Leader self-development, as an approach to leader development, is defined as autonomous, self-regulated behaviors focused on developing one’s leadership capacities. Leader development, as a function, is purposeful engagement in the development of human capital, often in the form of formal training programs or on-the-job assignments. It has been theorized that leaders can only learn from such structured investments if they are motivated to self-develop as leaders. For this reason, self-development is a foundational element of leadership development in general. Previous research has found that certain leader characteristics such as feedback seeking, achievement seeking and mastery orientation predict an individual’s motivation for self-development. The current study examines whether matched perceived group-norms interact with leader characteristics to impact motivation to self-develop. 134 male and 33 female leaders who manage people within structured organizations completed an online self-report survey to assess participants’ leader characteristics, perceived group norms and motivation to self-develop. Results replicated previous research using a new sample, thus establishing the importance of leader characteristics of feedback seeking, achievement seeking, and mastery orientation in predicting motivation to self-development. Although results failed to support the predicted interactions between leader characteristics and matched group level norms, for the first time, group level norms of goal-setting and learning were found to have a direct effect on motivation to self-develop. Implications of increased leader self-development under specific, advantageous group norms are discussed.

Aim of the research: This essay describes what can happen between the singers in a choral voice and how the individuals differ in taking initiative and acting in leading roles. Method: I have done qualitative interview studies with conductors and singers, and also recording studies. The recording sessions have been done in following choir rehearsals in a Swedish upper secondary school, and with a simultaneous video recording to be able to also take notice on eventual visual signs between the singers. With close up headworn microphones and by multi track recordings it have been possible through an analyzing program to watch graphically exactly how each individual sings and to compare the singers with each other. The recordings and analyses have been done using Cubase5 and Variaudio with printouts of the same sequence of the music the single voices in the same choral voice. Results: My informants all speak of formal and informal leaders in the choral voice. Many of them also talk about these leaders as leading the choral voice and also with their personal voice and timbre, give color to others. It is possible to graphically view differences in attacks and intonation, and also to notice when someone is ahead and “pulling” others to follow. This leading role can be both positive and negative, a confident but not so good singer can unfortunately bring along other singers to take wrong steps in the music.