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The purpose of the current study was to explore the connection between generativity and mentoring. Specifically, ten college students who mentor shared stories illustrating the link they perceived between mentoring and generativity. A cross-case analysis was utilized to explore the data and connect the developmental/environmental factors of leader identity (i.e. motivations to mentor) with generative themes (i.e. how participants mentored or were mentored). The cross-case analysis resulted in three overarching mentoring styles: Guide, Relator, and Friend. Findings from the current study have implications for leadership educators, mentoring programs, and college student development scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusive educational leaders promote teacher team functioning. To support leader inclusiveness, we designed and implemented a faculty development programme focusing on leader identity formation. We investigated (1) how participants' leader identity developed throughout the programme and (2) how the design principles contributed to this process, according to participants. A design-based research approach was followed. Participants were 7 course coordinators, leading an interdisciplinary teacher team. To study leader identity development, participants repeatedly filled out a validated questionnaire. To investigate how design principles contributed, observational field notes, facilitator debriefings, a programme evaluation questionnaire and a semi-structured focus group were used. Thematic analysis was applied for qualitative data. Participants gained broader views on leadership, moving from individual dominance towards engaging team members. Most participants initially experienced a deconstruction of their former leader identity and became motivated to improve leadership qualities. Competence-building, reflecting and receiving feedback on workplace experiences, and practicing in a safe environment were perceived to be key for identity development. We developed and evaluated a leader identity programme which can convert teachers' classic leadership views towards views incorporating social interactions and relationships. We demonstrated how social interactions provide opportunities to learn from pe.ers in the work environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to increased calls for research that can provide greater understanding of the relational and contextual issues surrounding leader identity construction processes, this qualitative study aims to provide insights into the subjective experience of constructing a leader identity within the context of organizations. Drawing on data from 50 semi-structured interviews, this paper focuses on significant sub-themes, which were grouped into two categories, namely identity catalysts (e.g. issues that participants identified as positively aiding in their leader identity construction process) and identity barriers (e.g. issues that participants identified as negatively impacting their leader identity construction process). These catalysts and barriers will be elaborated upon and their relationship to leader identity explained. This paper provides new insights into the leader identity construction process by using Leadership Identity Construction Theory as a lens for interpretation, and offers notable implications for theory, research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the principles of constructivist grounded theory this study investigates the developmental factors involved in executive coaching for women in senior roles. The paper presents an analysis of the unique experiences of eleven senior women in their executive coaching engagements in Australia. The findings support recent discourse suggesting the need for a gender perspective in coaching senior women – an area currently underexplored in the research literature. The formation of a professional identity as a female leader was a core theme that emerged from the data. Analysis of semi-structured interviews led to the identification of several enabling factors that contributed to their leader identity formation and helped to mitigate the impact of male norms of leadership evident at senior levels. These included the coach as role model, managing motivation at senior levels and leading with authenticity. These enablers were salient in the analysis and reinforced the gender dynamics implicit in the participant's organisational contexts. The emergence of professional identity formation and the relevance of gender-related aspects of this formation process suggest that executive coaches need to explicitly recognise leader identity formation, and the potential implications of gender, in order to optimise executive coaching for senior women. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]