James I. Phillips, Dave Kern, Jitendra Tewari, Kenneth E. Jones, Eshwar Prasad Beemraj and Chaitra Ashok Ettigi
The self-leadership change project (SLCP) is an ongoing program for senior level students at a regional university designed to provide hands-on experience in building…
Abstract
Purpose
The self-leadership change project (SLCP) is an ongoing program for senior level students at a regional university designed to provide hands-on experience in building self-management skills, which is considered a pre-requisite by many leaders and scholars (e.g. Drucker, 1996; Schaetti et al., 2008). The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
Participants (479 undergraduate business students in 26 different classes with two different professors) had from 10 to 16 weeks to complete their SLCP project. A survey to collect the data for this study were provided as a voluntary option to participants who wished to report their SLCP project results.
Findings
A majority of students participating in the projects reported achieving change in targeted behavior, with intentions to continue to utilize the SLCP approach for future “projects.” Additionally, students who successfully completed a SLCP reported that observers noted change in others as a result of the project. Students who received positive feedback from observers reported that they were likely to engage in a self-leadership project in the future.
Research limitations/implications
The data used in the analysis are exclusively self-reported information. The survey and results do not tie to previous studies that measure individuals’ aptitude for self-leadership as an indicator of success and development of self-leadership capabilities. This study offers little in the way of acknowledging or determining the sustainability of changes desired.
Practical implications
The results fully supported the idea that self-leaders influence others.
Social implications
This study providing support for the concept that external leadership begins with self-leadership. Successful self-leadership change prepares an individual for external leadership roles in organizations and society.
Originality/value
The relationship noted in “Practical implications” above has been suggested in the literature, but there have been few studies covering this relationship.