Chapter 02-Leader Development
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Part 1: Leadership Is a Process, Not a Position
Chapter 2 Leader Development
Leader
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Chapter 2 Outline
Leader Development
Introduction
The Action-Observation-Reflection Model
The Key Role of Perception in the Spiral of Experience
Reflection and Leadership Development
Single- and Double-Loop Learning
Building Your Own Leadership Self-Image
Summary
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Key Learning Points
Introduction
The importance of using multiple perspectives to analyze leadership has been made clear; however,
there are multiple paths by which one’s own leadership is developed. Although leader development
and leadership development may seem synonymous, they are treated by scholars and practitioners in
The Action-Observation-Reflection Model
Making the most of experience is the key to developing one’s leadership ability. In other words,
leadership development depends not just on the kinds of experiences one has but also on how one uses
them to foster growth. Learning theorists suggest that people can learn the most from experiences
The Key Role of Perception in the Spiral of Experience
Human perception is not a passive process; rather, people actively shape and construct their
experiences. To this end, perception plays a very important role in all phases of the spiral of
experience. With respect to observation, people selectively attend to events in the environment. One
phenomenon that demonstrates this selectivity is called perceptual set. Perceptual sets can influence
Reflection and Leadership Development
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Perhaps the most important yet most neglected component of the action–observation–reflection model
is reflection. Reflection is important because it can provide leaders with a variety of insights into how
to frame problems differently, look at situations from multiple perspectives, or better understand
subordinates. In particular, reflection and leadership development can be influenced by single-loop
learning and double-loop learning. Single-loop learning is characterized by a process where the
Making the Most of Your Leadership Experiences: Learning to Learn from Experience
Research shows a meaningful link between stress and learning. The learning events and
developmental experiences that punctuate one’s life are usually—perhaps always—stressful. In
stressful situations, there is a tendency to do what’s always been done. What results is one of the
great challenges of adult development: the times when people most need to break out of the mold
created by past learning patterns are the times when they are most unwilling to do so. Being able to
go against the grain of one’s personal historical success requires an unwavering commitment to
Common Methods of Leader Development
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There are four popular and increasingly common methods of leader development: action learning,
development planning, coaching, and mentoring. Action learning involves the use of actual work
issues and challenges as a developmental activity. Participants work in teams to tackle real-world
organizational challenges as part of their daily job. There are several drawbacks that can include
domination by one team member or the nature of the problem being such that it requires fast paced
Building Your Leadership Self-Image
Leadership is difficult and complex—in an effort to avoid this difficulty and complexity, some try to
convince themselves that they do not want to or cannot lead. This is unfortunate. Do not avoid the
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Brief Definitions of the Key Terms for Chapter 2
Action-observation-reflection model: Leadership development is enhanced when people do
something (act), note what happened (observe), and think about what occurred (reflect).
Self-fulfilling prophecy: A phenomenon that occurs when our expectations or predictions play a
causal role in bringing about the events we predict (i.e., Pygmalion in the classroom).
Single-loop learning: A kind of learning where the individual seeks very little information or
feedback from the environment that might challenge their ideas or actions.
Double-loop learning: A kind of learning where the individual is willing to challenge their own
workplace.
Return on investment: A performance measure for evaluating the efficiency and benefit of an
investment.
In-basket exercises: An assessment tool that requires participants to prioritize and respond to
notes, letters, and phone messages from a fictitious manager’s in-basket.
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Development Planning: The process leaders use to change targeted behaviors that involves
systematic development of formal written plans used to guide these changes.
Coaching: The “process of equipping people with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they
need to develop and become more successful.”
Informal Coaching: Takes place whenever a leader helps followers to change their behaviors
and involves the steps of forging a partnership, inspiring commitment, growing skills, promoting
Overview of the Learning Resources for Chapter 2
Exercise 2-1: The Learning Lifeline. This 60-minute exercise involves instructors drawing and
Exercise 2-3: Leadership Development Interviews. In this exercise, students interview people in
Exercise 2-4: The Importance of Personal Involvement in Learning. In this 15-minute exercise, students
discover how they better retain information when they are personally connected to a project or activity.
Exercise 2-6: Queen Anne. This 15-minute exercise involves learning and frames of reference. Students
learn about a certain process and then get “tricked” into applying the process in the wrong place.
Exercise 2-7: How do Companies Develop Leaders? Small groups are asked to deliver a 10-minute
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Exercise 2-8: The Development Pipeline. Student teams are tasked with giving a 10-minute presentation
on their analysis of a university or corporate leadership development program using the Development
Pipeline. The exercise includes materials to help students analyze and create their Development Pipelines
and prepare their presentations.
Exercise 2-9: The Label Game. This 30–45-minute exercise demonstrates how stereotyping or group
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Case Studies: The minicase, “Developing Leaders at UPS,” at the end of Chapter 2 provides a good way
to review the major learning points of the chapter. Case Studies #1 and #8 can be used to discuss the
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Sample Lesson Plans for Chapter 2
Lesson 1: 60 minutes
Pre-work: Exercise 2-1, the Learning Lifeline. Instructors and students can prepare their
“learning lifelines” as a homework assignment (this will allow more time for discussion in class).
