leadership and influence essay sample

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4 Examples of Chevening Essay: Leadership and Influence

Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.

See all Newest Chevening Essay Example: click here .

Leadership Essay for Chevening Example 1

With a background in psychology, I am excited to apply for the MA in Interpreting and Translation in the UK, with a focus on the Spanish-English-French language path. I’d appreciate your feedback on my leadership essay and the others that I will be submitting. I firmly believe that leadership is a multifaceted concept, varying significantly from one person to another. In light of this, I would like to highlight my unique leadership experiences, particularly during my tenure at Navistar International.

See also:  Ultimate Chevening Scholarship Resources

At Navistar International, I was the first psychologist to be hired, and I quickly realized the absence of any mental health campaigns within the company. Seizing the opportunity, I developed a comprehensive mental health program, concentrating on stress inoculation. I chose this focus because I noticed many employees grappling with long hours and difficulties during their shifts. Designed to span four weeks, the program’s content was both easily comprehensible and pragmatic for the employees.

The program also extended a psychological assistance service to those in need. I meticulously wrote and devised this program with the aim of institutionalizing it as an ongoing mental health initiative for the company, thereby contributing to the prevention of mental disorders. I am pleased to share that the project was successfully incorporated into the company’s annual medical care campaigns.

I also demonstrated leadership while overseeing a university project in 2017, having been selected as the former representative. I was tasked with creating a health initiative for a vulnerable community in my hometown of Victoria. I led a team of eight students from the school year below mine and one from my own school year.

Navigating this project was challenging, particularly in delegating tasks in alignment with the individual knowledge and capabilities of each team member. With the more senior classmates, I elucidated the project’s structure and the psychological approach we would adopt to foster life skills such as problem-solving, assertive family communication, and knowledge about government facilities offering healthcare services, which many community members were unaware of.

Working closely with my peers Carlos and Patricia, we thoroughly reviewed the project structure and sponsorships. After successfully presenting the project to a jury, I am proud to share that we received a first-place award. As a token of recognition, we were each awarded an extra point in our semester grades, and the project was implemented, benefiting a community of nearly seventy people.

Lastly, I am honored to have had an article published in the psychology journal ‘Psychology and Health’ from Universidad Veracruzana. Driven by a desire to contribute to science, I researched journals interested in the topic, ultimately finding a suitable platform. Over the course of six months, my work was reviewed and accepted, thanks to the invaluable support of my teachers, Miss Báez and Miss Torres. The article was officially published in January 2020 and is available on both the journal platform and my Google Scholar profile.

In conclusion, my leadership strengths are rooted in observation, empathy, and a keen ability to discern people’s needs, strengths, and abilities. I excel in the design and organization of projects that promote well-being, community engagement, and effective communication. With a passion for languages and an MA in Interpreting and Translation, I am eager to leverage these strengths to make an impact in the linguistic field.

“Leadership and influence” Chevening Essay Example 2

It is increasingly becoming a well-known fact that ‘influence is the new currency for success’. This is especially true in this new social media era, where several careers have taken off on the strength of social media influence alone, and several political careers have been elevated through the power and ubiquity of social media. Former American President Barack Obama, who used the Internet to orchestrate an unprecedented political campaign mainly using social media, is a prime example. I am well aware that influence and leadership are intertwined, where one cannot exist without the other. Amassing influence is, therefore, the surest way of achieving one’s leadership goals because people can only be motivated to follow a person with some influence. With this knowledge in mind, I have endeavored to build my influence over the years to become a leader within my profession and community. This has seen me take on various leadership responsibilities in school, work, and community.

In high school, I held two primary leadership responsibilities— I was both the Head Girl and Netball Captain at Kereri Girls High School. Being a Head Girl is the highest leadership position one can attain as a secondary school student, and as you can well imagine, it came to a lot of weighty responsibilities. I was the overall leader of all prefects in the school and had to carefully use my influence to guide them towards exercising thoughtful and balanced leadership over the rest of the students. As the Netball Captain, I had to motivate my teammates to succeed in the various national and provincial competitions in which we would participate. Even at the university, I found myself in a leadership role where I was tasked with heading the Fourth Year University Project Group.

Professionally, I have consistently exercised my leadership skills throughout my career. As the Branch Operations Supervisor at NIC Bank, I oversaw teller operations, back office, and customer service operations and guided staff accordingly. I recognized my leadership capabilities and was rewarded with the ‘NIC Bank Branch Forex Champion’ award. These leadership roles have continued as I progress in my career at NIC and currently chair the NIC Securities Limited Welfare Committee. Within the community, however, I have most enjoyed exerting my influence as a leader because it has helped me contribute to society’s betterment in my little way. I am a Mentor at Nyabururu Girls High School, Kereri Girls High School, and the Equity Bank Wings to Fly Program. As a mentor, I have been able to guide young people in terms of professional and academic mentoring and financial support, especially concerning sanitary towels and other school items. In addition, I currently work with the Uthiru Area Chief to support disadvantaged families by donating clothes, food, and some financial support.

Chevening Essay Example 3

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it”. (Dwight D. Eisenhower)

Coming from Jordanian-Palestinian Family taught me about Eisenhower’s definition of leadership throughout my personal, academic, and professional life. External political and economic forces drove my father’s Palestinian family to move to Jordan, Lebanon, then settle in Syria. In 2015, the carpet-bombing of Aleppo forced me to leave for Turkey without a firm grasp on my future.

From the Voluntary experience I gained from working in the Red Crescent and my University Degree in Economics, I have worked as a humanitarian for the UN, trying to assist crisis-affected communities with economic empowerment and development. I have used my leadership skills to assist others who believe in recovery and resilience to commit to the exact humanitarian cause. I helped coordinate and manage the first pilot project for economic recovery in northern Syria at UN-IOM Turkey. Using my communication and administrative skills, I monitor and oversee the implementation of IOM’s programs in Turkey through our partners remotely daily. My leadership skills have been crystalized through the effective management of this project by allowing the partner flexibility to implement the activities and getting feedback on the results.

Strong leadership comes from clear communication of the task and the ability to give freedom and motivate others to thrive in implementing the objective. Moreover, I have used my communication and coordination skills to initiate change in the workplace. When the Turkish lira dropped significantly against the US dollar, and inflation rose 40%, UN local staff suddenly could not support themselves. I led discussions with colleagues suggesting writing a letter to the management expressing our needs and the aim of changing our salaries. By listening, gaining their trust, and acknowledging their fear, I convinced many local staff members to sign a letter to senior management. The letter led to a meeting with senior management to officially coordinate this issue with other UN agencies in Turkey, which later required establishing the Staff Association Committee that I was elected to lead and represent more than 150 staff in the south of Turkey.

The Chevening scholarship will allow me to receive an education that will provide me with the technical expertise and the network I will need when I return to create social change in terms of development and economic recovery not only at the community level but also in terms of policy implantation. This is a highly needed change for the current Syrian Refugee crisis and the Middle East.

Example 4: Leadership and Influence in Water Management

In the pivotal final year of my degree, I took a stand against the pressing issue of limited access to clean water in Sucre, my hometown. Recognizing the urgency, I spearheaded a groundbreaking project focused on groundwater research. Not only did I secure crucial funding from the water services company, ELAPAS, but I also orchestrated collaborations with key stakeholders across neighborhoods. My leadership role encompassed everything from research initiation and sample collection to the actualization of purification units. Through my unwavering commitment, I championed the cause of Sustainable Development Goal 6 and Water Quality Regulation NB512. The tangible impact? Seventy families now have access to safe drinking water, and a ripple effect of heightened awareness about hygiene and responsible water consumption has been set in motion.

My leadership journey didn’t stop there. As a board member of the Scientific Society of Civil Engineers Univalle-Sucre, I took the helm in coordinating all hydraulics and hydrology-related activities. The pandemic posed unique challenges, but I innovatively transitioned to virtual platforms, spotlighting critical issues like sustainable water management and the pivotal role of women in the water sector. My proactive involvement in the society culminated in co-authoring a scientific article, now published in a renowned Costa Rican journal, poised to enlighten future researchers.

Another feather in my cap was my active involvement with ABIS Chuquisaca. Here, I played a pivotal role in orchestrating the “1st Water Fair” in Sucre, offering a platform for 17 companies to showcase their expertise in the water sector. This event, which I helped bring to fruition, garnered significant attention from students, professionals, and the general public alike. Notably, I was among the elite group of eight professionals recognized during the association’s official founding act.

In essence, while my GPA might not be sky-high, my leadership trajectory speaks volumes. I’ve consistently demonstrated the ability to inspire teams, set visionary goals, and navigate through challenges with resilience and determination. I firmly believe that my proven leadership prowess and influential impact make me an ideal candidate for the Chevening scholarship. My vision is clear: to leverage this opportunity to further the development of my nation, elevate living standards, and champion sustainable water management.

Leadership And Influence Essay

To uncover the secrets of leadership and influence, It’s like exploring a hidden treasure that holds the keys to making a positive impact on the world. So, put on your thinking caps, and let’s dive into the exciting adventure of understanding how leadership and influence can shape our lives.

Table of Contents

How To Write An Essay On Leadership and Influence

Step 1: collect essay ideas:.

Before we start our journey, let’s gather some cool ideas about leadership and influence:

• Leadership Defined: What is leadership? It’s like being the captain of a ship, guiding everyone toward a common goal.
• Qualities of a Leader: Leaders possess qualities like kindness, confidence, and the ability to listen to others.
• Influence in Everyday Life: Influence is like a superpower – it’s how we inspire others to think or act a certain way.
• Positive Impact: Leaders and influencers can make the world a better place by spreading kindness, empathy, and good ideas.

Making Essay Outline

1. Introduction

Introduce the topic of leadership and influence, comparing them to hidden treasures that hold the keys to positive change.

2. Leadership Defined

Define leadership as the role of guiding others toward a common goal, just like a captain leading a ship.

3. Qualities of a Leader

Discuss important qualities that make a leader, such as kindness, confidence, and the ability to listen and understand.

4. Influence in Everyday Life

Explore the concept of influence as a superpower that impacts how we interact with others and shape their thoughts and actions.

5. Positive Impact

Explain how leaders and influencers can use their powers for good, spreading kindness, empathy, and positive ideas.

6. Inspiring Change

Share stories of real-life leaders and influencers who have made a positive impact on their communities or the world.

7. Personal Leadership

Reflect on how even as young learners, we can practice leadership by being role models, helping others, and making good choices.

8. Final Thoughts

Summarize the main points and encourage readers to embrace their potential as leaders and influencers to create a better world.

Writing the Essay About Leadership and Influence

Introduction:.

Imagine we’re setting off on a grand adventure, like discovering a hidden treasure that can change the world. Today, our treasure is the knowledge of leadership and influence. It’s like unlocking a magical power that can make a positive impact on people’s lives. So, put on your thinking cap, and let’s dive into the exciting journey of understanding the secrets of leadership and influence.

Leadership Defined:

For example – you’re the captain of a ship, guiding your crew toward a faraway island. That’s what leadership is like – being a guide who helps others reach a common goal. Just like a captain leads the ship, leaders lead groups of people. It’s not about being bossy, but about showing the way and making sure everyone works together smoothly.

Qualities of a Leader:

For example, if you’re a superhero with special qualities that help you save the day. Leaders also have special qualities that make them stand out. They’re like superheroes of kindness and understanding. They’re kind and treat others with respect. They’re confident, which means they believe in themselves and their abilities. And just like a hero listens to others, leaders listen to the ideas and thoughts of their team.

Influence in Everyday Life:

Think of influence as a magical spell that can change the way people think and act. It’s like when you tell your friends about a cool game, and they want to play it too. Influence is how we inspire others to think or act in a certain way. It’s not about forcing, but about inspiring. Just like a magical spell, influence can make people excited and motivated.

Positive Impact:

If you have a magic wand that spreads kindness, empathy, and good ideas. That’s what leaders and influencers do – they use their powers to make the world better. They’re like shining stars that brighten everyone’s day. They spread kindness, make others feel good about themselves, and share ideas that help the world. It’s like being a hero who brings positivity wherever they go.

Inspiring Change:

Now, let’s journey into the real world and meet some inspiring leaders and influencers. Think of Malala Yousafzai, who stood up for girls’ education, or Greta Thunberg, who raised awareness about climate change. They’re like heroes who use their voices to create change. They show us that even young learners like us can make a big difference.

Personal Leadership:

Think for a while, if you’re a character in a game, making choices that affect the outcome. In life, we can also make choices that show leadership. It’s like being a mini leader, making good decisions, and setting an example for others. We can help our friends, be kind to everyone, and stand up for what’s right. Just like a hero in a game, our actions can inspire others to be their best.

Final Thoughts:

We’re all potential leaders and influencers, capable of making positive changes in our world. Leadership is about guiding and showing kindness, while influence is the magic that spreads positivity. So, let’s use our superpowers of leadership and influence to make the world a better place, one kind of action and inspiring idea at a time.

Hello! Welcome to my Blog StudyParagraphs.co. My name is Angelina. I am a college professor. I love reading writing for kids students. This blog is full with valuable knowledge for all class students. Thank you for reading my articles.

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How to Craft a Winning Leadership Essay Sample: Tips and Examples

Crafting a compelling leadership essay requires more than just understanding the basic concepts of leadership. It’s about showcasing personal experiences and insights that highlight one’s ability to inspire and guide others. Whether for a college application or a professional development course, a well-written leadership essay can set an individual apart from the competition.

The key to an impactful leadership essay lies in its ability to blend theory with practical examples. Readers want to see how leadership principles are applied in real-world scenarios. This not only demonstrates the writer’s knowledge but also their ability to lead effectively in various situations.

Understanding Leadership Essay Samples

Leadership essay samples provide key insights into effective writing techniques and structuring essential elements.

