The journey of applied leadership through a structured leadership and management development programme

This paper examines whether or not delegates who successfully complete a structured leadership and management development intervention alter some of their existing leadership and management practices and/or implement some of the newly acquired knowledge and skills back in the workplace. A sample of 13 participants who successfully completed this programme between 2012 and 2013 at a large South African university provided insight into their experiences of the transfer of training regarding these practices. Conducting a thematic analysis of the narratives revealed that most delegates applied a myriad leadership practices that supported the intended outcomes of the leadership programme that they had completed. In their endeavours to apply newly acquired knowledge and skills, the study revealed many factors that hampered and/or enhanced the implementation of these leadership practices. This study found that the main motivation for the application of these new practices were self-initiated and reside only within the immediate sphere of the respondent's own influence, that is his or her colleagues and team members. It was also discovered that environmental factors, such as the line manager's involvement and the existing and predominant culture and climate of the institution, once again inhibit and/or promotes the transfer of training in the workplace.