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Study highlights the need for simpler, evidence-based leadership development

Study highlights the need for simpler, evidence-based leadership development
leadership
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A global leadership study from researchers at Monash University and leading international institutions has revealed the key to effective leadership could be to “keep it simple.” The study’s findings challenge the traditional approach of adopting trend-driven leadership frameworks, and show that effective leadership stems from strong leader-follower relationships, offering a simpler, more actionable path for leaders and organizations.

Published in the Journal of Management Studies, the study analyzed 12 dominant leadership measures across 4,000 participants from five countries. It is one of the most comprehensive investigations to date of leadership style effectiveness and redundancy, providing critical insights for researchers, practitioners and organizations worldwide.

Associate Professor Nathan Eva from the Department of Management at Monash Business School, said the study revealed that many popular leadership styles, such as transformational, authentic and ethical leadership, share substantial overlap, questioning the need for fragmented style-specific frameworks.

“Our research demonstrates that leadership effectiveness is less about adopting a complex array of specific styles and more about fostering behaviors that build strong relationships with your team members,” Associate Professor Eva said.

“Our findings show that follower perceptions and affect toward their leader play a central role in determining leadership effectiveness. Leadership is as much about relationships as it is about behaviors.

“Rather than chasing the latest trend, organizations should focus on strengthening leaders’ existing behaviors that align with the organizations’ values and strategic goals. This approach not only simplifies leadership development but also ensures more consistent and meaningful outcomes.”

The study also calls for a shift in how leadership development is approached:

  • For organizations: focus on building leadership behaviors that align with organizational values rather than adopting trend-driven styles.
  • For leaders: build strong relationships with team members, such as prioritizing trust and collaboration, to enhance team and organizational outcomes.
  • For leadership consultants: simplify programs to focus on a small set of universal behaviors that drive measurable success.

Associate Professor Joshua Howard co-authored the study with Associate Professor Eva. “These findings call for leadership researchers and practitioners to rethink leadership training and measures,” Dr. Howard said.

“By focusing on the behaviors that matter, we can reduce complexity, improve outcomes, and foster more inclusive and resilient workplaces. This work pushes the field toward clarity and consolidation, ensuring leadership research and practice are more aligned and impactful.”

The study has implications for organizations globally, helping them rethink leadership development, streamline training programs, and ensure leaders are equipped with behaviors that matter most in driving success.

More information:
Nathan Eva et al, An Inconvenient Truth: A Comprehensive Examination of the Added Value (or Lack Thereof) of Leadership Measures, Journal of Management Studies (2024). DOI: 10.1111/joms.13156

Provided by
Monash University

Citation:
Study highlights the need for simpler, evidence-based leadership development (2025, January 20)
retrieved 21 January 2025
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