The Purpose of Leadership Essays

Leadership essays aim to showcase an individual’s ability to lead through personal experiences and theoretical knowledge. They illustrate how one’s leadership skills positively impact others and highlight problem-solving and decision-making capabilities in various situations.

What Makes a Good Leadership Essay Sample?

A good leadership essay sample includes clear narratives, strong thesis statements, and relevant examples, ensuring reader engagement. Effective samples seamlessly integrate personal anecdotes with leadership principles to demonstrate real-world application. Additionally, these essays possess coherent structure, logical flow, and meticulous grammar, making them easy to read.

Analyzing Key Components of an Effective Leadership Essay

Examining the critical parts of a successful leadership essay reveals the balance between personal insights and theoretical knowledge that engages readers effectively.

Introduction and Thesis

The introduction of a leadership essay sets the stage for what follows. It grips readers’ attention immediately. A well-crafted thesis statement outlines the essay’s main argument. For instance, it highlights how the writer’s leadership experience illustrates specific principles or qualities. A precise, clear thesis helps readers understand the essay’s direction.

Body: Discussing Leadership Qualities

The body elaborates on leadership qualities. Each paragraph focuses on a single quality like resilience or empathy. Writers provide examples from their experiences. Illustrating how they led a team or overcame challenges demonstrates practical application of these qualities. Additionally, incorporating theoretical leadership models strengthens arguments. For example, referencing transformational or servant leadership models connects personal experiences to established frameworks.

Conclusion and Call to Action

The conclusion synthesizes the essay’s main points. It restates the thesis in light of the evidence presented. Writers can also reflect on how their leadership style has evolved. A compelling call to action encourages readers to apply these insights to their lives. For instance, suggesting they adopt certain leadership practices promotes engagement and practical application of the essay’s insights.

By dissecting these components, readers gain a clearer understanding of effective leadership essay construction. Each section contributes to a coherent, persuasive narrative that underscores the writer’s leadership capabilities.

How to Draw Inspiration from Leadership Essay Samples

Drawing inspiration from leadership essay samples can greatly enhance your writing process. Reviewing well-crafted essays reveals strategies and techniques used by successful writers.

Learning from Examples

Analyzing examples helps readers identify key elements of effective essays. Focus on structure, tone, and argumentation. Notice how the introduction presents the thesis statement clearly and engages the reader. Observe the use of personal anecdotes to illustrate leadership qualities. Evaluate the blending of theoretical models with practical examples. Successful essays often use a strong narrative to connect personal experiences with broader leadership principles. Assess the clarity of the conclusion and its call to action.

Applying Examples to Your Own Writing

After studying examples, apply similar strategies to your essay. Start with a compelling introduction that captures attention and states your thesis. Use personal experiences to demonstrate leadership skills, bridging theory with real-life applications. Incorporate leadership models to support your arguments. Craft your body paragraphs to follow a logical flow, ensuring ideas build on one another. Conclude with a summary that reinforces your main points and provides a clear call to action. Tailoring these strategies to your unique experiences can create a powerful and persuasive leadership essay.

Popular Leadership Theories to Include in Your Essay

Incorporating popular leadership theories can provide a solid foundation for your leadership essay. These theories explain various leadership styles, helping illustrate core functions and traits of effective leaders.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership, developed by James MacGregor Burns, focuses on inspiring and motivating followers to exceed their own interests for the good of the group. This style emphasizes visionary thinking, fostering innovation, and creating significant organizational change. Leaders practice individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, and idealized influence. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. exemplified transformational leadership by mobilizing people through his visionary ideas on civil rights.

Servant Leadership

Servant leadership, coined by Robert K. Greenleaf, prioritizes the needs of the team over the leader’s own ambitions. This approach stresses empathy, listening, stewardship, and commitment to the growth of others. Leaders exhibiting this style strive to serve first, then lead. Notable examples include Mahatma Gandhi, who focused on serving the people of India to foster national unity and social change.

Crafting a compelling leadership essay involves blending personal experiences with theoretical knowledge to showcase effective leadership skills. By analyzing successful essay samples, writers can refine their structure, tone, and argumentative strategies. Incorporating popular leadership theories like Transformational and Servant Leadership provides a solid foundation for illustrating core leadership traits. Leveraging these insights will help writers create engaging and impactful leadership essays.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important aspect of writing a leadership essay.

The most important aspect of writing a leadership essay is blending personal experiences with theoretical knowledge. This demonstrates your effective leadership skills by showcasing real-life examples and integrating them with established leadership theories.

How should I structure my leadership essay?

A compelling leadership essay should have a strong introduction, showcase leadership qualities with examples and models, and conclude with a call to action. Clear thesis statements, personal anecdotes, and the integration of theory with practical instances are crucial.

Why is showcasing personal experiences important in a leadership essay?

Showcasing personal experiences makes your leadership essay more relatable and engaging. It allows you to provide real-life examples of your leadership skills, making your qualities more tangible and believable to the reader.

How can I integrate leadership theories into my essay?

You can integrate leadership theories by aligning your personal experiences with these models. For example, illustrate how your leadership style reflects Transformational Leadership by demonstrating visionary thinking or Servant Leadership through empathetic actions.

What are some popular leadership theories I can use?

Popular leadership theories include Transformational Leadership, which emphasizes visionary thinking and organizational change, and Servant Leadership, which focuses on empathy and prioritizing the team’s needs over personal ambitions. Examples include leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi.

Why is a strong introduction important in a leadership essay?

A strong introduction grabs the reader’s attention and sets the tone for the rest of the essay. It should clearly state your thesis and provide a glimpse of the leadership qualities and experiences you will discuss.

How can I make my conclusion impactful?

To make your conclusion impactful, summarize the key points of your essay succinctly and include a call to action. Reflect on the leadership qualities and experiences discussed, and suggest ways the reader can apply these lessons in their own life.

How can leadership essay samples help improve my writing?

Leadership essay samples can help improve your writing by providing structural analysis, tone evaluation, and argumentative strategies. They offer insight into successful elements like clear thesis statements, personal anecdotes, and integration of theory with practical instances.

What is Transformational Leadership?

Transformational Leadership is a theory that emphasizes visionary thinking and organizational change. Transformational leaders inspire and motivate their teams to achieve extraordinary outcomes by sharing a compelling vision and fostering an environment of innovation.

What is Servant Leadership?

Servant Leadership focuses on empathy and prioritizing the team’s needs over personal ambitions. It is exemplified by leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, who valued serving their communities and fostering collective growth.

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Leadership Essay

27 August, 2020

12 minutes read

Author:  Richard Pircher

As a college student, you must write essays on a regular basis since the latter is one of the most common types of home assignments. All this means is that in order to get good grades and be successful with writing the papers, you need to have a sound understanding of the structure. Additionally, what you should never neglect is the variety of essay types. Indeed, your essay will significantly differ from one type to another: description essay will most likely have a structure that is slightly different from an argumentative one.

What you may have already encountered in your academic life is the work on a leadership essay. Although it sounds pretty complicated and vague, it is mostly possible to master an essay on leadership. Below is a guide for you to get an insight into this particular essay type.

What is a good leadership essay?

A good leadership essay is the one in which the essay writer has fully covered the topic of leadership and understood its core ideas. More specifically, to end up with a flawless leadership essay, you will need to indicate what makes a person a good leader. For achieving the latter, you will most likely need to conduct research and trace how a particular person reaches his or her goals. In other words, the task is to discover which actions the person undertakes, what their followers say about him or her, and how the person organizes the work. So, a leadership essay implies providing real-life success examples and further revealing them.

Above all, a good leadership essay is the one that follows a precise, clear, comprehensive structure. Structuring your essay about leadership in the most coherent way leads to a win-win situation: you have fewer troubles and barriers to writing a brilliant essay, and your teacher is able to comprehend the essay easily. This guide is what you will need to refer to to get an insight into how the flawless structure for a leadership essay looks like and how it will let you take a benefit.

How to write a Leadership essay?

To write a leadership essay that stands out, you first need to brainstorm all the ideas that you have and come up with a topic for your essay. If you are struggling with this step, you may think of some of the most influential people, read about them, and find out what makes them unique. Or, you can pick any topic which is mentioned at the end of this article. After you have chosen an issue, it is time to structure your essay appropriately.

As you already know, an essay constitutes three essential sections: introduction, main body, and conclusion. Below is the more detailed description of each of the parts.

Introduction

Of course, your leadership essay introduction will always vary depending on the topic of the essay. However, you can always begin by stating your vision of leadership regardless of the topic. Additionally, to motivate the reader and instantly catch his or her attention, you may use a quote of a famous leader, or simply a quote which you find relevant to the topic. Be aware that you should avoid outlining the essence and the role of the leadership in your introduction; leave it for the body paragraphs.

What you may also do in your leadership essay is ask a question, which will most likely intrigue the leader. Or it will at least give your reader an overview of what you will dwell on  in your essay.

Body Paragraphs

You will need to divide the main body into 3-5 paragraphs to make the structure more comprehensive. What you have to do at this point  is  give your reader a sound understanding of your ideas. Therefore, try to fit each idea in a single body paragraph so that you do not confuse your reader. Do not hesitate to indicate your examples to strengthen your arguments. For instance, you may explain a fact that makes a particular person you are writing about a real leader.

Also, always stick to your thesis statement and don’t forget that the body paragraphs should reveal the parts of your thesis statement.

As you may already know, you need to restate your opinion and briefly summarize all the points from the main body in conclusion. For instance, if you wrote your essay on qualities of an effective leader, state the most fundamental qualities and indicate why they matter the most. Besides, try not to copy what you have already written in the body – it is better to restate your opinion using different words. And, of course, beware adding any new and extra information; indicate only those points that you have already outlined in the text. Finally, keep in mind that it is always favorable to keep your concluding remarks short.

Leadership Essay Examples

Writing a leadership essay requires some research and time. In case you feel the necessity to go through an essay example, below is a leadership essay sample you can refer to.

Is leadership an inborn or an acquired feature?

Is everyone capable of becoming a leader, or is this ability innate? A lot of researchers have been struggling to answer this question. One assumption about leadership implies that the leader is the person who possesses particular characteristics. Another assumption claims that leaders are capable of acquiring specific features over their life span. As the evidence shows, leaders own many features that distinguish them among others and make more and more people become their followers. These might be cognitive abilities, psychological traits, professional qualities, and a lot more, and all of them will be either acquired or innate. Based on the importance of leadership qualities, such as commitment, stress resistance, and the ability to make quality decisions, it is reasonable to claim that leaders are made, not born. 

One can deem commitment as one of the top fundamental qualities of the leader. In essence, such a feature indicates that a person is passionate about the common goal, strives to be a team player, and makes every effort to reach a shared goal. As the history shows, none of the successful companies was uncoordinated by an influential, committed leader: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft – all of these companies are examples of dominant teams led by a dedicated leader. A committed leader also inspires his or her team to achieve common goals and put more effort into the shared activity. Besides, commitment is unlikely to be an innate feature; it instead comes with experience. This is so, since commitment implies dedicating oneself to the shared task, and one can reach it only via learning and continuous self-improvement.

Stress resistance is another incredibly important feature that every good leader should possess. This is because only a stress-resistant leader has sufficient capabilities to overcome any complexity and not let the anxiety and stress prevent him or her from making proper decisions. Besides, such a leader will most likely have a positive influence on the team, as long as leading by example will motivate the team members to attain the same emotional stability. What is so far familiar about stress resistance as an effective leader’s feature is that it can be either innate or attained. However, although some researchers admit that emotional stability is something one is born with, it is not entirely true; many people still put a great effort into self-improvement, changing the attitude to unfortunate situations, and so on. Therefore, being resistant to stress can be mostly attributed to a personality.

An ability to make high-quality decisions most likely determines the chances for an enterprise’s success. In particular, such quality is incredibly fundamental for a company of any size and professional orientation. Additionally, it is one of the top tasks of a good leader to make final decisions. What he or she should do implies brainstorming, discussing various opinions in the group, making forecasts, analyzing all the pros and cons. However, the leader is the one to make a final decision. Thereby, he is in charge of researching the market, discovering all the hidden truths, and analyzing the organization’s potential and capabilities to result in the most effective decision. As it flows logically from the latter, an ability to make sound quality decisions is purely a professional quality. This leads to the conclusion that one has to work hard to become a genuine leader and master the skill of making effective decisions. 

Overall, the leader may possess a multitude of different skills and master them perfectly. However, what has so far become transparent is that any leader, regardless of which team he leads, must possess three essential qualities. These qualities are commitment to the common goal, ability to handle and resist stress, and, finally, an ability to make effective decisions. All of the three qualities are most likely to be acquired over a lifetime. The statement below leads to the conclusion that even though some qualities can be innate, most are not the ones that leaders are born with. Hence, this answers an essential question: leadership feature is acquired, and not necessarily inborn.  

20 leadership essay topics

When coming up with your next leadership essay topic, it is imperative to brainstorm ideas and think of what leadership might be related to. If you are struggling with a topic of the importance of leadership essay or any relevant type of essay, you may quickly take a look at some of the possible topics we prepared for you:

• What are the main qualities of the leader?
• Successful Time Management as a feature of an effective leader
• The role that rhetoric plays in leadership
• The most exceptional leader in the history of the 20-th century
• The role of female leadership
• What are the challenges of the leader of the 21-st century?
• How college helps students develop leadership skills?
• Qualities of the leader that motivate people to follow them 
• Top things to avoid doing to become a team leader
• Examples of effective and ineffective leadership in the history
• Top techniques for developing leadership skills
• The interconnection of creativity and leadership 
• Is a university’s role fundamental in developing leadership skills?
• Dictatorship as an anti-example of leadership
• Liberal vs Authoritative leadership: which one works better?
• The influence of the leader’s role model on the followers’ mindset
• Main difficulties that the new leader may face in a new team
• Leadership of today vs leadership of the past: what has changed?
• Reasons why I want to become a member if the leadership program
• The role of cognitive abilities for the leader 

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Leadership And Influence Essays

Communication and leadership, popular essay topics.

