Leaders and Learning

This essay evaluates the leadership ways of knowing, learning, and showing influences individual student’s knowledge of organizational learning and the ability to reflect on one’s individualistic self. It discusses the importance of leadership development, the role of experiential learning, and the significance of reflective leadership skills.

Running head: LEADERS AND LEARNING
LEADERS AND LEARNING
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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Introduction
Leadership development and leader development can be classified as two different ways.
There can be identified considerable amount of confusion related to the proper explanation of the
term. According to Day et al. (2014), leader development has been typically regarded as an
emphasis based on individual-based knowledge, proficiencies and competences associated with
sincere leadership position or a formal leadership role. The primary importance of the
overarching development strategy is to establish the interpersonal ability required to form an
accurate model of individual in order to get involved in strong attitude and identity development
and further to apply self-model to perform effectively in any number of organizational roles
(Clinton 2018). The following essay evaluates the leadership ways of knowing, learning and
showing influences individual student’s knowledge of organizational learning and the ability to
reflect on one’s individualistic self.
Discussion
In recent competitive market organizations, businesses and schools aim to invest in
training for their employees or students purposing to safeguard their human capital. Leadership
developments in the view of Bolden (2016) tend to pertain in developing social capital. Such a
development has been primarily performed by building networked linkages among individuals
which improve collaboration and resource exchange in creating organizational value. Skills have
been identified as one of the fundamental areas whereby certain threats have been identified
following to individuals perceiving certain skills required in order to attain considerable amount
of leadership abilities (Day et al. 2014). Drawing significance to leadership development it has
been noted that the country’s capability to act in response as well as prosper essentially rely on
the leadership excellence classified at all levels of society. Thus in the view of McCleskey

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(2014), significant way to develop leadership skills is through the application of experiential
learning projects and internships. Clinton (2018) has stated that service learning as a process of
knowledge development is considered to be vital as it facilitates students to engage with
communities at high school and collegiate levels. Service learning primarily accentuates on two
issues concerning the civic engagement of youths along with the characteristic and quality of
campus-community partnerships. At this juncture as per the evaluation of service-learning, being
a student I have attained this understanding that whether through the means of internships or
Kolb’s experiential learning, leadership development emerged as an extensively witnessed and
approved in colleges and universities.
Antonakis and Day (2017) have found studies that effective coaching through the
application of experiential learning model can facilitate leadership positions to develop their
competencies in order to act in response to most suitably to any given situation. On the other
hand, it is of great significance for training centres to develop a sense of awareness based on
individualistic learning preferences while performing with others in case coaches take care of
clients with ideal learning style rather than focusing on clients’ preferences and choices. Being a
student, it is highly effectual for me to realize aspects of experiential learning which offers
avenues of obtaining self-understanding to successfully develop individualization within coaches
(McCleskey 2014). Furthermore, in relation to Kolb’s theory, I will gain the capability of
implementing Kolb’s theoretical conceptualisation aspect and obtain relevant information and
ideas regarding my own learning techniques through the implementation of Learning Style
Inventory (LSI). Additionally in relation to the profundity of experiential learning theory, authors
have identified four important types of learners namely, Diverger (reflective observation –
concrete experience), Accommodator (active experimentation), Assimilator (reflective

