Evaluating Leadership Development Needs in a Health Care Setting Through a Partnership Approach

The Problem. Strategic HRD contributes to creating an environment in which objectives and improved performance can be realized through leadership development (LD). Despite considerable investment in LD by public and private sector organizations in North America and Europe, these efforts often fail to produce significant changes in leaders' behaviors, organizational culture, or organizational performance. As a result, too often leadership development programs (LDPs) are "one size fits all" or a prepackaged competency model without paying attention to individual and contextual differences. A more collaborative approach in the design and delivery of LD has been advocated; however, to date little research has documented or evaluated this at the pre-LDP or needs assessment stage. The Solution. This research argues that LD should be a collaborative process involving all stakeholders and that such a partnership approach starts at the needs assessment phase. The research documents and evaluates a three-phase LD needs assessment process in a health care setting. Adopting a case study methodology, it draws primarily upon qualitative data collected from focus groups, written submissions, and interviews with senior and middle managers employed in a provincial health authority, Horizon Health Network, located in Atlantic Canada. The Stakeholders. HRD researchers and practitioners in health care responsible for designing, delivering, and evaluating LDPs will find the approach described here insightful and practical. Middle and senior managers working in health care settings who seek to find practical and effective means of addressing leadership gaps and building and sustaining leadership competence across organizations under the pressures of persistent and complex change will also find this research relevant and valuable.