• American Dream
• Artificial Intelligence
• Black Lives Matter
• Bullying Essay
• Career Goals Essay
• Causes of the Civil War
• Child Abusing
• Civil Rights Movement
• Community Service
• Cultural Identity
• Cyber Bullying
• Death Penalty
• Depression Essay
• Domestic Violence
• Freedom of Speech
• Global Warming
• Gun Control
• Human Trafficking
• I Believe Essay
• Immigration
• Importance of Education
• Israel and Palestine Conflict
• Leadership Essay
• Legalizing Marijuanas
• Mental Health
• National Honor Society
• Police Brutality
• Pollution Essay
• Racism Essay
• Romeo and Juliet
• Same Sex Marriages
• Social Media
• The Great Gatsby
• The Yellow Wallpaper
• Time Management
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Violent Video Games
• What Makes You Unique
• Why I Want to Be a Nurse
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628 Leadership Essay Topics & Examples

Looking for leadership essay topics to write about? Being both an exciting research area and a practical skill, leadership is definitely worth exploring!

• 🔝 Top 10 Essay Topics

📃 Leadership Essay: How to Write

• 🏆 Best Essay Examples
• 👍 Interesting Essay Topics
• 🎓 Simple & Easy Essay Titles
• 📌 Controversial Title Ideas
• 🥇 Good Topics to Write

✍️ Leadership Essay Topics for College

❓ leadership essay questions.

In your leadership essay, you might want to take a look at the sphere of government or elaborate on the role of leadership in business organizations. Here we’ve gathered most catchy leadership title ideas together with leadership essay examples. There are also useful tips on writing your introduction, conclusion, and formulating a thesis statement.

🔝 Top 10 Leadership Essay Topics

• Leadership as a research area and a practical skill
• Theories of leadership
• Functional leadership theory
• Autocratic and democratic leadership styles: compare and contrast
• Task-oriented leadership style: the key features
• Measuring leadership: the main approaches
• Gender and leadership in Western countries
• The concept of leadership: myths and misunderstandings
• Emotional intelligence and leadership: the connection
• Leadership in non-human animals

While writing a leadership essay, you may struggle with the subject, structure, titles, and other components. Don’t worry – these tips will help you to write the best leadership paper!

Tip 1. Choose your subject area first. If your professor did not provide specific topics, you would need to select one on your own. In order to do this, you may focus on an area of leadership that sounds interesting to you.

For example, if you consider working in the hospitality sector in the future, write about leadership in hotels or restaurants. Alternatively, you can browse leadership essay topics online and see if that gives you any clarity.

Tip 2. Narrow down the topic. To ensure that your essay earns high marks, you should avoid choosing an area of leadership that is too broad.

A college level paper should offer enough details and depth to receive an excellent grade. For instance, instead of overviewing a bunch of leadership styles, focus on how certain styles impede or facilitate teamwork. This will give you enough to talk about while limiting the scope of your essay.

Tip 3. Don’t confuse leadership with management! This is a common mistake that students make while writing leadership essays. Although the two concepts overlap, leadership is more about beliefs and vision, whereas managerial work is focused on specific tools and techniques.

Thus, a leader may or may not be a manager. To get more familiar with the subject of leadership, research various leadership styles, such as transformational, autocratic, and servant leadership.

Tip 4. Pay attention to the structure. In a great essay, ideas are always well-organized and follow one another in a logical sequence. First, write an introduction where you present your topic and thesis.

Then, write the main body, where you explain the key concepts and the relationships between them by reviewing relevant research evidence.

Lastly, write a conclusion summarizing your key points. A good leadership essay conclusion should also show how the information can be applied in practice.

Tip 5. Seek to answer any questions that readers might have. For your essay to show excellent depth, you need to address the points that might be interesting to readers in connection with your subject area.

For example, if you are reviewing a particular leadership style, you might want to discuss in which settings it would be useful and what are some of its limitations.

To make this part easier, you could search for leadership essay questions online to clarify what kind of answers readers expect you to cover.

Tip 6. Explain the importance and relevance of your paper. Because leadership is focused on effective strategies that can be applied in real life, you need to provide examples of how your essay may be used to support future practice and research.

Can leaders use the information you provided to improve their relationships with other employees? Can the proposed strategies influence performance?

Think about the potential uses of your research, as well as any gaps that are yet to be studied. Highlighting areas for future research will show your tutor that you are genuinely interested in the subject while also helping you plan for future essays.

We hope that these leadership essay tips will make it easier for you to write an outstanding paper! Make sure to check our website for sample essays on leadership!

🏆 Best Leadership Essay Examples

• Transformational Leadership Essay This requires the transformational leader to have the right communication skills to be able to relay the vision they have to a point of winning the willingness of the followers such that they too are […]
• Nelson Mandela Leadership Style Mandela’s fight for democracy and fulfilment of the majority will was also seen in his efforts to reconcile Libya with the rest of the world.
• Nigerian Poor Governance and Leadership In the paper under consideration, we will examine the concepts of the good governance and leadership, the problems concerning the implementation of these concepts in the Nigerian government; then we will investigate the history of […]
• Foundation of Army Leadership Essay The Army leaders therefore, need to be swift, adaptive, and multi-skilled both in the country and across the world. This ensures obedience of the Army to the authority of the President and his authority from […]
• Google Democratic Leadership Style – Compared to Amazon Applying behavioural leadership style theories in Bezos and Schmidt’s case reveals that the Amazon CEO is an autocratic leader while the Google CEO is a democratic leader.
• Teamwork and Leadership From diversity to team hierarchy, many factors influence the eventual output of the team, affecting the leader, team members’ performance, and client’s satisfaction.
• Esther’s Leadership Qualities Essay The book of Ester narrates the story of a young Jewish woman who rose to the thrones of power but also reveals the life of the Jews under the Persian reign.
• Democratic Leadership Style Self-Analysis Democratic leadership style is a participative and consensus-based approach to decision-making in which the leader encourages input from all members of the team and makes decisions that reflect the group’s best interests.
• Reed Hastings’ Leadership Style: Netflix CEO’s Strategy Since the work of a leader is crucial for the performance of the whole enterprise, it is essential to analyze the leadership style of a particular business leader through the perspective of his or her […]
• Mahatma Gandhi’s Leadership This report is an analysis of the behaviour and leadership style of Ghandi, the transactional and transformative aspects of his leadership and the way he used the power he had to help India gain Independence.
• Comparison of Gandhi’s and Hitler’s Leadership The primary direction of Gandhi’s political and social work was the fight against the nationalist movement of the British rule of India.
• Comparison of Leadership and Management In leadership, the leader uses his charisma and influence to elicit the help and support of the followers to achieve goals.
• Leadership in Organization Leadership is applicable in the nurturing and development of constructive behavior patterns and organizational culture. Charismatic leadership is appropriate for the development of followers.
• Bill Gates’s Leadership and Impact on Organization This problem grew out of the practice that was common in Microsoft to challenge the ideas of one another, doubt them, and put them to the test.
• Frederick Douglass Leadership Personality Traits Report (Assessment) The book was so humorous that he feared that he would be enslaved again for the weaknesses that he portrayed in the American lifestyle and how he was able to trick them with the attire […]
• Leadership Case Study This is mainly achieved through setting a pace in serving as a role model and creation of a working environment that allows members of the organization or employees to feel honored as part of the […]
• Leadership and Influence Focus on leaders’ and ignorance of followers, however, does not contribute to the development of efficient management environment because the influence and interaction stand at the core of the relationship.
• School Leadership The multi-levelled pedagogic school leaders highly determine the mode of teaching students in schools and the effective application of the learning process.
• Mercedes Company: Leadership and Management Essentials The idea behind theoretical investigation is to obtain enough background information on leadership styles, which might be applied to analysing the performance of Mercedes Benz in the light of the theory’s implications on the practice […]
• My Leadership Achievements and Services to Our Community As the project coordinator, I was charged with the duty of coming up with a strategy to liaising with the target group that is the community and the members who were to carry out the […]
• Gibb’s Reflective Cycle in Nursing Leadership To ensure all the processes run effectively in the organization, the leader must reflect on the various encounters to improve the aspect of decision-making and management.
• Sergey Brin: Leadership Process and Organizations in Context In order to analyse the theory of successful leadership in practice, it is possible to evaluate the performance of Sergey Brin, one of the founders of the world-famous Google company that owns huge financial assets.
• Ken Lay’s Leadership and Enron Company’s Downfall An analysis of Lay’s ethical conduct outlined below is conducted through the prism of Kidder’s ethical checkpoints, the principles of moral sensitivity, moral judgment, moral motivation, moral character, as well as the CEO’s power and […]
• Leadership: Portfolio Project I will start by conducting a comprehensive analysis of my background in order to understand the factors that might have defined my leadership qualities in one way or the other.
• Vodafone Company’s Leadership and Management In fact, it is safe to argue that an organization’s major responsibilities are founded upon the complexities and issues arising from these environments in the sense that it must ensure that its culture and behavior […]
• Participative Leadership: Strengths and Weakness The paper gives an overview of the approach, followed by the strengths and weakness of participative leadership. Organizational leadership, more so the approach of leadership is critical to the performance of an organization.
• Autocratic Leadership Versus Participative Theory It will also critically analyse the effectiveness of both participative and autocratic leadership styles in an organisation to determine the most appropriate style to be adopted for the success of an organisation.
• Developing Leadership Skills Bearing in mind the fact that the leader is tasked with marshaling the organization’s resources to accomplish some organizational goal, it can be rightfully stated that part of the role of the leader is to […]
• Ethical Leadership: Martin Luther King All individuals were expected to consider his actions and embrace the idea of morality. Through the use of a positive community culture and empowerment tactics, King managed to model such desirable behaviors.
• Servant Leadership in Indian Culture and Hindu Religion The basis of this approach is the reorientation of the values of the leader, who considers the empowerment of followers as a means and goal of his activity.
• Meg Whitman – Leadership Style: What Do People Do When They Are Leading? This is due to the fact that it influences the extent to which employees are committed to attainment of the set organizational goals.
• Ursula Burns Leadership Style in Xerox Company By suggesting that color printing should be made more affordable, as well as reconsidering the company’s organizational behavior and putting a very strong emphasis on the relationships between the managers and the staff, Burns has […]
• Leadership Self-Assessment Essay To a butcher, the organizational goals of increased productivity, the input of both the individual and groups in the organization remains invaluable. To this end, the strengths and weaknesses that are inherent in my style […]
• Starbuck Company Case: Howard Schultz Leadership Style Hence, he spends a lot of time with staff and guarantees that the company helps employees to grow both financially and intellectually.
• Nursing: Leadership Development Plan I utilize the nursing process and evidence-based practice to work collaboratively with the core team, including the patient, staff members, primary care provider, registered nurse care manager, and patient support technician, and expanded team, including […]
• Individual Leadership Philosophy I have also developed new values that will continue to support my leadership objectives. I will also acquire new skills that have the potential to improve my leadership philosophy.
• Leadership and Management Practice The efficacy of a decision to either lead or manage will base on the closeness of how the insight of the knowledge, expertise and talent of persons trying to pursue the goal matches with the […]
• Personal Leadership Profile Analysis At the same time, I could also use my drive for learning to develop communication, motivation, conflict resolution, and other relevant skills that could enhance the performance of my team and the work environment in […]
• Carlos Slim: Leadership Styles and Personality The case study of Carlos Slim’s personality shows a character of a leader who has high conscientiousness and openness to experience.
• Management and Leadership: Nokia Corporation The approach of the company is to have an innovative and outstanding teamwork; though the company has a departmental approach, the company ensures that it has teams in all sections that are mandated and empowered […]

