The vast quantity of leadership literature discusses factors that may contribute to leader development. However, strategic leaders—defined as those individuals in key positions at the organizational apex—are a subsection of the research that deserves more attention. In particular, what sets these leaders apart or enables them to excel is an area of particular interest and is explored in this dissertation. The purpose of this study was to understand the process of leadership development, specifically through the experience and beliefs of successful senior leaders. The study addressed the following questions: 1. How do strategic leaders for the federal government describe effective leadership? 2. How do they explain the development of effective strategic leadership? 3. How do the described behaviors of strategic leadership compare to the Executive Core Qualifications established for civilian federal government leaders by the Office of Personnel Management? To answer the research questions, the study employed grounded theory as the primary analytic procedure. The subjects interviewed were from areas of the federal government dealing with national security, predominantly Department of Defense. Both military and civilians subjects participated. Data were analyzed qualitatively and a conceptual model of strategic leadership behavior was developed. Finally, implications and suggestions as to how to foster the development of such capacities are offered. The findings show, as did earlier behavioral research, that the two aspects of task and relationship are important to successful leaders. In this case, both functioned predominantly in the leaders' behavior, but under the fabric of their contextual experience built on their own self-efficacy and relations with others. It follows that more attention paid to developing self-mastery and strong relationship skills are in order. Since studies on military leadership vice civilian federal service are more likely, the findings were examined in relation to the established qualifications for senior civilian leaders, revealing a gap. While the qualifications for senior executives are behavior oriented, the research indicates a need for stronger focus on personal development, growth as an individual, and contributions made to the development of others. The relationship aspect of leadership does not receive the proper emphasis. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MPhil (Informations Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Karl E. Weick’s Theory of Organizational Sensemaking and Elliot Jaques’ Stratified Systems Theory are not often deemed to be complimentary. The generally accepted view is that these two positions represent two poles on a spectrum of organization theory. The thesis attempts to bring these two theories in conversation with one another and argues that organizational sensemaking is enriched in a requisitely structured organization. The essence of stratified systems theory is that all humans have an inherent cognitive potential level of coping with complexity. As people mature they gain the potential to handle the next level complexity jobs. Similarly, jobs have a certain span within which they can or should be successfully mastered. In organizations one can then identify different strata, according to job complexity. A requisitely structured organization uses strata to create a managerial hierarchy. Jaques argues that a hierarchy is not repressive if applied requisitely as people will naturally be drawn to jobs in the strata where they are most effective. Sensemaking on the other hand, is the cognitive ability to impose frames on ongoing flows and so make the world sensible. Normally it is an automatic process, but in organizations the sense made is often fragile and under threat. Sensemaking and management are two mutually interacting activities that influence each other constantly. The type of frame imposed on an object, the interpretation given to events, the plausibility of explanations forwarded and the contextualization of circumstances is dependent on one’s applied cognitive capabilities. It is argued that if there are no discontinuites in cognitive capabilities and if the organization is requisitely structured then sensemaking is enhanced. This argument serves as the bridge between Sensemaking Theory and Stratified Systems Theory. Other links are in pertinent properties that are common to both theories, for example, requisite variety, trust, meetings and leadership, which are fundamental requirements in both theories. While the theories are complementary, there remain some gray areas and some others of contention and these are considered towards the end. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Karl Weick se Teorie oor Organisatoriese Singewing en Elliot Jaques se Stratifiseerde Sisteemteorie word nie gewoonlik as komplimentêr gesien nie. Die algemeen aanvaarde siening is dat die twee teorieë eintlik pole aan weerskante van ‘n teoretiese spektrum is. Die tesis probeer om die twee teorieë met mekaar in gesprek te bring en argumenteer dat organisatoriese singewing in ‘n genoegsaam gestruktureerde organisasie verryk word. Die kern van Stratifiseerde Sisteemteorie is dat alle mense ‘n inherente kognitiewe potensiaal vir kompleksiteitshantering het. Soos mense natuurlik verouder kan hulle potensiaal vergroot word en kan hulle ‘n volgende vlak van kompleksiteit hanteer. In organisasies beteken dit dat verskillende rolle in organisasies verskillende tydsperiodes vereis waarbinne dit suksesvol bemeester kan of behoort te word. In organisasies kan verskillende vlakke op hierdie manier geïdentifiseer word. Volgens Jaques gebruik ‘n genoegsaam gestruktureerde organisasie hierdie vlakke om ‘n hierargiese bestuurstruktuur daar te stel waarmee mense aangewend word op die vlakke waar hulle die effektiefste sal wees. Singewing daarteenoor, is die kognitiewe vermoë om raamwerke op deurlopende vloeie af te dwing. Normaalweg is dit ‘n outomatiese proses, maar in organisasies word singewing dikwels bedreig. Singewing en bestuur is twee aktiwiteite wat mekaar deurlopend beïnvloed. Die soort raam wat op die vloei afgedwing word, die interpretasie van gebeure, die geloofwaardigheid van verduidelikings en die kontekstualisering van omstandighede hang saam met mens se kognitiewe vermoëns. Daar word geargumenteer dat die afwesigheid van diskontinuïteite in kognitiewe vermoëns is en ‘n genoegsaam gestruktureerde organisasie singewing sal bevorder. Op hierdie manier word ‘n brug geslaan tussen Singewingsteorie en Stratifiseerde Sisteemteorie. In die proses word eienskappe wat sentraal staan vir beide teorieë, soos vereiste varieteit, belang van vergaderings, vertroue en leierskap, uitgelig as gedeelde eienskappe tussen die twee toerieë. Laastens word die grys areas en besware bekyk en waar die grense van komplimentariteit tussen die twee teorieë lê.

