Evaluating Perceived Changes in Leadership Behavior among Middle Managers

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine if the self and supervisor-perceived leadership behaviors of middle managers who attended a leadership development course differed from those who did not attend the course.

METHODOLOGY
The population consisted of 222 managers who attended a one-day leadership program (over a 12 month period) and 250 managers who did not attend. The Leadership Practices Inventory (Self) were completed by both groups and their supervisors (LPI-Observer) prior to attending the program and three months after the program’s completion. A total of 22 middle managers and their supervisors completed both the pre- and post-assessments from the treatment group and a total of 26 middle managers and their supervisors completed both assessments in the control group.

KEY FINDINGS
A significant difference was found between pre-assessment scores of middle managers and their supervisors on the leadership practice of Enabling Others to Act but not on the other four leadership practices. No significant differences were found between middle managers in the treatment and control group for any of the five leadership practices in the pre-assessment period. Post assessment of supervisor scores between the control and treatment groups did not reveal any significant differences on the five leadership practices. No significant differences were found between the post-self assessments of managers who attended the program compared with their supervisors’ post assessments (this same finding also applied to the control group). All in all, no evidence was found to support the hypothesis that completion of the one-day leadership seminar resulted in any change in leadership (more frequent leadership behaviors).