🎓 Simple & Easy Leadership Essay Titles

• Conrad Hilton Leadership Styles and Principles Leaders in this category want to transcend the basic needs of a human being and to have a sense of life success.
• King T’Challa’s Leadership in “Black Panther” However, because Black Panther needed the help of the Jabari, he had to suppress some feelings of pride and act in the interest of his people.
• Leadership at YouTube: Susan Wojcicki Educated at Harvard and the University of California, Wojcicki was involved in the founding of Google and was the person behind Google’s acquisition of YouTube in 2006.
• The Action-Observation Model: Leadership Discussion In the beginning, I tried to persuade some volunteers to agree with their assignments since they were helping to spread awareness of a good cause; however, as arguments started occurring, I decided that the best […]
• Unilever Company’s Leadership and Corporate Governance The success of Unilever associated with the company’s commitment to leadership. First, the strategic leadership of Unilever is tied to the company’s long-term goals and objectives.
• Proactive Leadership: Importance and Characteristics This paper will focus on proactive leadership, the importance of proactive leadership, and the characteristics of proactive leaders. For example, when a team leader is late on product shipment or delivery of products, they try […]
• The Art of Communication as the Language of Leadership Further, a list of activities to be done to achieve the desired outcomes and the resources required are set in place.
• Reflection on an Interview on Leadership However, I realized very quickly that the institute would not teach me what I wanted to learn. I conducted coaching sessions and advised the management of the company in which I worked at the time.
• Leadership Style: Reflection and Analysis The concept of leadership is an essential part of the modern world due to the fact that it is one of the key determinants of successful management.
• Leadership Action Plan To begin with, I will join a toastmaster that can support my communicational and leadership goals. For instance, the decision to join a toastmaster will support most of my needs.
• Importance and Role of Leadership in Globalization Leadership can be considered to be the provision of a vision to the people whom one has authority over and pushing through the understanding of the vision and the achievement of its goals for the […]
• Ricardo Semler’s Leadership at Semco Partners The case of Ricardo Semler and Semco companies reflects typically on the transformational leadership from the traditional Brazilian company’s organisational leadership structure that involved pyramidal headship.
• Maxine Clark’s Leadership at Build-A-Bear Workshop How might her personality influence her behaviour as the CEO of Build-A-Bear? Maxine Clark is the founder and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop.
• Situational Leadership Style According to the two experts, the major responsibility of any situational leader is to become accustomed to their individual leadership style and satisfy the followers’ needs.
• Barack Obama’s Charismatic Leadership In Obama’s Case, the sparkle and invisible energy as defined by Rao pushed him to the presidency and continues allowing him some loyal following albeit the fact that some are being disappointed by the slow […]
• Astro Airlines: Burton’s Leadership Style While the company had every chance to be transformed from a small-scale business into a large corporation, Burton did not use the opportunities that he had as the head of the company.
• Reflective Practice in Leadership This model has made me understand that I need to orient myself to the organisational culture and values cherished by my subordinates to enable me to have beneficial exchanges with my subordinates.
• The Role of Leadership in Business and Its Advantages The skills model focuses on the affiliation between the skills and knowledge held by a leader, otherwise referred to as the specific capabilities, and the performance of the leader.
• The Benefits of Transformational Leadership This means that a transformational leader is willing and able to take into account the needs of their followers and their individual concerns.
• Charismatic Leadership The transformational leaders focus on changing the organizations or the leaders, while the charismatic leader has a focus on commitment and devotion both to the persona values as well as those of the group members […]
• Strategic Leadership and Organisational Transformation of Walmart In the first quarter of the 2020/2021 fiscal year, the company recorded a financial performance that exceeded the projections of analysts who had predicted poor performance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Organizational Leadership and Strategic Positioning for Shangri-la Hotels Shangri-La Hotels is classified among the strongest and iconic leaders in the luxury hotel space in Asia and it has been successful in other places in Europe and around the world.
• Leadership of Jerry Yang, Co-Founder of Yahoo The creation of Yahoo is the story of the hobby and knowledge of two Yang people who wanted to make the Internet more convenient.
• Workplace Management Styles: Autocratic Leadership He may have been afraid of the fact that if he did not retain all the powers and authority, employees like Wilson would take the running of the restaurant.
• Mohammed Al Abbar: Leadership Project As a result, in order to explore the leadership style, approach, and views of Mohammad Al Abbar, it is necessary to begin with his personal, as well and professional backgrounds as the sources of his […]
• General Leadership Style: Norman Schwarzkopf According to the Katz model of leadership, the leader with human skills can leverage the power of the group. When the young Schwarzkopf visited his father in different parts of the world, he had the […]
• The Leadership and Communication Style of Angela Ahrendts She is famous for her leadership and communication style that is characterized by energy, availability, belief in teamwork and the power of intuition.
• Leadership Styles of Yahoo, Blackberry, and Google Using the identified characteristics of transactional and transformational leadership styles in the literature review, the paper attempts to specify the leadership styles that each of the three organizations deploys using the primary data from the […]
• GlaxoSmithKline’s Leadership Management Framework In light of this dissection, the author recommends the most effective leadership style to steer GSK to the next level and to enable it to handle previous management misjudgements. This will improve the image of […]
• “Organizational Culture and Leadership” by Schein, Edgar H. The book covers the subject of leadership and culture in three major sections, including the definition of organizational culture and leadership, the dimensions of culture, and leadership’s role in building culture.
• JC Penney & Ron Johnson: The Failed Leadership Following the failure of Ron Johnson’s vision and strategy, the new CEO, Ulman, faced the challenge of attempting to incorporate and revert to the strategy that had been in place before Ron Johnson’s tenure.
• Napoleon: Leadership Style The extremely high level of fragmentation peculiar to Europe at that era and the absence of the single perspective on France and its growing power provided him with the time needed to create a powerful […]
• Biblical Leadership and Ministry For the church to be more effective in fulfilling the commands in God’s word the leaders should have a spirit that is sensitive and satisfied.
• Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore’s Leadership Hal Moore’s courage to fight on despite the odds that had afflicted his men was the major driving factor that led to the victory of his group over the Vietnamese.
• Leadership vs. Management in the Nursing Context While some argue that all nursing managers have to have leadership qualities to successfully organize and monitor everyday operations, others state that the roles of managers and leaders may vary.
• Brian Chesky’s Leadership at Airbnb As the chief executive officer and co-founder of Airbnb Company, Brian Chesky has proved to the world that he is a great leader who exhibits wonderful traits.
• Mark Zuckerberg’s Leadership Style Shareholders have complained about his leadership and failure to increase the stock price of Facebook, and others have claimed he is socially inept and too young and immature to be a CEO of a multi-billion […]
• “Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership” Book According to the authors, the aim of this topic is to create awareness for managers regarding the importance of relationships between the management and employees in fostering the success of a company, employee motivation, and […]
• Motivation and Leadership Theories Any organization that tend to focus on satisfying employee needs is bound to have In the case study Jonathan understands this and tries appreciating the work done by his employees.
• Management and Leadership Paper This paper evaluates McDonald’s management and leadership style, the role of managers in creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture and recommends on how McDonald’s can create and maintain its culture.

📌 Controversial Leadership Title Ideas

• Angela Merkel’s Leadership Style This move shows that Merkel has the essential qualities of a transformative leader, including her ability to critically analyze a situation and motivate her followers in times of need.
• Leadership and Personality Traits of Hovard Schultz Schultz was able to look at the business from the client’s point of view and considered the client’s needs when expanding Starbucks across the globe.
• Gender Equality in Higher Education: The Underrepresentation of Women in Educational Leadership A prime example of gender inequality is the underrepresentation of women in educational leadership, and this problem is going to be considered here in detail.
• Leadership Styles: Abraham Lincoln and Adolf Hitler The human qualities of a leader are in many ways more revealing regarding his or her success, the respect of the people, and the appreciation of descendants than education and professionalism.
• Tesla’s Strategic Plan for Leadership in Energy Sector The purpose of this report is to analyze Tesla’s strategic plan of technological leadership in the energy segment to strengthen its competitive position.
• Bernard Arnault’s Leadership One of Arnault’s leadership styles entails identifying brands that are preferred in the market and working on enhancing the quality of these brands. Bernard Arnault is a visionary leader who has helped LVMH to attain […]
• Leadership: Role, Benefits, and Limitations For example, the mayoral role in a town is leadership, whereby he takes the responsibility of guiding the people to support the laid down policies for the development of the town.
• Leadership in “12 Angry Men” In spite of the fact that Juror # 8 seems to be adaptable to the opinions of the other jurors, he is rather decisive in his following the line of the discussion which is developed […]
• Leadership and Motivation: FedEx Corporation and UPS Inc. Introduction Leadership is the process of influencing people to contribute willingly to the goals and objectives of the organization. To solve this problem, the managers of FedEx used 360-degree feedback system to identify the causes […]
• Followership and Servant Leadership in the Military The soldiers in the military are dedicated to serving and executing the commands given by their supervisors. In the military, followership and servant leadership are crucial approaches for ensuring effective performance to achieve objectives.
• Nelson Mandela: Speeches and Leadership Nelson Mandela is, undoubtedly, one of the strongest and the most inspiring political leaders of the 20th century, the embodiment of the human spirit’s limitless possibilities.
• Leadership in Diabetes Management Nurses can collaborate and apply evidence-based strategies to empower their diabetic patients. The involvement of all key stakeholders is also necessary.
• Effective Leadership: What It Means It is very imperative to bring a change in the organization and only successful leaders can bring this change in their organization and their team.
• Martin Luther King Jr.’s and Malcolm X’s Leadership Styles Thesis: Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were both charismatic leaders, but the latter was more of a transformational leader as well because of his idealistic views and his ability to inspire his followers to […]
• Carly Fiorina’s Leadership at Hewlett-Packard Company In this respect, the first part of the paper will compare the traits of Carly to the characteristics described in various leadership theories.
• Jeff Williams’ Leadership Style at Apple Inc. Through these adjustments, Jeff was in a position to model a unique setting that reassures and discerns the wants and desires of the customers.
• Leadership, Power, Corruption in Today’s Politics The concept of leadership, especially in the political arena is complex and the perception of a good leader differs from one school of thought to another.
• Ogilvy and Mather Worldwide Company: Charlotte Beers’ Leadership The main objective that Beers tried to achieve was to create change to enable the company to regain its leadership position in the industry.
• Poor Leadership at J.C Penney Some of the major operational characteristics of the business in the last decade are the sale of Eckerd Pharmacy locations in 2004, the discontinuation of its catalogue business in 2010, and the appointment of Ron […]
• Leadership Legacy Issues The ability of leadership to attain results is dependent on many factors such the followers, the environment, resources, and activities that go towards the achievement of the goals that the leadership is established to attain.
• Kofi Annan Leadership Traits In pursuit of idealistic leadership, Berlin articulates that leaders and organizations should be able to differentiate actions that could impede the achievement of the goals that are in the best interest of the majority.
• Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility A fundamental theme of corporate governance is the nature and extent of responsibility and accountability of specific individuals in the corporation’s hierarchy, and mechanisms that attempt to eliminate or mitigate the problems that arise due […]
• The Role of the Leader and Their Characteristics Leaders are the strategists and the decision makers of an organization; they have the role of managing, controlling and enacting policies that lead an organization to its attainment of corporate goals and objectives.
• Ethical and Unethical Leadership in Healthcare On the contrary, unethical leadership disregards ethics and instead indulges in unacceptable moral practices that are contrary to the organization culture.
• Management vs. Leadership. What Leaders Really Do? Factually, a good leader as well as a good manager should have the similar qualities as far as a good leader-manager is in demand in many modern companies.
• Democratic vs. Autocratic Leadership Styles Thus, one of the main advantages of the democratic model is that all individuals who are affected by a certain situation have an opportunity to outline their views and participate in decision-making.
• Leadership and Management In the analysis of leadership and management approach within the non-for-profit sector, success in management and leadership revolves around complex approaches to the management of human services.
• Leadership in the hospitality industry His success in business has been attributed to the manner in which he attends to details such as research and collection of information, provision of clean and high quality products and services, and the logical […]
• Leadership Management in the Hospitality Industry And the last principle was that management should cooperate with workers in sharing work whereby managers ought to use scientific principles in management to come up with tasks to be performed by workers.
• Pros and Cons of the Four Major Styles of Leadership The trust that the leader gives to the followers raises their morale in the task and as a result, they exhibit a spirit of teamwork and cooperation.
• Elon Musk’s Leadership Style and Accomplishments His business acumen is exemplified by his massive successes that he has achieved, mainly as the CEO of Space X and Tesla Motors, as well as other businesses, including Neuralink, the Boring Company, and Open […]
• Transparency: The Role in Leadership Being transparent about the difficulties that the police has and the challenges it sees in the community, while highlighting an action plan can become a foundation to building trust.
• Collaboration and Leadership in Healthcare The top management was able to make arrangements with the hospital administration and a willing dietician and we started to provide dietary consultations to each and every patient starting chemotherapy.
• Howard Schultz’s Leadership Style: Strengths and Weaknesses These results are in a large part due to his leadership style which can be characterised as transformational, the strengths of which are openness to new ideas and creativity, and among the weaknesses can be […]
• The Concept of Laissez-Faire Leadership Style The manager does as little directing as possible and empowers employees. Employees must determine goals, make decisions, and solve problems themselves.
• Organizational Culture & Leadership: Whirlpool Corporation At the heart of the discussion of management and leadership are the concepts of goal setting and results. Common to both managers and leaders is the focus on the results they produce, which are based […]
• W. Buffett’s and F. Porsche’s Leadership Styles Finally, the third reason to call Ferdinand Porsche a bad leader is his ignorance of the social context. The businessman did not contribute to the development of the community or country but focused on his […]
• Leadership Theories in the Automotive Industry At the same time, the changes in the industry and the economic environment of the recent years have led to the situation where the leaders of the field lost their definitive advantage and faced a […]
• Mandela’s Leadership: Long Walk to Freedom The current paper analyses the effectiveness of leadership with reference to Nelson Mandela, the late former president of South Africa, as depicted in the movie, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
• The Political Leadership Conception This is usually manifested through the power of attraction and seduction and manipulation of the people under the leadership authority. Competent and profound leaders should be in a position to manage the organization for which […]