Lesson Plan:
• Instructors should walk students through their own personal learning lifeline (10–15 minutes).
o Instructors should highlight the following areas:
▪ What aspects of the AOR model are being applied?
▪ Influences of perception at various stages, did those perceptions change over
time?
Lesson 2: 60 minutes
Pre-work: Exercise 2-9, the Label Game. Follow the directions for this activity as outlined in the
text of the exercise (all required materials are included with the exercise).
Lesson Plan:
• Begin the lesson with a brief overview of the role of perception in the AOR model and include
some of the potentially biasing effects (10 minutes).
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Minicase, “Developing Leaders at UPS,” Sample Answers
Question 1: What are the major skills Jovita Carranza demonstrated in her career at UPS that
have made her a successful leader?
The following is not necessarily all inclusive but captures many of the things that have made
Carranza successful (see also the answer to question 3 for elaboration on some of these skills).
• Ability to listen to others
Question 2: Consider the spiral of experience that Jovita Carranza has traveled. How has her
experience affected her ability as a leader?
Review Figure 2.1, the Spiral of Experience.
Of the utmost importance is her continued use of all aspects of the AOR model. It is not simply
Question 3: Take a look at the characteristics of successful leaders in Highlight 2.1. How many
of these are demonstrated by Jovita Carranza?
The skills from Highlight 2.1 are listed below. Based on the limited information presented
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Chapter 02-Leader Development
Chapter 2 Exercises & Instructions
Exercise 2-1
Exercise Title: The Learning Lifeline
Purpose: To help students understand the Action-Observation-Reflection model and reflect on their own
key lessons of experience.
Summary: The learning lifeline is a technique which allows students to map out their key experiences
and reflect on what they have learned from these experiences. A sample learning lifeline can be found
below. Instructors should begin the exercise by completing their own learning lifeline and then taking 10–
Instructor note: Be sure to alert students that they will be sharing their experiences with others, so if
there are significant events that they do not want to share or do not want to talk about, they should leave
those off of their “Learning Lifeline.”
Learning Lifeline
Time
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Exercise 2-2
Exercise Title: First Impressions
Purpose: To demonstrate how impressions of another person can be formed based on little information.
Summary: Introduce the exercise by telling students they are about to receive some information about a
new person they will be working with. At this time, pass out one of the Person Perception Exercises to
each member of the class. Instructors should tell students to form a gestalt of the individual based on the
After students have completed Part II, instructors should ask students if they would like to work for this
individual if he or she was about to become their new boss. Instructors should then ask for a show of
hands regarding the adjectives circled for the first 5–8 pairs. Instructors should comment on how easy we
form impressions, the pervasiveness of these impressions, and how difficult it is to change impressions
once they have been made.
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PERSON PERCEPTION EXERCISE
PART I
Here is a list of characteristics that describe a particular person with whom you will have to work closely
PART II
Now, with that overall impression in mind, select from the following list those traits which are most in
accordance with the picture you have formed of the individual.
Circle one in each pair:
1. generous-ungenerous 9. ruthless-humane
Chapter 02-Leader Development
PERSON PERCEPTION EXERCISE
PART I
Here is a list of characteristics that describe a particular person with whom you will have to work closely
PART II
Now, with that overall impression in mind, select from the following list those traits which are most in
accordance with the picture you have formed of the individual.
Circle one in each pair:
1. generous-ungenerous 9. ruthless-humane
2. foolish-wise 10. good-looking-unattractive
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Exercise 2-3
Exercise Title: Leadership Development Interviews
Purpose: Provide exposure to first-hand accounts of valuable developmental leadership experiences.
Summary: Have students interview community leaders (e.g., a minister, coach, principal, elected official,
store manager, etc.) about valuable developmental experiences, and have them present a summary of their
findings to the rest of the class. You can make this either an individual or small group assignment. It
might be useful for the students to address the following sorts of issues in each interview:
– Do you think leadership develops with experience?
– Are there one or two experiences you look back on as having been especially valuable in helping
develop your own leadership? Please briefly describe them.
Individuals or student teams should then prepare a 5-minute presentation of their findings. If this
assignment is given to individuals, then the individuals should share their results with others in a small
group. If teams are assigned the task of doing the interviews, then the teams should share their findings
with the other teams in the class.
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Exercise 2-4
Exercise Title: The Importance of Personal Involvement in Learning
Purpose: To demonstrate how things we relate to ourselves are remembered better than things that are
unrelated or personally insignificant.
Summary: This exercise involves members of the class performing two different sorts of tasks:
This exercise takes 15 minutes to complete.
Chapter 02-Leader Development
Task I
Please take the next two minutes to count the number of vowels in the words below.
ADVENTUROUS NATURAL
IRRESPONSIBLE BITTER
GOLDEN LOGICAL
PRUDISH ARROGANT
FRANK COOPERATIVE
COLD LOUD
Total Number of Vowels = _______