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observation – abstract conceptualisation) as well as Converger (active experimentation – abstract
conceptualisation). However as per Kolb’s (2014) consideration, the major area of advantages of
Divergers’ learning depends on the learners’ imaginative and resourceful abilities along with
their ability to comprehend and align with the ideas generated by others. Drawing significance
from the advantages of authors, I have realized that as Divergers comprise an inventive
capability to achieve utmost efficiency in situations, these types of learners show greater degree
of inclination towards cohort constituting of several alternative typically divergent ideas along
with inferences frequently performed during brainstorming sessions. Meanwhile, Peterson,
DeCato and Kolb (2015) have shed light on the ability of diverger learner to perceive
relationships and significantly seeking greater avenues for potentials and alternatives and further
exploring impact and meaning in diverse state of affairs which often show greater degree of
inclination towards interpersonal thoughts and dealings. Through delving into the aspects of
Divergers learning, I have attained this understanding that the areas of advantages and limitations
of Divergers lie depend on the level of aspiration to make continuous investigation for innovative
potentials and results. However, students aiming to exhibit their critical and self-regulating
thinking skills must take into consideration the unconstructive aspect of Divergers learning
whereby leaders have the tendency of deviating or diverging from the area of concern and
forthcoming circumstances and detonate by making significant drift from the mission. For
instance, if I adapt Divergers learning being in an authority of a group, I will aim for continual
investigation for most favourable explanation while specific group surpasses the point where has
the potential to apply modifications or alter directions. As Kolb et al. (2014) have indicated
Divergers tendency to consider potentials of the area of challenges and further prevent progress
of the productivity, students at this stage may require proper guidance to understand the

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development of any assignment.
At this juncture, comprehensive studies of Austin and Rust (2015) have highlighted the
importance of learning in leadership for successfully formulating reflective learning
communities. As reflective learning communities primarily intend for generating equal and
justifiable opportunities of knowledge attainment for all in an organization and further enthuse
students to draw advantages from these opportunities, potential leaders have develop the ability
to achieve such competencies by showing immense dedication towards successfully setting up a
primary focus on wisdom and further constructing specialized areas that put importance towards
knowing, doing and showing (Peterson, DeCato and Kolb 2015). Drawing relevance from these
assertions I have realized that knowledge centres based on offering each learner with adequate
skills and abilities are fundamental ways to prevail over stimulating proficiency and further to
develop behavioural patterns for additional as well as independent knowledge development.
Furthermore, in the view of Austin and Rust (2015), constructing a reflective learning
community further necessitates setting-up professional communities which gives high
importance towards ways of knowing, going and showing and further being responsive towards
strategically and distributing leadership techniques and successfully involving external
environments which are crucial for knowledge development among students. It is essential to
note that reflective thinking as an organizational learning not only acts as an internal method but
further focuses on external factors by upholding superior critical thinking abilities combined with
process of self-understanding as an indispensable way of inner exertion. Such internal efforts
tend to emerge in the energy for utilizing in external performance (Watson 2014).
Evaluation of reflective learning as a prolonged procedure consequentially equilibrate the
method of ‘telling’ with ‘asking’ and recurrently shows reliance on the combined intelligence

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capability of the teams created in organizations. According to Serrat (2017), contemporary
leaders prefer to apply judgements for dealing with critical decisions instead of situating
themselves in judgemental position. Drawing significance from these aspects Stoszkowski and
Collins (2014) have mentioned that because of the mounting level of complexities in modern
business environment, potential and developed leaders exhibit higher level of inclinations to
accept ‘bias for action’, while successful leaders tend to reveal past events and seek for ultimate
relevance with variant insights before engaging into any vital decision-making process.
Consequentially through comprehensive evaluation of reflective leadership learning, I have
acquired the identified that reflective leadership is a way of successfully progressing towards the
work of attaining leadership skills by determining individual’s life with existing and
individualistic mastery. Furthermore, process of reflective learning tends to necessitate existence
of learning along with high level of awareness attentive towards individualistic experience with
people interacting in daily lives. As a consequence, considering self-awareness and reflection on
individual’s experience combined with the experiences of other people are identified as vital
preliminary point for the process of reflective leadership, which further intends to attain superior
communication altering leadership practice (Watson 2014).
Conclusion
On a concluding note, as modern business organizations show increasing rate of
diversity, professional trainers must successfully identify and address leadership challenges.
Thus leaders must perform with individuals with varied approaches to leading, learning and life
aspects. Furthermore, in order to acquire effective leadership skills coaches, leaders must require
significant expertise and awareness with individualistic learning style preferences and the way
learners develop variations from their coaches and as a result regulate in accordance to coaching

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strategy to client’s learning style inclinations. Furthermore, taking into consideration aspects of
reflective leadership skills, it is identified as a critical determinant to the incorporation of
theoretical understanding, proficiency development along with individualized perspectives.

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