Place-based reflection deepens leader self-awareness
Leader self-awareness is central to leader development, but current approaches focus inward and miss how leaders' formative places shape who they are.
What did we research?
Leader self-awareness development in education programs, specifically how reflective judgment can be directed at the influence of physical, cultural, and political dimensions of place.
What did we find?
We theorise a place-based approach that bridges leader self-awareness and reflective judgment, treating "self" as an ill-structured problem. We detail a structured reflection protocol guiding leaders through subjective experiences, events, and causal forces within their formative places, enabling more holistic self-awareness than conventional introspection-based approaches achieve.
What was the impact?
The protocol has been trialled with undergraduates from over 40 countries, Indigenous business leaders, academic leaders, and emergency service managers. Non-White, non-Anglo participants reported feeling "seen" in leadership education for the first time, suggesting place-based reflection makes leader development more inclusive and meaningful for diverse cohorts.
Article
- Newstead, T., Eva, N., & Day, D. V. (2024). Where are you coming from? A place-based approach to developing leader self-awareness. Academy of Management Learning & Education 25(1), 23(4), 523–686