Introduction
In their study, “Effects on Leaders of an Art – Based Leadership Intervention”, Julia Romanowska, Gerry Larson and Töres Theorell (2013) present an interesting primary research conducted on Swedish leaders, for understanding how the art – based, or the Shibboleth leadership intervention, affects leadership style, as compared to the conventional intervention. The study performs a comparison between the art – based and conventional leadership interventions, presenting the results of a research that lasted 18 months. Both intervention methods were evaluated in terms of Sense of Coherence - SOC (resilience to stress) and Agreeableness (social supportive behavior), as well as Laissez – faire and Capacity to Cope, the last two, analyzed from the subordinates’ perspective. The analyzed article is structured as a classical research study, including a background of the existent research in the field and a justification of the study, specific methodological considerations, statistical analysis description, results, discussions, strengths and limitations, and a conclusive chapter. The structure, as well as the information and the writing style are easy to follow, and the authors succeed to transmit complex information and the results of an elaborated primary research, in a clear and coherent manner.
Background
Main Issues
The article is mostly focused with describing how the primary research developed. In this respect, the authors describe the respondents, as Swedish leaders with different profiles and activating in diverse environments. They also present the research methods used, namely two randomized leadership programs (the art – based and conventional leadership interventions) and dedicate significant space to describing each intervention program, as it was carried on. With the notable emphasis on the two leadership programs, the main issues that distinguished in the research were the differential results that the two research approaches produced. Therefore, the study has found that the study participants who were randomly assigned to the art – based leadership intervention program registered remarkable positive changes in relation with the study’s variables, as compared with the subjects from the conventional leadership intervention. Namely, as hypothesized, the art – based intervention produced positive changes in the leaders’ Sense of Coherence, Agreeableness and decreased their Laissez – faire (increased their responsibility) and improved their Capacity to Cope, as per their subordinates’ evaluations. Another important issue that the study delineates is that the members of the conventional research registered opposing results, as they continued to practice bureaucratic styles, avoiding responsibility (high Laissez - faire), eluding from supportive behavior and demonstrating low capacity to cope with stress (Romanowska et al., 2013).
Alternative
For this study, the alternative solution to conventional leadership education, which is based on leadership theories, analytical processes, entrenched in lengthy practice that became standardized, was the art – based leadership intervention. While the conventional educational intervention implied lecturing contemporary leadership processes that served as guidelines for leaders’ activity, the art – based methodology implied performing, namely reading, interpreting, acting. A more creative and personal approach to leadership was developed through the art – based leadership intervention as compared with the conventional approach. The alternative method was found to challenge the participants from the art – based group more than the standard approach did for the participants in the conventional group. In the first case the subjects had to find solutions to the given problems (sorrow, distress, humbleness, etc.) by using their own reasoning and creative resources rather than applying leadership theories tested by others, as it was the case in the conventional group. This alternative approach increased the subjects’ self – consciousness and had positive effects on the variables of this study. The differential results gathered from the two studies conducted with different research approaches implies that the standard, conventional teachings about leadership have fostered a bureaucratic leadership style, which permits the avoidance of actual leadership roles and attributes, covering those with systematic leadership theories that justify procedures. Instead, the alternative educational model proposed, the Shibboleth method, encourages subjects to find leadership qualities within their inner selves, after challenging trials that stress out their emotions and fears, but strengthen their capacity of dealing with difficult situations.
Proposed Solutions
The study indicates that there is no formal, recommended solution that should be applied in relation with improving SOC, Agreeability, decreasing Laissez – faire and strengthening the Capacity to Cope. The proposed solution, nevertheless, advises against conventional leadership education, which would solely foster standard models of avoiding responsibilities, while decreasing the resilience and the ability to cope with stress in difficult times. Furthermore, the art – based leadership model is the proposed solution in terms of implementing a different perspective on leadership. Nevertheless, the application of the Shibboleth method does not result in fix, standard guidelines for the leaders to implement in their organizational activities. On the contrary, as the study revealed, the participants in the alternative educational model displayed different approaches to coping with complex situations, which reflected their creative nature, but also their individuality and uniqueness in reacting to specific issues (Romanowska et al., 2013).
Recommendations
In light of these interpretations of “Effects on Leaders of an Art – Based Leadership Intervention” primary research, the main recommendation would be for leaders to explore their individuality and delineate solutions for the organizational problems based on their own cognitive and creative processes. This recommendation seems to completely dismiss the application of all leadership theories, body of knowledge and prior researches conducted to conceptualize leadership and help leaders lead. While the analyzed study does indicate that the participants in the art – based leadership intervention appealed to their vision, imagination and rationality, a recommendation to dismiss all previous literature and studies on leadership and leadership theories would be unjust. Furthermore, Shibboleth educational approach is not suitable for everybody, as even this study revealed, indicating that several participants left the study or expressed their dislike for the procedure (Romanowska et al., 2013). Therefore, the general dismissal of the conventional leadership education and the sole application of the art – based intervention is not recommended, as many potential leaders might renounce their leadership intentions, discouraged by the too intrusive methods used in this alternative approach. Nevertheless, the application of art – based leadership intervention for fostering specific leadership attributes (Sense of Coherence, Agreeability, decreased Laissez –faire and enhanced Capacity to Cope) is recommended, not solely as an alternative to conventional leadership education, but more as a complementary technique. Together, the conventional leadership education and the Shibboleth alternative intervention can produce differential results that the subjects could accurately note and interpret for developing their personal and individual leadership style.
Reference
Romanowska, J., Larsson, G. & Theorell, T. (2013) Effects on leaders of an art – based leadership intervention. Journal of Management Development. 32(9): 1004-1022.
