Leadership development methods and activities: content, purposes, and implementation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the nature of leadership development (LD) methods adopted by companies operating in Syria by exploring the content, purpose, and the implantation of LD methods. Design/methodology/approach – Middle and top managers were asked via semi-structured interviews to describe the content, purposes, and implementation of LD practices. Findings – The findings revealed that the LD interventions are mixed between experiential learning and self and team analysis. Specifically, five major methods or activities used in Syria: action learning, coaching, feedback, rotation, and networking. These methods and activities were not only used for a specific purpose, but also for multiple purposes. Research limitations/implications – Research data were conducted during what was called the Arab Spring, which has negative implications not only on the participants, but also on the way they responded to questions. In addition, the for-profit sector was only involved in the study because of its flexibility, lack of bureaucracy, and the application of LD. Originality/value – This study is the only study that investigated LD methods and activities in Syria.