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Leadership‐shaping experiences: a comparative study of leaders and non‐leaders

Karin Amit (Ruppin Academic Centre and The Centre for Outstanding Leadership, Emek Hefer, Israel)
Micha Popper (Department of Psychology, University of Haifa and The Centre for Outstanding Leadership, Haifa, Israel)
Reuven Gal (The Centre for Outstanding Leadership, Zikhron Ya'akov, Israel)
Tammy Mamane‐Levy (The Centre for Outstanding Leadership, Zikhron Ya'akov, Israel)
Alon Lisak (The William Davidson Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Haifa and The Centre for Outstanding Leadership, Haifa, Israel)

Leadership & Organization Development Journal

ISSN: 0143-7739

Article publication date: 12 June 2009

20942

Abstract

Purpose

By comparing “leaders” with “non‐leaders” the current research attempts to shed light on the impact of early experiences on leaders' development.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is presented in two parts, quantitative and qualitative. In the first (quantitative) part, a group of soldiers perceived as leaders was compared with a group of soldiers perceived as non‐leaders, in order to examine the hypothesis that leaders have had more leadership experiences than non‐leaders. Confirmation of this hypothesis led to the qualitative part, in which the sense in which the reported experiences had contributed to leadership development was explored.

Findings

The leaders proved to have had more leadership experiences than non‐leaders in their youth. Such experiences impact on self‐perception as a leader, the development of self‐efficacy in leadership, and the accumulation of psychological and behavioral knowledge related to the manifestation of leadership.

Practical implications

Conceptually, the study adds knowledge regarding leadership development via natural experiences, particularly experiences that occur in early periods of life. Practically, the study adds knowledge that can improve selection processes of leaders, as well as knowledge that can be applied to leaders' development, particularly reflective methods.

Originality/value

The contributions of this study are methodological, conceptual, and practical. The study offers methods and instruments to assess leadership and distinguish leaders from non‐leaders..

Keywords

Citation

Amit, K., Popper, M., Gal, R., Mamane‐Levy, T. and Lisak, A. (2009), "Leadership‐shaping experiences: a comparative study of leaders and non‐leaders", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 30 No. 4, pp. 302-318. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730910961658

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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