Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Developing leaders and leadership capacity is more important than ever before, and as \nmindfulness begins to gain attention among organisational psychology and behaviour \nscholars (Allen & Kiburz, 2011), there is immense value in examining mindfulness and \nits contributions to leader development (Murphy & Johnson, 2011). \nOrganisations are placing more focus on leader development approaches that are alike \nand similar to mindfulness (Baron & Cayer, 2011; MacDermott, Kidney & Flood, 2013). \nYet there is limited theory on the impact mindfulness has on leaders and their \ndevelopment (Dane, 2011), despite the plethora of growing research on the subject \n(Roche, Luthans & Haar, 2014; Hall, 2013; Leroy, Anseel, Dimitrova & Sles, 2013). \nResearch on the role mindfulness plays on leader development is therefore useful and \nwill contribute meaningfully to the progress of theory in leader development. \nTo explore the question of mindfulness and its role in leader development in South Africa, \ntwelve transcribed interviews with leaders in the private sector were studied adopting a \nthematic analysis that generated results presented in the form of six themes. These \nresults suggest that there is a lack of a clear definition of mindfulness; that mindfulness \nhas a profound impact on the perceived development of leaders, and that mindfulness \ncould play a role in developing leaders in South Africa.
Author: Taryn L. Smuts
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2542476171