The Development of Management and Leadership Capability and its ...

direct reports indicated that the manager held a feedback meeting than in other years.
The researchers concluded that meeting with subordinates to discussing their
strengths and weaknesses enhances a manager’s likelihood of enhancing performance
over time.
• In their study of 17 managers in a savings bank, Siefert et al (2001) investigated the
effects of multi-rater feedback and subsequent training on a specific example of
managerial behaviour, namely ‘influencing tactics’. Eight managers in an
experimental group, who had received relevant training following their 360 feedback,
were rated as significantly better in the use of these core tactics to influence
subordinates than a control group who had received their 360 feedback, but no
subsequent training. This suggests that effective learning transfer for leadership
behaviours results when diagnosed by 360 degree feedback
• In Mabey (2001) both interview and questionnaire data reveal that, while the content
of the 360 degree feedback is unsurprising for the majority of managers, it does have
the effect of catalysing more focused self development activities. Many examples
were given of managers addressing weaknesses highlighted by the 360-degree
questionnaire, making progress in areas of personal development and receiving
positive feedback from colleagues as a result. More noteworthy is the finding that
participant managers register different aspects of the training and development that
they have experienced consistently better than a comparative group of non-participant
managers. It can be surmised – though not conclusively – that this more favourable
appraisal of development undertaken is due to a more accurate diagnosis and
enhanced motivation arising from their 360-degree feedback. Finally and least
expected, this positive experience of a management feedback and development
intervention leads to significantly more favourable assessments of the organisation as
a whole.
5.6.2 The contributory role of organisational processes and climate
Almost as important as the content of management and leadership development is quality of
the management development processes which precede, support and reinforce the
development activities. Research suggests that these processes play a big part in capability
enhancement.
• Employees produce the most creative work when they work on complex, challenging
jobs and are supervised in a supportive, non-controlling way (Oldham and
Cummings, 1996).
• In a UK study, HRD managers were twice as likely to rate management development
as having high organisational impact where fast-track development was used
(Thomson et al, 2001). Jones and Whitmore (1995) found those engaging in the
personal developmental activities recommended by the development centre were
more likely to advance in the organisation than a comparator group who were not
selected.
• Research on adult learning tells us that development is likely to be more enduring and
effective when certain features are in place: these include the timeliness and relevance
of the training, opportunities for learning transfer, mechanisms for review and
feedback and reward and recognition for any behaviour/attitude modification. When
125 line managers in the Thomson et al (2001) study were asked to evaluate their
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