Gina S. Matkin

Deficient Critical Thinking Skills among College Graduates: Implications for leadership

Although higher education understands the need to develop critical thinkers, it has not lived up to the task consistently. Students are graduating deficient in these skills, unprepared to think critically once in the workforce. Limited development of cognitive processing skills leads to less effective leaders. Various definitions of critical thinking are examined to develop a general construct to guide the discussion as critical thinking is linked to constructivism, leadership, and education. Most pedagogy is content‐based built on deep knowledge. Successful critical thinking pedagogy is moving away from this paradigm, teaching students to think complexly. Some of the challenges faced by higher education moving to a critical thinking curricula are discussed, and recommendations are offered for improving outcomes.

Multicultural Shared Leadership A Conceptual Model of Shared Leadership in Culturally Diverse Teams

This conceptual article reviews relevant literature to develop propositions forming a model of multicultural shared leadership. First, an examination of the definitions of culture finds consensus on culture as a system. Second, a review of the developmental model of intercultural sensitivity introduces the concept of intercultural competence. Third, an exploration into the theoretical foundations of vertical and shared leadership develops primary themes. Finally, the formation of propositions and a conceptual model invites researchers to study the moderating impact of intercultural competence on culturally diverse teams and shared leadership. Theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and recommendations are discussed.

A Review of Gender and Full-Range Leadership Research and Suggestions for Future Research

In this paper the research on gender and Full-Range Leadership is documented and explored. Included is consideration of research that studied Full-Range Leadership directly as well as indirect study that contributed to the field of research on Full-Range Leadership. The paper culminates in a series of recommendations for future research. It is hoped that these will help to move the field from documenting the differences or similarities of leadership (or perceptions of leadership) between women and men, to studying why these differences might exist. Additional recommendations are included that will help transport the value of this research from the pages of scholarly journals into organizations, communities, and the workplace.

Demographic Similarity/Difference, Intercultural Sensitivity, and Leader–Member Exchange A Multilevel Analysis

This study examined demographic similarity/difference between leaders and followers and level of intercultural sensitivity of leaders as predictors of followers’ ratings of leader–member exchange (LMX) in a U.S. higher education environment. A significant positive relationship was found between leaders’ levels of intercultural sensitivity and followers’ ratings of LMX. Specifically, as leaders’ levels of intercultural sensitivity increased, followers’ rating of LMX also increased. Demographic similarity/difference did not have a predictive relationship with followers’ ratings of LMX.

Leading Dangerously: A Case Study of Military Teams and Shared Leadership in Dangerous Environments

In a qualitative case study, we described and explained shared leadership in dangerous contexts for military teams. We conducted eight semistructured interviews with shared, team, and military leadership subject matter experts in order to gain an improved understanding of the relationship between shared leadership and team performance in the presence of danger. We found the themes of mutual influence, leadership emergence, dangerous dynamism, and distributed knowledge, skills, and abilities provided rich description of the phenomenon. Specifically, our findings suggest military teams in dangerous situations use mutual influence and leadership emergence to share leadership and achieve high performance. Additionally, we found dangerous dynamism and distributed knowledge, skills, and abilities may moderate the relationship between shared leadership and performance for teams in dangerous contexts. Implication, limits, and recommendations are discussed.

Cultivating Leadership: The Need for Renovating Models to Higher Epistemic Cognition

More than ever before, people are reevaluating their lives and work as they search for deeper meaning. This “self-actualization” has only superficially appeared in leadership theory and research. This essay will discuss why adult development and higher levels of critical thinking in leadership is essential to effective leadership. The authors hypothesize that a “cultivated” aspect of leadership is currently lacking in leadership theory and research and is essential to leader and follower development. Additionally, the authors envision that impending organizations will necessitate more leaders with the ability to facilitate follower growth and development along these constructs.

Influence of sex differences in leaders' behavior

Sex differences in influence tactics were examined with a sample of 269 followers (67 men, 202 women) at a large midwestern national insurance company who rated the downward influence tactics used by their direct supervisors. Downward influence tactics are behaviors used by leaders to gain compliance from followers. One department within the organization was identified as a source for participants in the study. Participation was voluntary. The age range for the sample was 21 to 65 years, with the largest percentage falling in the 40–49 year range (M = 3.8, SD = .8). Hierarchical linear modeling procedures were utilized to analyze the multiple level data (leader and follower) and to examine variables within the organization at different levels of analysis. Leader participants were asked to solicit their followers to complete an influence tactic measure, which consisted of the most reliable subscales taken from the Influence Behavior Questionnaire, Schriesheim and Hinkin Influence Measure, and the Profiles of Organizational Influence Strategies. The integrated measure resulted in a 45-item scale. It was hypothesized that, overall, followers would report that male leaders would use hard influence tactics more frequently than female leaders. On the other hand, followers would report that female leaders would use soft influence tactics more frequently than male leaders. When differentiating followers by sex, however, we expected that male followers would report more than female followers that their leaders use hard tactics more frequently. Also, we expected that female followers would report (more than male followers) that their leaders use soft tactics more frequently. Overall, followers reported that male leaders used significantly more personal appeal and consultation, so called “soft tactics,” with their followers than did female leaders. Female followers reported that their leaders (both male and female) used consultation and inspirational appeal more frequently. In contrast, male followers reported that their leaders used exchange, so called “hard tactics,” more frequently.

Measuring leadership in self-managed teams using the competing values framework

This study demonstrates how the application of the CompetingValues Framework (CVF) to self-managed teams (SMTs) assistengineering educators to understand how to measure leadershipwithin this context and facilitate an increased awareness of thestudents in a team, which will consequently increase effective-ness. Specifically, we analyzed data from the ManagerialBehavior Instrument, completed by 81 engineering students whoparticipated in self-managed teams for one semester. The instru-ment measured the use of the four leadership profiles of theCompeting Values Framework which then allowed theresearcher to determine the presence of high or low behavioralcomplexity. Behavioral complexity determines the team’s abilityto utilize multiple leadership roles and subsequent effectiveness.The findings indicate that behavioral complexity does have a sig-nificant effect on performance but does not have a significanteffect on the attitudes of team members. Overall, teams withhigh behavioral complexity earned a higher grade on their finalteam project than teams with low behavioral complexity. Thisstudy is significant for engineering education because it providesa theory and framework for understanding leadership in teams.By exploring the relationship between leadership in SMTs andeffectiveness, educators and industry can better understand thetype of leadership roles necessary for achieving a highly effectiveteam. As a result, instructors can design their teamwork curriculaand teamwork training based on the leadership strengths andskills of students which will then prepare students for industryupon graduation.Keywords: leadership, teams, team effectiveness

Leading dangerously: a case study of military teams and shared leadership in dangerous environments

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