Creating leaders? A case study of a leadership training program in practice

Sammanfattning: Our purpose with this study is to gain insight into the practice and effects of leadership training. The study is a qualitative case study based on semi-structured, face to face interviews and observations. We have used a hermeneutic methodology to guide our analysis. The specific core assumptions about reality and knowledge that guides this research is of an interpretive and constructive character. The theoretical framework for this research touches upon different theories concerning leadership and its development. Theories about learning, leadership development and leadership development as a seductive element have been used to analyze the empirical findings. Our empirical findings are based on seven semi-structured interviews, a two-day observation of a leadership training session and conversations with the participants in this training program. In addition to this, the material used in the training program has also been studied. We have found that the contributions of this training program can be divided into two parts. First, it has helped from an organizational point of view with a shift in culture, towards a more supportive and developmental culture and a new emerging leadership. Second, the contributions from the employees’ perspectives are connected to the emotional dimensions including security and identity issues. Through these phenomenon, we have found that the leadership training program has created leaders, maybe not in a literal sense, but rather through a cultural shaping process.