The need for the identification and appropriate development of talent in organisations has led to a renewed interest in the accuracy of tools used in this context. The objectives of the study were to: (1) determine whether there is a significant difference in the growth in theoretical capability as predicted by Career Path Appreciation (CPA) 1 and CPA 2 among the sample population, (2) determine whether there is a significant difference in Mode as predicted by CPA 1 and CPA 2 among the sample population, and (3) formulate recommendations for Talent Management and Industrial and Organisational Psychology practices and future research. The CPA is a tool used for the selection and development of talent nationally and internationally. Limited recent test-retest research has been done regarding the utilisation of the CPA in this context. Scholars in the field of industrial psychology could therefore benefit from follow-up research regarding the validity and reliability of the CPA. The research design is an ex post facto correlational design using longitudinal data of a sample of convenience (N=527). Overall, the results indicated a significant correlation between CLC for CPA 1 and CPA 2 as well as between Mode for CPA 1 and CPA 2. The CPA as a measure of theoretical capability is consistently accurate between measures and can be used with confidence for the identification and development of talent within organisations. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M. Admin. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The need for the identification and appropriate development of talent in organisations has led to a renewed interest in the accuracy of tools used in this context. The objectives of the study were to: (1) determine whether there is a significant difference in the growth in theoretical capability as predicted by Career Path Appreciation (CPA) 1 and CPA 2 among the sample population, (2) determine whether there is a significant difference in Mode as predicted by CPA 1 and CPA 2 among the sample population, and (3) formulate recommendations for Talent Management and Industrial and Organisational Psychology practices and future research. The CPA is a tool used for the selection and development of talent nationally and internationally. Limited recent test-retest research has been done regarding the utilisation of the CPA in this context. Scholars in the field of industrial psychology could therefore benefit from follow-up research regarding the validity and reliability of the CPA. The research design is an ex post facto correlational design using longitudinal data of a sample of convenience (N=527). Overall, the results indicated a significant correlation between CLC for CPA 1 and CPA 2 as well as between Mode for CPA 1 and CPA 2. The CPA as a measure of theoretical capability is consistently accurate between measures and can be used with confidence for the identification and development of talent within organisations. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Admin. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Personality, psychological type and cognitive ability are frequently implied to be underlying causes of differences in reasoning processes, decision-making processes and general success in a job. However, there is a trend towards utilising cognitive and personality measures interchangeably in the context of selection and development, particularly as it pertains to selection based on cognitive ability and cognitive style. The general aim of this research was therefore to investigate the relationship between psychological type, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI), and cognitive abilities and styles as measured by the Cognitive Process Profile (CPP). Cognitive ability is discussed under the cognitive psychology paradigm. A clarification of concepts associated with cognitive psychology is provided, and the CPP model is introduced as an integrative model encompassing aspects of cognitive ability and cognitive style. Psychological type is discussed under the analytical psychology paradigm, with a focus on personality structure, dynamics and development. This is then integrated into an overview of Jung's theory of personality types and the development of the MBTI. An empirical investigation, utilising Pairwise comparisons and Chi-square statistics was conducted. The results were then integrated to enable a better understanding of the relationship between cognition and personality. Based on this, it was concluded that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that a relationship exists between cognitive styles (as defined by the CPP) and personality (as defined by the MBTI). There were however, sufficient statistically significant findings to suggest that there is some relationship between cognitive processes / competencies and personality. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Personality, psychological type and cognitive ability are frequently implied to be underlying causes of differences in reasoning processes, decision-making processes and general success in a job. However, there is a trend towards utilising cognitive and personality measures interchangeably in the context of selection and development, particularly as it pertains to selection based on cognitive ability and cognitive style. The general aim of this research was therefore to investigate the relationship between psychological type, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI), and cognitive abilities and styles as measured by the Cognitive Process Profile (CPP). Cognitive ability is discussed under the cognitive psychology paradigm. A clarification of concepts associated with cognitive psychology is provided, and the CPP model is introduced as an integrative model encompassing aspects of cognitive ability and cognitive style. Psychological type is discussed under the analytical psychology paradigm, with a focus on personality structure, dynamics and development. This is then integrated into an overview of Jung's theory of personality types and the development of the MBTI. An empirical investigation, utilising Pairwise comparisons and Chi-square statistics was conducted. The results were then integrated to enable a better understanding of the relationship between cognition and personality. Based on this, it was concluded that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that a relationship exists between cognitive styles (as defined by the CPP) and personality (as defined by the MBTI). There were however, sufficient statistically significant findings to suggest that there is some relationship between cognitive processes / competencies and personality. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)