🥇 Good Leadership Topics to Write

• Leadership: Providing Purpose, Motivation and Inspiration
• Style of Leadership in TESCO
• Marriott International Leadership
• Leadership – Ann Fudge
• The Essence of Leadership: Warren Buffet and Oprah Winfrey
• Instructional Leadership
• Nature and Effectiveness of Steve Jobs Leadership
• Leadership and Governance
• Transformational and Transactional Leadership
• Leadership Qualities in Nursing
• Personal Leadership Development Plan
• Nursing Leadership Skills Development
• Leadership Role-Play Activity for Students
• Self-Awareness Importance in Effective Leadership
• Hovey and Beard Company: Leadership and Management
• Leadership in “The Hunger Game” Movie
• Leadership and Organisational Change
• The Concept of Leadership
• The Charismatic Leadership of Steve Jobs at Apple
• The Role of Civic Leadership
• Contemporary Issues in Management: Gender and Leadership
• A Leadership Development Plan’s Analysis
• Leadership in the “Saving Private Ryan” Film
• Leadership Styles, Traits in a Nursing Professionals
• Zappos Organization’s Leadership and Objectives
• Nelson Mandela: Transformation and Servant Leadership Theories
• Leadership & Management in Nursing: Personal Experience
• Developing Shared Vision: Leadership
• Leadership Internal and External Challenges
• King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud’s Responsible Leadership and Ethics
• United Parcel Services Leadership
• “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell
• How Communication Affects Leadership
• Andy Garafallo’s Recipe in Leadership Theory and Practice
• Jeff Bezos’s Leadership and the Amazon Revolution
• Advantages and Limitations of Online Leadership
• Shepherd Leadership Theory
• Bodega Store Strategic Leadership and Opportunities
• Leadership Style: Ellen Kullman
• Leadership Theory and Practice via an Account of BP’s Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
• Critical Examination of Strategic Leadership
• BMW Key Strategic Issues Analysis
• Leadership of the School Community
• Gender Differences in Leadership Styles
• Leadership Style of Managers
• Impact of Gender Difference on Leadership Styles
• Servant Leadership at St. Jude Children’s Hospital
• Transformational Leadership Theory: Pros and Cons
• Warren Buffet’s vs. Bernard Madoff’s Leadership Styles
• Leadership Theories: Mother Teresa
• Creativity in Leadership
• Organizational Behavior: Teamwork and Leadership
• Lao-Tzu’s and Confucius’ Ideas on Leadership
• Orpheus Orchestra’s Leadership and Organizational Practices
• The Challenges of Leadership Practice in the 21st Century
• The Nickelodeon Company: Transformative Leadership
• Ineffective Leadership in a Workplace
• A Revolutionary Model of Leadership
• Dr. Maya Angelou and Her Leadership Abilities
• The Impact of School Governance on School Leadership
• Educational Leadership in School
• Attitude Reflects Leadership: a Look at Leadership in your Professional Portfolio
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Leadership Program
• Leadership in Turbulent Times: Key Takeaways
• American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and Its Leadership Culture
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Leadership Reflection
• Machiavellian Leadership Style
• Holistic View of the Management and Leadership
• Self-Analysis on Democratic Leadership
• Leadership Approaches in Healthcare
• Nursing Leadership and Its Importance
• Bedside Shift Reporting: Essentials of Nursing Leadership and Management
• Pacesetting as a Leadership Concept
• Leadership Styles: Democratic and Collective
• The Leadership in Healthcare: The Intelligent Quotient and Technical Aspects
• Leadership and Emotional Intelligence
• Leadership Personality & Achievement: TELMEX and Carlos Slim
• How Does Social Media Affect Leadership?
• Democratic Leadership Styles and Patient Outcomes
• Leadership of Climber Arlene Blum
• Level 5 Leadership, Humility, and Will
• Personal Vision Statement in Organizational Leadership
• Google Inc’s Mission and Structure
• Three-Skills Approach to Student Leadership
• Adaptive Leadership by Glover, Friedman, Jones
• Transformational Leadership in Hotel Industry
• Wooden on Leadership: How to Create a Winning Organization?
• Thyressa Williams’ Leadership Interview
• Thomas Hobbes and John Stuart Mill’ Views on Leadership
• Mountain West Health Plans Company’s Leadership Styles
• Jack Welch’s Leadership Style
• Leadership Styles: A Critical Discussion
• Leadership Styles and Effects on IT Organizations
• The Effect of Leadership in Project Management
• Some Theories and Theorists on Leadership
• The Five-Star Hotels Operational Management
• Relationship between Power and Leadership
• Safety Culture Development Through Effective Leadership and Management
• Leadership in the 21st Century
• Leadership in Quality Management
• Leadership Evaluation: Sir Richard Branson
• 1996 Mount Everest Disaster: Leadership Perspective
• Machiavelli and Othello’s Leadership Skills
• Leadership and Motivation – Carlos Ghosn
• Justice and Leadership as Expressed by Plato and Ibn Khaldum
• Delta Airlines Company’s Traditional and Digital Leadership
• Personal Leadership Philosophy in Nursing
• Leadership Philosophy and Its Importance for Life
• Gene C. McKinney: Biography and His Leadership
• The Art of Leadership
• Leadership and Diversity Discussion
• Christian Leadership of John Calvin
• Leadership – Integration Project
• Leadership Profile Analysis: Key Elements, Weaknesses, Strengths
• Mary Barra’s Leadership at General Motors
• Mentoring and Coaching Experience
• Explaining Leadership Positions and Responsibilities
• Leadership Values and Authenticity
• Comprehensive Leadership Approach
• Leadership Concepts in the “Coach Carter” Film
• Abraham Lincoln’s Leadership Lessons
• Autocratic, Democratic, Free-Rein, Coaching Leadership
• Reflection on Leadership in Management
• The Impact of Leadership in Higher Education
• Leadership: Encouraging the Heart and Generosity
• Leadership in the “Invictus” Movie
• General Electric’s Two-Decade Transformation: Jack Welch’s Leadership
• Charismatic vs. Inspirational Leadership
• Reflection Paper on “The 5 Messages Leaders Must Manage”
• Leadership and Management Definition
• The Importance of Strategic Leadership in the Global Business Environment
• Team Leadership: Essential Features & Problems
• Strategic Leadership at The New York Yankees Team
• How Contemporary Leadership Styles Are Relevant in Today’s Military
• Leadership Commitment Statement on Prevention of Workplace Violence
• My Involvement as a Leader, Leadership Coach, and Development Instructor
• Leadership for Happiness in Workplaces
• Leadership in Lost TV Series
• Elon Musk: The Leadership Style
• Leadership Capacity Development Training
• Leadership and Personal Characteristics of a Leader
• Leadership, Trustworthiness, and Ethical Stewardship
• Leadership and Organizational Psychology of Vince Lombardi
• The Leadership Challenge Overview
• Nursing: Personality Types and Leadership Qualities
• Leadership Challenges Bedeviling Satera Team
• Leadership Skills and Leadership Development Plan
• My Leadership Challenge: Personal Opinion
• Leadership and Migrants in Malaysia: Hypothetical Design
• Leadership Legacy: Definition and Goals
• Leadership Perspectives and Their Characteristics
• The Concept of Leadership: Machiavelli’s “The Prince”
• The Life and Leadership Styles of Sir Edmund Hillary
• James D. Sinegal’s Leadership Analysis
• Leadership Influence Processes: Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Presidents
• Etihad Airways: Leadership Attitudes
• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi: Leadership Analysis
• Leadership. Critical Incident in a Non-Profit
• Leadership in Teams: Experience and Reflection
• Leadership and Collaboration for a Student
• Starbucks Coffee Company’s Leadership Interview
• Leadership and Total Quality Management
• Leadership Styles and Their Results
• Profile in Ethical Leadership: Bernard Madoff
• Full Range Leadership Development
• Leadership and Influence: Action Plan
• “Leadership For Leaders” by Michael Williams
• Charlotte Beers’ Leadership at Ogilvy & Mather Agency
• Elizabeth Bloomer Ford’s Leadership Development
• Al Jaber Group: Fatima Al Jaber’ Leadership Style
• George Washington’s Leadership Style and Character
• Youth Leadership Development
• Coaching and Mentoring in Executive Leadership
• Leadership Input to the Community Development
• Personality and Leadership Style Relationship
• Stephen Hawking: Visionary and Cross-Cultural Leadership
• Chicago Bulls 1995-96 Championship: Team Leadership
• Classic Drucker: Articles on Management and Leadership
• Leadership and Performance in the Workplace
• Leadership: Types, Approaches and Strategies
• Leadership Approach in “The Devil Wears Prada”
• Leadership Development: Experiences and Theories
• Organizational Behaviour and Leadership
• The Application of Transformational Leadership in the UAE
• Leadership is Action and Not Position
• How Emotional Intelligence Influences Leadership
• Reflection on Leadership and Sustainability: SKK Inc
• Contingency Theory of Leadership
• Quality Management Systems
• Leadership Style of Bill Clinton: What Can We Learn?
• The Behavioral Approach of Studying Leadership
• Difference between Leadership and Management
• Mohandus Gandhi’s leadership
• The Significance of Strong Leadership in Business Organization
• Jamie Oliver and Leadership in the Food Industry
• James Madison’s Leadership Qualities
• Experience with Negative Leadership
• Transformational Leadership and Service Quality in UAE Hospitals
• Chapter 6 of Northouse’s Leadership: Theory and Practice
• Daniel Roth’s and Sam Hazen’s Personal Values in Leadership
• The Foundation of Army Leadership and Its Factors
• Personal Leadership Philosophy in the Sports Industry
• Developing Leadership Skills in Nursing: A Proposal
• Personal Leadership Style Analysis
• Servant Leadership in the Old Testament
• Servitude in Servant Leadership and The Scriptures
• Personal Leadership Profile: Communication Strategies
• Personal Career Experience: Leadership
• Business Ethics in Leadership & Management Development
• Organizational Culture and Leadership
• Leadership Approaches in Prison
• Nursing Leadership and Personal Skills
• Pixar Company’s Effective Leadership and Competitive Advantages
• Radical Leadership at Semco by Ricardo Semler
• Rudy Giuliani’s Leadership During 9/11 Crisis
• Genghis Khan: Style of Leadership
• Personal Philosophy of Military Leadership
• Studying Leadership Behaviour: “The King’s Speech” by Tom Hooper
• Intercultural Management: Renault, General Motors, & Daimler Chrysler
• Leadership Style and Employee Motivation: Burj Al Arab Hotel
• Leadership Practices Assessment
• Personal Leadership Action Plan
• Group Formation and Leadership Challenges
• Leadership: Johari Window and Transactional Analyses
• Ethics in School Leadership
• Women’s Features in Administrative Leadership
• Costco Company’s Business Diversity, Ethics, Leadership
• Steve Jobs and Tim Cook Leadership Styles Comparison
• Alvis Corporation’ Leadership Information
• UAE Hospitals: Transformational Leadership and Service Quality
• Nike Company: Hannah Jones Leadership Style
• Mark Zuckerberg: Leadership Style on Practice
• Strategic Leadership Types
• Sheikh Mohammed leadership
• Participative Leadership: Strengths and Weaknesses
• Entrepreneurial Leadership: Five Guys
• Leaders v. Managers: What’s the Difference?
• Complexity Theory Models of Leadership with Other Models of Leadership
• Destructive Leadership as a Phenomenon in HR Management
• Schwarzkopf’ Leadership Style and Success as a Military General
• Leadership Styles in the UK, USA, and Japan
• Leadership Styles and Theories
• Relationship between Leadership and Management
• Leadership in Multinational companies
• Leadership: The Most Effective Leader
• Leadership Styles: Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher
• Leadership Skills: “The Prince” by Niccolo Machiavelli
• Business Ethics in Multinational Corporations
• Keys to leadership in HCA
• Introduction to the Four Functions of Management
• Leadership Skills of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s
• Situational Leadership Theory & Path-Goal Leadership Theory
• Leadership Qualities as a Part of a Team
• Spiritual Leadership and Citizenship Behaviors
• A Lollipop Moment in Leadership
• The Main Characteristics of Servant Leadership
• Organizational Theory: Democratic Leadership
• Leadership Under Cultural Influences
• Leadership in Healthcare Management
• Adaptive Leadership as a Style and Model
• Leadership: Self-Evaluation and Comparison
• Bill Gates’ Positive Leadership Behavior
• Task Specialization and Directive Leadership in Beaufort County School District
• Mindful Leadership in Managing Critical Change
• Leadership, Family, and Community Collaboration Project
• The Crucial Role of Courageous Followers in Effective Leadership
• Leadership in Group Counselling
• Relation Between Leadership and Police Ethics
• Leadership in the Educational Sector
• How Nursing Professionals Can Benefit From Servant Leadership
• Leadership and Innovations: Article Review
• Applying Five Leadership Practices
• Transformational and Servant Leadership in Nursing
• Strategic Leadership in the United Arab Emirates
• Leadership: Theory and Practice
• The Plays “The Iliad,” “The Odyssey,” and “Agamemnon”: Understanding of Leadership
• Leadership Development Plan in Nursing
• Leadership: Character, Competencies, and Virtues
• Nursing Practice: Leadership and Cooperation
• St James Settlement’s Leadership and Management
• Servant Leadership in Fannie Lou Hamer
• Organizational Leadership and Attitude-Behavior Theory
• Leadership and Ethical Requirements
• Measurement and Leadership Effectiveness in Business
• Leadership: Definition and Values
• Principles of Management and Leadership Positions
• Application of Irrefutable Laws of Leadership in the Military
• French and Raven’s Five Forms of Power: An Overview
• Leadership Style as an Important Element of the Nursing Practice
• Leadership Styles Across Generations Working in Wal-Mart Store
• Christ’s Approach to Leadership: Transformational Leadership Theory
• Morale and Leadership, Encouragement, Dedication, and Commitment Within a Band
• Elon Musk: Leadership, Financial Success, and the Future of Tesla
• Brand Leadership by Levi’s and Coca-Cola in Going Green
• Leadership Role of Creating Safe Nursing Environment
• Clinical Nurse Leadership Program
• Transformational Leadership at School Sites
• Fostering Effective Leadership and Collaboration in Human Services
• Behavioral and Situational Leadership: Pros and Cons
• Leadership Skills, Goals and Vision of Nurses
• Educational Theories and Leadership Studies
• Communication Style and Leadership
• Effective Leadership Analysis
• Transformational Leadership: Essential Strategies
• The Book “The Power of Positive Leadership” by Jon Gordon
• Servant Leadership Characteristic Evaluation: Conceptualization
• Maintaining a Leadership Position in a Company
• A District Director Nurse’s Leadership Roles
• Effective Leadership: Traits and Behaviors
• Assignment: Student Integrity and Nursing Leadership
• Diversity as One of the Principles for Sustainability Leadership
• Leadership in Nursing Practice
• Exploring Power Constructs in Leadership: A Self-Reflective Study
• Servant Leadership: The Key Aspects
• Transcendental Leadership and Total Quality Management Theories
• Leadership and Management: Reflection
• Leadership Foundations in Nursing Practice
• Presidential Leadership: Diplomatic History
• IoT and G.E.’s Leadership Position
• Principles of Leadership and Future of Terrorism
• Leadership at the Reuters Holdings PLC Company
• Leadership in a Multinational Organization
• The Ryno Firm’s Demands of Responsible Leadership
• Two Models of Political Leadership
• Change Leadership and Emotional Intelligence
• The Role of Inclusive Leadership Strategy in Diverse Workplaces
• The Hempel Paints Firm’s Leadership for Strategic Execution
• Qatari German Medical Devices: Leadership for Strategic Execution
• The Home Depot’s Journey Towards Innovation and Effective Change Leadership
• Leadership Communication and Management
• Culture and Leadership in Health and Social Care
• Barack Obama’s Biography and Political Leadership
• Modern Leadership: Trends and Challenges
• Leadership Leverage at Gunderson Lutheran Health Facility
• Gender and Leadership in Healthcare Administration
• Leadership Theories and Styles
• Leadership Philosophy in Nursing
• The Personal Leadership Philosophy in Nursing
• Collaborative Leadership Model in Business
• Leadership: Summary of Media Interview
• Culture and Leadership in Organizations
• The Doctor of Nursing Practice Leadership Program
• Personal Leadership Philosophies
• Leadership Types in Telemedicine
• Connective Nursing Leadership
• Aspects of Collaborative Leadership
• Aspects of Collaborative Leadership Plan
• Organizational Change: The Effect of Transformational Leadership on Employees
• Nursing Leadership and Team Building Strategies
• Transformational Leadership and Abusive Supervision
• The Role of Leadership in a Digitalized World
• The Importance of Leadership Training
• The Servant Leadership Concept
• Emotionally Intelligent Leadership
• Leadership Skills for the Negotiation Process
• Measuring the Quality of Government Leadership
• Kouzes and Posner Model of Nursing Leadership
• Leadership Formation in the Medical Field
• The Leadership and Funding Relationship
• Transformational Leadership in a Healthcare Team
• Abortion Backlash and Leadership Issues
• Strategic Crisis Leadership: South Korea’s Response to Covid-19
• Darwin E. Smith’s Level 5 Leadership Characteristics
• Change Leadership: Telehealth Technology at Orlando Health
• Leadership Style Personality Assessment
• The Basic Aspects of Leadership
• Leadership in a Digitized World
• International Leadership: Management Strategies
• Authentic Leadership in Healthcare
• Aspects of Leadership in Healthcare
• Behavioral Theories of Leadership
• Personal Leadership Style’s Improvement Areas
• Organizational Experiences Based on Leadership
• Leadership Analysis in Corporate Governance
• Leadership at Qatar National Bank
• Aspects of the Sustainable Leadership Style
• Nursing Leadership in the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Martin Luther King’s Leadership Approach
• Leadership Ambiguity in Nursing Practice
• Importance of Leadership Skills for Employee
• Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Development
• Interpersonal Leadership Skills in Bank of America
• Developing Organizations and Leadership
• Behavioral and Trait Leadership Theories in Medical Educational Setting
• Nursing Informatics: Leadership and Administration
• Women’s Leadership During a Crisis
• Situational Leadership Analysis
• Leadership in Nursing: Organizational Servant Leadership
• Supportive Leadership During COVID-19
• The Type of Leadership Described by Daniel Goleman
• Transformational Leadership Benefits Innovation
• Transformational Leadership at the Walmart Organization
• Transformational Leadership in Nursing
• Machiavelli’s The Prince and Cheney’s Leadership
• Exploring Diversity and Inclusion Leadership
• The Significance in Shaping Emerging Trends in Leadership
• Authentic Leadership Style in Business
• Leadership Experience Example: Leading a User Research Team
• Importance of Leadership Attributes for Healthcare
• Importance of Leadership in Healthcare and Nursing
• Servant Leadership Benefits in Nursing
• Leadership and Its Three Major Models
• Adaptive Leadership: The Main Aspects
• Boris Johnson: Influence Tactics and Leadership
• Discussion of Servant Leadership Behaviors
• Analysis of Poor Leadership Experience
• Enterprise Holdings at Leadership Styles
• The Value of Leadership Skills and Teamworking
• Leadership Implementation Regarding Medication Incidents
• William White: Leadership Style
• Servant Leadership and Decision-Making in Nursing
• Leadership Behaviors, Passion, and Devotion
• Leadership Environment in Nursing
• Adaptive Leadership in Medical Practice
• Religious Views on Politics, Leadership, and Norms
• Leadership Styles and Their Applications
• Constructive Criticism in Leadership
• Health Management Reflection: Redefining Ethical Leadership
• Leadership in Remote Team at Alibaba Limited
• Contemporary Leadership in London Energy Company
• New Business Realities and Leadership Theories
• Rise and Leadership of Genghis Khan
• The Leadership Development Challenges
• Nurses Perception of Leadership and Impact of Healthcare Changes
• The Concept of Ethical Leadership in Business
• The Book “The Essentials of Nursing Leadership”
• Self-Assessment of Leadership, Collaboration, and Ethics
• Can a Dictator Who Developed an Economy Be Considered to Have Leadership?
• Does Leadership Affect Employee Commitment Management?
• Does Despotic Leadership Harm Employee Family Life?
• What Two Characteristics Best Describe Leadership?
• What are the characteristics of a good leader?
• Are the Differences Between Management and Leadership?
• Does Leadership Style Impact on Projects Team Member Performance?
• Can Responsible Leadership Affect Work-Life Balance?
• Does Decentralized Leadership Influence the Performance?
• What Are the Key of Leadership Skills That Can Not Learn From?
• What Are the Critical Factors in Understanding the Nature and Dimensions of Leadership?
• How Does Leadership Emerge in a Group That Has No Common History?
• What Are Charismatic Leadership?
• How Bad Does Leadership Affect the Organization?
• How Are Culture and Leadership Linked?
• Does Cartel Leadership Facilitate Collusion?
• What Is the Role of Machiavellianism in the Relationship Between Authentic Leadership and Morality?
• Does Leadership Make a Difference?
• How Are Leadership and Management Similar?
• Are Leadership Fairness, Psychological Distress, and Role Stressors Interrelated?
• How Does Ethical Leadership Influence Employees?
• How Does Leadership Work in Different Gangs?
• Can Servant Leaders Fuel the Leadership Fire?
• Are Leadership Mentoring Programs Beneficial?
• Can Transactional Leadership Keep Your Team in Shape?
• How Does Authentic Leadership Influence Employee Proactivity?
• What Are the Differences Between Management and Leadership?
• What Leadership Behaviors and Management Systems Support?
• What Are Niccolo Machiavelli’s Ideas on Effective Leadership?
• Can Leadership Theory Improve Leadership Quality?
• What Is the Relationship Between Leadership Type and Organization Performance?
• Career Development Topics
• Conflict Resolution Essay Topics
• Management Skills Research Topics
• Communication Theories Paper Topics
• Management Styles Essay Titles
• Trait Theory Research Topics
• Work Environment Research Topics
• Work-Life Balance Essay Titles
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Feb 15, 2023

