program helps in improving the potential leader’s skills and capabilities that can be further segregated in four aspects that are, individual skill development, socialization of company’s vision and values, strategic leadership initiative and lastly, action learning initiative (McCleskey 2014).
Under this approach of leadership development, the management of the company combines the goals and objectives of the leaders with organizational goal. In the process of individual skill development, the employees are initially helped to identify their potential, behavior and values. The management provides them a 360o feedback to identify their strengths and weaknesses. The mentors frequently help employees to identify the leadership skills present within them and nurture it gain satisfaction for the company. In the next step of this process, that is socialization program; in this program, the mentor makes newly promoted leaders more inclined towards the vision and values of the company (Hezlett 2016). Aim of this program is to match up the activities of the leaders to internal as well as external requirements of the company. Mentoring relationship will helps the leaders to gain better understanding of goals and operations of the company. The next step of active strategic change strategies evaluates the internal and external conditions related to company and aim to assess the leadership aspects to overcome the challenges. This phase of leadership learning helps the company in evaluating aspects to overcome the challenges faced by company. Lastly, the action-learning step involves the leaders to work in teams to address the strategic issues while building strong self-awareness and learning using individuals and group reflection. The aim of this process to guide and promote leaders in using their skills to successfully create a holistic approach to solve issues for the organization (Boekhorst 2015).
Challenges faced by companies while implementing leadership development program
The above mentioned is a successful full-proof plan with the help of which management can create leadership development among the new employees of the organization. However, critically evaluating the above mentioned all the good aspects of adult workplace learning in human resource development, it should be noted that there are various issues faced by the employees along with the company in implementing these concepts (Cummings, and Worley 2014). Initially talking about adult learning, it should be noted that the organization aims to develop the leadership capabilities of all the employees recruiting in their organization, however sometimes the employees are smart enough to understand the concept and some might not completely focus on this practice. As ultimately the core activity for which employees are hired to do is not entirely based on the leadership learning program organized by the company. Resulting to which, the employees do not focus on such programs of the company due to which the adult learning concept gets nullified in the company (Hargreaves 2007). Further, it should also be noted that many times the experienced employees coming in the organization deny making change in their nature according to the activities of the company. After working for a certain time in the industry, the employees get rigid in their actions due to which they fail to learn new concepts in the company; and this aspect ultimately hampers their personal growth in an organization and organizational growth as well (Amagoh 2009). It is very difficult for the employees to make changes in their nature after attain experience in the industry. Apart from this, the management also many times fails to meet the adequate process need of adult learning in an organization. The main purpose of adult learning is to develop the skills and efficiency of employees and align them with the activities of the organization, however companies now a days try to train the employees and not develop them to which their interest level reduces. The leadership development program organized by the company should hamper the integrity of workplace; it should infact increase the unity of employees. But these programs increase the conflicts among the employees as it makes them competitive with each other only (Hargreaves, and Fink 2004).
Thus, in the limelight of above mentioned events, the fact that should be noted is that it is important for the organizations to understand the crucial need of the adult workplace learning process in human resource development so as to develop leadership skills in the employees. This process has many positive aspects that increases skills and efficiency of the employees to work more effectively. However, the companies need to understand the adequate ways in which they can implement this process for the success of the program along with increment in the profitability of the company as well
References
Amagoh, F., 2009. Leadership development and leadership effectiveness. Management Decision, 47(6), pp.989-999.
Boekhorst, J.A., 2015. The role of authentic leadership in fostering workplace inclusion: A social information processing perspective. Human Resource Management, 54(2), pp.241-264.
Cumberland, D.M., Herd, A., Alagaraja, M. and Kerrick, S.A., 2016. Assessment and development of global leadership competencies in the workplace: A review of literature. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 18(3), pp.301-317.
Cummings, T.G. and Worley, C.G., 2014. Organization development and change. US: Cengage learning. pp: 447-781.
Dalakoura, A. 2010. Differentiating leader and leadership development. Journal of Management Development. Vol. 29 Iss 5 pp.432-441.
Hargreaves, A. and Fink, D., 2004. The seven principles of sustainable leadership. Educational leadership, 61(7), pp.8-13.
Hargreaves, A., 2007. Sustainable leadership and development in education: Creating the future, conserving the past. European Journal of Education, 42(2), pp.223-233.
Hezlett, S.A., 2016. Enhancing experience-driven leadership development. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 18(3), pp.369-389.
McCleskey, J.A., 2014. Situational, transformational, and transactional leadership and leadership development. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 5(4), p.117.
Van Velsor, E; McCauley, C.D & Ruderman, M.N 2010. The center for creative leadership handbook of leadership development. 3rd ed. San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Imprint.
Volz-Peacock, M., Carson, B. and Marquardt, M., 2016. Action learning and leadership development. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 18(3), pp.318-333.
Wang, Y-L. & Ellinger, A. D. 2011. Organizational learning Perception of external environment and innovation performance, International Journal of Manpower Vol. 32 No. 5/6, 2011 pp. 512-536.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