Essays on Leadership for Students | 200 - 500 Word Essays

Are you writing an essay about leadership? Check out these examples!

Leadership is often defined as "the action of inspiring others to act in concert to achieve a particular goal." It signifies the harmony in actions that lead to a common objective. A genuine leader not only exudes confidence but also paves the way for their followers towards triumph. Over the years, various leadership styles have been identified and discussed by psychologists.

 Qualities such as intelligence, adaptability, extroversion, innate self-awareness, and social competence often emerge as the hallmarks of impactful leaders. There's a consensus that these traits mold an individual into an effective leader. Interestingly, some theories suggest that extraordinary situations can thrust an ordinary individual into the spotlight, bestowing upon them the mantle of leadership. It's also believed that leadership isn't a static trait but an evolving journey. It underscores the belief that with dedication and the right resources, anyone can hone their leadership abilities.

 True leadership goes beyond merely advocating for a cause. It involves taking responsibility, igniting motivation in others, and differentiating oneself from just being a 'boss'. A leader's essence lies in their ability to inspire and propel people towards grand visions, whereas a manager typically focuses on oversight and operational aspects.

What Is a Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay falls under the category of student application essays and serves to provide student admissions officers with insight into your past leadership experiences. Despite appearing to be very specific, this type of essay acknowledges that the nature and perception of leadership can vary significantly depending on the individual and the context.

 If you find yourself in need of further insights or a unique angle for your leadership essay, consider exploring an expert essay-writing tool designed to assist students in crafting compelling narratives by analyzing vast data and generating fresh ideas within minutes. In this article, we'll also delve into various leadership essay examples to offer a clearer understanding of the genre and inspire your writing journey.

4 Examples of Leadership Essays

Qualities of a good leader, introduction.

Confidence is the most important attribute first of all. One of the most important qualities in a leader is confidence in one's own abilities. A lack of self-assurance is fatal to a person's leadership potential. If you want others to follow you, you need to exude self-assurance. It's imperative for a leader to have faith in his own judgment and actions. How can people want to follow him if he doesn't even know what he's doing?

Every effective leader knows that they need to be an inspiration to their followers. A leader needs to set an example for his team. In addition, he ought to inspire them whenever feasible. A leader must also maintain optimism in trying times.

What qualities a good leader must have?

Leadership is the ability to influence and guide individuals or groups toward a common goal. A leader must possess several qualities to be effective, including:

Communication skills: A leader must be able to communicate their vision and goals clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. This requires excellent listening skills, empathy, and the ability to adapt to different communication styles.

Emotional intelligence: A leader must be able to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as those of their team members. This includes being able to understand and respond to the emotions of others, and handling conflicts in a constructive manner.

Visionary: A leader must have a clear and inspiring vision of the future, and be able to articulate this vision in a way that motivates others to work towards it.

Strategic thinking: A leader must be able to think critically and creatively to identify and solve problems, make decisions, and develop plans and strategies to achieve their goals.

Flexibility: A leader must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and be open to new ideas and perspectives. This requires the ability to embrace change, be innovative, and continuously learn and grow.

Integrity: A leader must have strong ethics and values, and be willing to make difficult decisions that are consistent with their beliefs. This requires honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Decisiveness: A leader must be able to make tough decisions quickly, without undue hesitation or procrastination. This requires courage and the ability to take calculated risks.

Empowerment: A leader must be able to delegate responsibilities, give team members the resources they need to succeed, and foster a sense of ownership and accountability among their team.

Conclusion 

These qualities are essential for effective leadership, and when combined with hard work, determination, and a commitment to excellence, can help leaders to achieve great things.

How one can be a Great Leader?

Leadership is the act of performing the duties of a leader. In the business world, for instance, it is essential to have someone in charge of a team to ensure everything runs well. Effective leadership is essential for any group that wants to maximize its prospects of success.

Leadership Comes from Experience

As we've shown, leadership can be innate in some cases but is more often learned through practice and exposure. Sometimes the best traits of a leader must be learned over a lengthy period of time, so that one can become a notable one, proving that leadership is not always about a person's innate qualities. Leaders should continuously be on the lookout for opportunities to grow their leadership skills.

Nobody can disagree that experience is a key component of leadership. Numerous examples exist to back up this claim, such as:

Instance 1:

Our school's head boy or girl has traditionally been an older student who has been around for a while and thus has a better grasp of the ins and outs of school politics.

Instance 2:

When there is a vacancy for a team leader, it is common practice for the employee who has consistently put in the most effort and attention to the office job to receive a higher number of votes than their coworkers. 

“The best teacher for a leader is evaluated experience.” - John C. Maxwell

How one can be a Great Leader/Skills to be a Great Leader?

Effective leadership is a skill that develops through time. Developing into a leader with all the qualities that are needed takes a lot of hard work and potential. Being a prominent leader calls for a wide variety of traits. Some of these characteristics are addressed in further detail below:

One should be a Good Communicator

To be an effective leader, one must be able to convey his thoughts clearly to his/her/its subordinates.

Should have Confidence

The individual should have faith in what he says and does.

Give Credit to other Team Members too

A leader not only needs to impose his viewpoints and opinions instead he must also hear to the suggestions of other members of the team and offer them credit if their concept is appropriate.

Good Bond with the Team

A leader's ability to command respect from his team members depends on his ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with them.

Leads with Responsibility

A leader needs to be completely committed to his position. It's important that he takes on responsibility so that he can effectively deal with the various challenges he will inevitably face.

Any group or organization needs a leader above all else. Leadership development takes time and effort. One needs to have lived through a lot to be an effective leader. It's not enough to simply have years of experience in the field; one must also have the traits that make one an effective leader. You can't be a great leader unless you possess certain traits.

What makes a Good Leader?

Trying one's hand as a leader appears easy when viewed through this lens. Is that so tough? Of course not; leading is difficult, and not everyone aspires to be a leader. The vast majority of us have settled into well-established careers where we report to superiors and make a living. Still, not everyone is content to go along with the crowd. They become leaders in whatever field they pursue. A leader is an example to followers and will prioritize the needs of those around them.

Some Unique Qualities of a Leader

Many individuals resort to their leaders to vent their frustrations, therefore it's important for them to be good listeners.

A leader ought to be completely forthright; they can't play favorites or give anyone preferential treatment. One of the most essential qualities of a strong leader is the ability to make decisions with integrity.

They need to be aware of the bigger picture and understand what makes an individual stand out or become a leader. It's their expertise in addition to other distinguishing traits. Their awareness of current events and the results of recent studies is essential. In many ways, this is helpful, and it's the leader's responsibility to stay current.

Since some might not understand them, they should utilize straightforward, easily comprehended language. Leaders need to be able to communicate effectively at all times. In reality, what sets them apart is their exceptional communication skills. Adolf Hitler was such a gifted orator that his followers believed every word he said.

No matter how you're feeling or what's going on in the world, if you listen to a leader, they may make you feel energized. Since leaders are in charge of inspiring confidence in their followers, they can't afford to be wary or unsure of themselves. People tend to blindly follow their leaders.

Whether you're a leader or a doctor, you should devote yourself completely to your chosen field. Everything we do is for the benefit of others; engineers, for example, spend much of their time designing and constructing buildings for other people. So, take pride in what you do, and if you possess the aforementioned traits, you are also a leader who doesn't have to rely on others to succeed. No matter what you do, aspiring to leadership positions will always benefit others.

What is Leadership in Management and what are the weaknesses and strengths of a Leader?

Simply said, leadership is acting as a supervisor or manager of a group. Different mental pictures pop up when we hear the word "leadership" used in conversation. One might think of a political leader, team leader, corporate leader, school leader, etc. Leaders facilitate order and efficiency in the workplace. Teamwork and success are fundamental to effective leadership. Leaders utilize their managerial abilities to establish courses and guide their teams to success.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Leadership

Able to express oneself more clearly

Growth of character.

Self-awareness.

Possession of teamwork skills.

Gain assurance in yourself.

Weaknesses:

Acting favorably toward one's teammates.

Having no faith in the leader.

Thinks they're better than everyone else, but act hypocritically.

Not living up to the promised standard.

Insufficient morals.

Leadership and Management

Management and leadership are inextricably linked to one another. Leadership and management are both vital to the efficient operation of an organization; but, they accomplish very different things in the process. Leadership is a necessary skill for anyone aspiring to be an effective manager. The terms management and leadership are synonymous with one another. In this manner, we are able to draw the conclusion that a manager who demonstrates the traits of a successful leader is, in fact, a manager who is effective.

Leadership in School

Leadership is essential in nearly every group, as we've seen above. That group includes one's educational institution. Every school needs an outstanding figure to serve as its head of school. Class monitor, assembly captain, cultural leader, etc. are all examples of leadership roles that can be taken on at school, but this raises the question of what makes a person a successful school leader.

Any student hoping to be chosen as a student body leader will need to demonstrate a wide range of competencies. He or she needs to be a consistent student who pays attention in class and does well in extracurricular activities. For the simple reason that no intelligent and hardworking kid would ever be considered for leadership. Student leaders are most often selected from among those who participate fully in all activities.

Leadership in Organization

Leadership in an organization, also known as organizational leadership, is the process of establishing long-term objectives that further the company's mission and help it reach its ultimate destination. This is a classic illustration of how Bill Gates often works with his team: they agree on a strategy, and Gates implements it. To the same extent, it is the responsibility of the leader in each given organization to determine what it is that the group is trying to accomplish.

Leadership in Politics

Leadership in politics, also known as political leadership, is the process of becoming actively involved in a political party in the role of a party leader. Knowledge of political processes, their outcomes, and the political agenda is central to the idea of political leadership.

An effective leader can be developed in anyone who has the determination and drives to do so. Both the strengths and the areas for improvement should be nurtured. Whether in the classroom, the workplace, or the political arena, leadership is always necessary. Therefore, one can exercise leadership anywhere they like inside their own organization.

What are the types of Leadership?

The ability to lead is a rare trait that not everyone possesses. The ability to do so is a gift, so count your blessings if you possess it. It's recommended that you hone it even more so that you can propel your career forward and serve as an example to people around you. However, it is crucial to grasp the various leadership styles before you go ahead and polish your skills.

Types of Leadership Styles

Democratic Leadership

In this style of management, subordinates are given a voice in decision-making. Although the subordinates' efforts are highlighted, the leader is ultimately held responsible for the group's actions. Many people find this type of leadership to be effective.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders motivate and inspire others to adopt new behaviors and ways of thinking in order to improve their own performance and that of their teams and organizations. A transformational leader is someone who encourages their team to strive for greater things and works to boost morale and output.

Team Leadership

A good leader fully incorporates his team into the task at hand. Members of the team are motivated to reach their goals and advance in their careers thanks to the leadership of the group.

Strategic Leadership

It requires a chief executive who doesn't restrict himself to brainstorming sessions with his superiors. He contributes on every level of the team. He is well-liked for his ability to unite the need for fresh ideas with the necessity of grounding them in reality.

Autocratic Leadership

The leader in a command and control structure is the center of attention. The chief executive has absolute power in this setting. He decides things on his own, without polling his staff. He relays this information to his staff and stresses the importance of swift action. The buck stops with him, and he alone must answer for his actions. Not much room for negotiation exists. It's no secret that this method of leading has its detractors.

Visionary Leadership

This kind of leader appreciates the abilities and requirements of his team members. He describes his ideal outcome and the teamwork that will be necessary to attain it.

Coaching Leadership

Leaders who coach their teams do so regularly in an effort to raise output. He inspires his employees to do better and works to keep them motivated. This approach to leadership has been much praised.

Facilitative Leadership

With occasional guidance, a facilitative leader ensures that the process runs smoothly for his team. As a precaution in case his team is ineffective. If the team is highly effective, the leader will take a hands-off approach.

Cross-Cultural Leadership

The leadership of this type is necessary when interacting with people from various cultural backgrounds. Because of the wide variety of cultures represented in the workforce across the United States, many managers and executives hold cross-cultural positions.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

The members of the team are given responsibility in this style of management. They are free to choose how they spend their time at work, with minimal oversight from the boss. It's not a good way to lead, according to experts.

Transactional Leadership

An interactive approach is integral to this kind of leadership. When team members successfully implement their leader's ideas and choices, they are rewarded with immediate, material benefits.

Charismatic Leadership

In order to bring out the best in his followers, this kind of leader makes the effort to change their attitudes, values, and actions.

This article should dispel the notion that leadership qualities can't be further subdivided. It should also assist you in pinpointing your own personal brand of leadership so you can perfect it over time.

Final Words

In conclusion, leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept that involves various qualities and skills. Effective leaders possess traits such as integrity, vision, empathy, decisiveness, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. They are able to navigate challenges, make difficult decisions, and lead their team toward success. Leadership also involves continuous learning and self-improvement, as leaders must adapt to changing circumstances and remain relevant. Effective leadership can have a positive impact on both individuals and organizations, fostering growth and creating a culture of success.

You can use Jenni.ai to quickly compose an essay on leadership, or any other topic, of your choosing. It's a fantastic choice that promises convenience and relief. Create an essay on any topic in a matter of minutes with the help of our AI-powered program. Membership is immediately available upon your free registration here.

You can use Jenni.ai to quickly compose an essay on leadership, or any other topic, of your choosing. It's a fantastic choice that promises convenience and relief. Create an essay on any topic in a matter of minutes with the help of our AI-powered program. Sign up on Jenni.ai and get a free trial.

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5 tips on writing a scholarship essay about leadership

Are you planning on studying abroad? Securing a scholarship will help you achieve that dream for free, but you’ll need to get through one hurdle first: the scholarship essay. Leadership skills are a common selection criteria for many scholarships, which makes it essential that you know how to provide examples of leadership that would help you clinch a coveted award.

So how can you wow the admissions committee with a winning scholarship essay? Here are some examples of leadership skills you can demonstrate in your application for a master’s level scholarship.

5 examples of leadership skills to highlight in your scholarship essay

Highlight the extent of your leadership.

Using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method to demonstrate your leadership skills can help substantiate your ability to propel change or lead.

Here’s a TL;DR of what the STAR method entails:

• Situation: Briefly describe a context
• Task: Outline your task
• Action: What action did you take
• Result: What was the positive outcome

For instance, were you a student ambassador who worked with a wide variety of people? Are you an active volunteer who is able to solve problems and identify needs as they come along? Think of an example from your life and summarise it using the STAR method.

State the reasons for getting involved in a leadership role

Do you lead a community project? Are you a manager at the company you work for? What inspired you to get involved in a leadership role?

Have you always gravitated towards a leadership position and have consistently made an impact?

This is important to highlight to the scholarship decision-makers to assess your sincerity and passion in your desired pursuit.

State the obstacles you faced and how you overcame them

Have you participated in a community-based project or outreach programme? Have you organised or were involved in a fundraising project? Think back to a time when you got involved with trying to mitigate or alleviate issues facing your community, school or family and the ideas and actions you took to achieve your intended goals.

Ensure that you outline the measures taken to alleviate the problems you identified. For example, you may have noticed that there is underwhelming participation of female students in STEM-related courses at your local university.

You identify that this is an issue that you can leverage to encourage female participation in the STEM fields . Your next course of action would involve writing a letter to your university’s admissions team, suggesting that you would like to start a club or organisation centred on female empowerment and participation in the STEM fields.

The obstacle lies in getting female students on campus to participate in such programmes. This can be done by advocating for present-day female engineers, scientists and those involved in the technology sector, which encourages female students to see a bright prospect in their future should they follow the footsteps of other female influencers in the STEM fields.

This is just a hypothetical example of how you can demonstrate leadership by addressing obstacles and showing examples of how you overcome them. It’s important that you demonstrate strong evidence of your leadership qualities as well as relevant examples.

Alison’s essay for the Women in Leadership MBA scholarship competition looked at parenthood and how changing men’s careers can actually help women’s careers, and she received a partial scholarship as a result! To read it visit: https://t.co/uP1qgmf3yv pic.twitter.com/D0Vw9lLRnT — Henley Business School (@HenleyBSchool) March 31, 2022

How did your leadership skills help you grow as a person and leader?

Some believe that leaders are born not made, while others think the contrary.

In your scholarship essay, it would be helpful to explain how your leadership roles have helped you grow as a person, from teaching you new lessons to presenting numerous personal growth opportunities.

Ensure that you demonstrate a true understanding of what leadership is. For instance, you lead by your actions and not by the title that has been given to you. You lead by working alongside others in creating change and not by merely barking orders at people.

Someone once asked me to give them a #leadership title so that ppl would listen to him/her. Dont u think that’s backwards thinking? Gain the trust & respect of ppl first & then you’ll be a natural leader. You don’t need a title for that #respect #credibility #trust #authenticity — Dr. Verna Yiu (@dryiu_verna) April 25, 2022

 How will your leadership skills impact your future?

The admissions committee will likely be looking for a candidate who is a future leader and influencer in their respective countries.

It helps to think about the leadership roles you’ve held, and how they have, for instance, changed your outlook on life, how you interact with people, or even galvanised you to create positive change in your community, which can affect your long-term career goals.

In QS, Hayley Capp, winner of the 2013 QS Leadership Scholarship, also encourages students to tell the judges if they plan to continue being involved in their particular leadership activity in the future.

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Leadership — The Importance of Leadership and Influencing Qualities

The Importance of Leadership and Influencing Qualities

• Categories: Leadership

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Published: Jun 6, 2019

Words: 454 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Works Cited

• Avolio, B. J., & Yammarino, F. J. (Eds.). (2013). Transformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead. Emerald Group Publishing.
• Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational Leadership (2nd ed.). Psychology Press.
• Conger, J. A. (1999). Charismatic and Transformational Leadership in Organizations: An Insider's Perspective on These Developing Streams of Research. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 6(4), 12-25.
• Day, D. V. (Ed.). (2011). The Oxford Handbook of Leadership and Organizations. Oxford University Press.
• Hackman, J. R., & Johnson, C. E. (2009). Leadership: A Communication Perspective (5th ed.). Waveland Press.
• Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations (6th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
• Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th ed.). SAGE Publications.
• Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in Organizations (8th ed.). Pearson.
• Zaccaro, S. J., & Klimoski, R. J. (Eds.). (2001). The Nature of Organizational Leadership : Understanding the Performance Imperatives Confronting Today's Leaders. Jossey-Bass.
• Zenger, J. H., & Folkman, J. (2016). The Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good Managers into Great Leaders (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

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Exploring the interplay between teacher leadership and self-efficacy: a systematic literature review (2013–2024).

1. Introduction

2. literature review, 2.1. conceptualization of teacher leadership, 2.2. theoretical frameworks of teacher leadership, 2.3. concept of teacher self-efficacy, 2.4. multidimensional analysis of factors affecting teacher self-efficacy, 2.5. interaction between teacher leadership and self-efficacy, 2.5.1. integration of data and theory, 2.5.2. cultural and environmental impact, 2.6. limitations and future directions, 3. methodology, 3.1. research design, 3.2. research questions, 3.3. data source and search strategy, 3.4. inclusion and exclusion criteria, 3.5. screening and selection process, 3.6. evaluation criteria, 3.7. data extraction and synthesis, 4. research findings, 4.1. interplay between teacher leadership and self-efficacy across contexts, 4.2. mediating and moderating influences, and educational variability, 4.3. challenges, future research directions, and practical implications, 5. discussion, 5.1. complex dynamics of teacher leadership and self-efficacy, 5.2. cultural contexts and their influence on educational leadership, 5.3. strategic implications for educational practice and policy, 6. conclusions, 6.1. key interactions between teacher leadership and self-efficacy, 6.2. strategic implications for enhancing educational practices, 6.3. future directions and limitations, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

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Luo, X.; Alias, B.S.; Adnan, N.H. Exploring the Interplay between Teacher Leadership and Self-Efficacy: A Systematic Literature Review (2013–2024). Educ. Sci. 2024 , 14 , 990. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090990

Luo X, Alias BS, Adnan NH. Exploring the Interplay between Teacher Leadership and Self-Efficacy: A Systematic Literature Review (2013–2024). Education Sciences . 2024; 14(9):990. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090990

Luo, Xue, Bity Salwana Alias, and Nor Hafizah Adnan. 2024. "Exploring the Interplay between Teacher Leadership and Self-Efficacy: A Systematic Literature Review (2013–2024)" Education Sciences 14, no. 9: 990. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090990

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The relationship between organisational agility and informal learning

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• Published: 09 September 2024

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• Sebo Boerma 1 , 2 ,
• Maarten de Laat 3 &
• Marjan Vermeulen 1 , 4 , 5  

In dealing with rapid and profound technological, occupational and societal changes organisations benefit from paying attention to their organisational agility. Learning as part of organisational agility however is an under researched area of attention. In this integrated literature review we answer the question if organisational agility and learning are related, focussing on informal learning as an important way to learn in the workplace. We analyse ways in which papers on organisational agility integrate concepts as learning in their definition/approach. We conclude that the business literature includes to some extend perspectives on learning within the approach to agility. But the way learning is conceptualised is mostly moderately and instrumental. This means that learning is mostly seen as a way to become agile as an organisation. The integrative review identifies three areas in which understanding of organisational agility and specifically the framework of Wendler can be enriched and deepened with results from research on informal learning. The integration of both concepts results in three overlapping areas: leadership, social networks and knowledge development. These three areas contain mechanisms that influence both informal learning and organisational agility and therefore describe the relationship between these two concepts. Examples of these mechanisms include working closely together, valuing contributions from different professionals in knowledge development, and stimulating entrepreneurship and risk-taking by employees. More research into the nature of these three areas contributes to a more precise integration of learning theory into the development of the concept of organisational agility. It also provides organisations with approaches for dealing with the changes in their environment in effective and developmental ways.

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1 Introduction

Working in an ever-changing environment means that professionals must adjust their practices daily to be able to provide high quality services and products (Billett 2021 ). This means that learning, knowledge work and organisational change should be inextricably linked to the daily work practice. Researchers refer to organisational agility (OA) when discussing the way organisations can deal effectively with their constantly changing environment. Agile organisations are open, transparent and fluid structures with features that resemble the contingencies of their environment (Dove 1999 ; Sherehiy et al. 2007 ; Tolf et al. 2015 ). Some researchers consider learning at the workplace as one of the main characteristics of an agile organisation (Menon and Suresh 2021 ; Teece et al. 2016 ; Tsou and Cheng 2018 ; Vaszkun and Sziráki 2023 ). However, the exact relationship between OA, learning and knowledge development is still understudied (Tsou and Cheng 2018 ). A few case studies have been conducted on the relationship between organisational learning and agility (Gunsberg et al. 2018 ; Wang et al. 2018 ), but because of the small samples used in this existing research (Tsou and Cheng 2018 ), more in-depth and broader research is recommended.

This integrative review aims to investigate how research on learning, specifically informal learning (IL), can contribute to our understanding and improvement of the concept of OA. Based on Jeong et al.’s ( 2018 ) understanding of IL, this article explores the relationship between learning and organisational agility via the research question: What is the relationship between OA and IL and what mutual mechanisms influence both concepts?

2 Background

2.1 organisational agility.

In organisational theory, the term agility is used in the context of the supply chain, the workforce, software engineering or the organisation as a whole. Agility refers to the capability to respond to changes in the environment in a pro-active, reactive or embracive manner. Scholars argue that a rapidly changing and competitive environment necessitates organisational agility (Dove 1999 ; Gunsberg et al. 2018 ; Phuong et al. 2012 ; Tolf et al. 2015 ).

Although there is no common definition of OA (Walter 2020 ), a review by Förster and Wendler ( 2012 ) concluded that there are several similarities among the various definitions found in the literature. Common elements include speedy response and adaptation, keeping close relationships with both professionals and clients, and skilful handling of knowledge. Further, OA requires the ability to be sensitive to indicators for change in the environment and to create possibilities for acting efficiently and effectively.

Skilful handling of knowledge is one of the common elements identified by Förster and Wendler ( 2012 ), but little is said about this in relation to learning and development. Because Charbonnier-Voirin ( 2011 ) explicitly mentions learning and emphasises the continuous nature of agility; we therefore prefer to take her comprehensive definition of OA:

… a response capability which is intentionally sought out and developed by the organization in order to enable it to act efficiently in a changing environment characterized in particular by complexity, turbulence, and uncertainty. Agility corresponds to the organization’s capacity for permanent adaptability, which it attains not only by reacting rapidly to change but also through its potential of action in anticipating and seizing the opportunities offered by change, in particular through anticipation, innovation, and learning. (Charbonnier-Voirin 2011 , p. 123)

Charbonnier-Voirin argues that learning is one of the mechanisms that allows for agility. The way in which this mechanism manifests is object of this review study. To provide guidance in our review we use the work of Wendler and colleagues (Förster and Wendler 2012 ; Wendler 2014 ; Wendler and Stahlke 2014 ). These scholars developed a framework that breaks the concept of OA down into three clear, observable components: structure , people and prerequisites . In 2018, Gunsberg et al. extended this framework to incorporate the need to treat agility as an ability of the entire eco-system, including its customers, suppliers, partners, stakeholders as well as internal processes and procedures. OA is not merely a phase, but a state of being which enables organisations to deal with the need to change, innovate and learn.

The structural component of OA refers to the organisation having structures in place that allow for fast and flexible action in response to changes, and which enable effective internal and external collaboration (Wendler 2014 ). An example of structural OA is having a flat hierarchical structure as opposed to a controlled hierarchical structure. It is necessary to strategically use these structural components, deliberately focus on engagement with the environment, and use this to plan pro-active change. For example, a management may focus on its relationship with other organisations and customers in order to gather information on innovations in the field or a changing request be the clients (Gunsberg et al. 2018 ).

The second component, people agility, refers to the capabilities needed for the workforce and management to translate OA into action and deal with change. Gunsberg et al. ( 2018 ) emphasised the role of learning in this component. People agility pays attention to risk taking and being involved in research and innovation, and using this as a way to reflect and obtain feedback on actions taken in order to learn and improve.

The third component, agility prerequisites , refers to the values and infrastructure that support and encourage organisations to be agile. Examples include: treating change as an opportunity to anticipate, learn and innovate; or the way the infrastructure supports efficient communication such as increased possibilities for collaborating online (Wendler 2014 ). Prerequisites for agility also encompass the way in which values and principles are part of people’s behaviour. For example, whether or not employees are accountable for their actions and results, and whether the organisation is built on a foundation of trust (Gunsberg et al. 2018 ).

Learning is essential for the development of adaptable, creative, and autonomous employees (Charbonnier-Voirin 2011 ), yet it remains largely undefined in OA research (Tsou and Cheng 2018 ). In the context of knowledge-intensive organisations, one can assume that learning is deeply connected to every aspect of the organisation, not only for the maintenance of that knowledge, but also to promote greater agility in work practices and to enhance the capability to deal with change. It is therefore important to gain a more in-depth insight in the relationship between agility and learning in organisations. In the next section we discuss IL in organisations as this form of learning deals specifically with spontaneous and emergent workplace learning in response to change (Marsick 2009 ; Skule 2004 ).

2.2 Informal learning

Literature on learning in organisations makes a distinction between formal, non-formal and informal learning (Colardyn and Bjornavold 2004 ). In general, formal learning refers to pre-planned and well controlled certified learning and training programs. Non-formal is seen as intended self-organised learning, and IL is the more or less hidden curriculum, driven by spontaneous and responsive learning activities undertaken by the workforce to deal with emerging issues and challenges of daily work (Colardyn and Bjornavold 2004 ; Marsick and Watkins 2001 ). IL is increasingly recognised as the primary form of workplace learning (Ellinger 2005 ; Kim and McLean 2014 ; Rogers 2014 ; Skule 2004 ), accounting for 60–80% of all learning (Jeong et al. 2018 ; Manuti et al. 2015 ). Form a theoretical viewpoint, the responsive nature of IL is well-aligned with the emergent continuous learning that is expected to occur in conditions of organisational agility.

The integrative review by Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) provides a conceptual framework for IL and a clear overview of empirical factors supporting IL in organisations. IL in the workplace is often triggered by change in the working context or emerging problems or challenges. Change can therefore be seen as an opportunity or trigger for learning, overlapping with Charbonnier-Voirin’s ( 2011 ) definition of agility and the role of learning therein. According to Jeong et al. ( 2018 ), IL is:

an individual learning process that is highly embedded and integrated with daily work activities, primarily delivers tacit, implicit knowledge, and can be deliberate, conscious, planned, and intended, or spontaneous, unconscious, unplanned, and unintended, resulting in the enhancement of knowledge and skills. (Jeong et al. 2018 , p. 132)

Jeong’s definition integrates aspects of studies on IL in the workplace, such as planned versus unplanned learning (Lohman 2006 ), tacit versus explicit knowledge (Marsick and Volpe 1999 ), and the specific learning conditions at work that support IL (Rogers 2014 ; Skule 2004 ). Although Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) emphasise the individual character of IL, they place it on a continuum from self-directed learning to learning from and with others. The importance of the social aspect of IL (Marsick and Volpe 1999 ) is supported by other researchers (Aring and Brand 1998 ; De Laat 2006 ; Lohman 2006 ). In the description of antecedents, Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) make a distinction between the individual, collective and organisational level of IL. Alongside personal characteristics they found that feedback, networking, interpersonal relationships and different organisational interventions are factors that impact IL activity. Learning in this context is interactive and happens between people and artefacts by making new connections and developing knowledge in a specific context (Greenhow and Lewin 2019 ). But this still is seen as learning from the individual point of view, in which the network or collective is seen as a condition for learning, not a characteristic of learning. Knowledge creation embedded in experience and its context can be personal (individual) but also collective (Garavan et al. 2015 ; Marsick and Watkins 2003 ). Collective learning goes beyond the sum of individual learning processes and encompasses the joint creation and sharing of knowledge within organisations. In order respond to changes in an effective way it is necessary to learn on a collective level, which is not the same as the sum of the individuals (Marsick and Watkins 2003 ). This collective perspective of learning is close to what has been defined as networked learning:

Networked learning involves processes of collaborative, co-operative and collective inquiry, knowledge-creation and knowledgeable action, underpinned by trusting relationships, motivated by a sense of shared challenge and enabled by convivial technologies. Networked learning promotes connections: between people, between sites of learning and action, between ideas, resources and solutions, across time, space and media. (NLEC 2021 , p. 319)

Lack of proximity of colleagues, overly rigid boundaries, and lack of responsibilities, autonomy and risk taking are seen as important impediments to IL activities (Ellinger 2005 ; Jeong et al. 2018 ; Lohman 2006 ; Marsick and Watkins 2003 ). In the social and collaborative environment, trust and interdependence are essential for stimulating a culture of reflection, feedback and problem-solving (Jeong et al. 2018 ; Kim and McLean 2014 ; Marsick 2009 ). From the collective perspective these are all characteristics of learning. As Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) conclude, it is necessary when performing research on the topic of IL to use a multilevel perspective of the interaction between individuals, groups, organisations and their contexts. For this research we therefore will use both definitions (i.e. Jeong et al. 2018 and NLEC 2021 ) to follow up this suggestion.

The review is focused on the relationship between OA and IL and what mechanisms influence this relationship. We want to understand to what extent insights into IL can enrich the understanding of OA.

3 Research method

One of the goals of an integrative literature study is to make critical remarks and create a conceptual framework by synthesising literature on chosen concepts (Torraco 2005 , 2016 ). This methodology is often applied when dealing with new concepts that are not yet well identified and where a conceptual framework is needed to get a grasp of the emerging topic. In this study we predominantly use the work of Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) to scrutinise the relationship between OA and IL.

Our methodology follows the guidelines of Torraco ( 2016 ) for carrying out an integrative review:

Establish a clear focus of the review: define the scope by using a guiding theory to start framing the research and focusing on a specific area. The focus of both concepts (OA and IL) is described in the Background.

Be clear about boundaries of the review , like types of organisations or professions to be included in the review topic or topics. The context is workplace learning, specifically IL as conceptualised by Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) is used to study OA.

Organise and structure the review according to a timeline , research method , or the concepts or themes reviewed. The model of Wendler ( 2014 ) provides the structure. We searched literature prior to 31 March 2021. In order to capture recent reviews on OA, we went back to 2011. For “OA and learning” no limit was used.

Use a transparent search and selection process , like choice of databases and excluding criteria. We chose to perform our search via EBSCO because of the widespread number of databases it covers. We included Google Scholar as an additional check for missing articles. We used the PRISMA approach to increase the transparency of our selection process.

Perform a critical analysis of the themes found during the review. For the critical analysis of the relationship of OA with learning we used the conceptualisation of IL provided by Jeong et al. ( 2018 ).

Create a new formulation of the topic by synthesising the themes , insights and own ideas. In this research the perspective of IL was used to study the concept of OA to gain deeper insights in the relationship between OA and learning.

The new model should be explained by transparent and logical reasoning. This article offers and clearly explains a new model for IL and OA.

3.1 Search and selection process

We first searched using the combination of the terms “Organisational Agility” AND “Informal Learning” in the databases covered by EBSCO. Focusing on peer reviewed articles in scholarly journals, this resulted in only one hit. Therefore, we expanded the search by using the term “Learn*” instead of “Informal Learning”.

Using the same search terms, Google Scholar suggested more possible articles. We selected published peer reviewed articles that referred to OA and learning in their title or description.

Alongside the search for research in which a relationship was made between OA and learning, we also wanted to gain an overview of the concept of OA to be able to integrate it with literature on IL. Jeong et al.’s ( 2018 ) integrative review on IL provided us with the basis for IL, but is supplemented with literature on collective learning. For OA we conducted a second search on “Organisational Agility” and “Review” to find review articles in EBSCO. With Google Scholar we only selected published review articles focusing on OA and including a clear definition of OA.

Initial selection of appropriate literature was based on the title and abstract.

3.2 Appraisal of the literature

The first literature search on “OA AND Learn*” returned 92 results, 49 peer reviewed via EBSCO, 43 via Google Scholar. Of these articles six where duplicates, four where non-English, four had no text, leaving 78 articles. No definitions of OA were found in 31 articles. While Google Scholar does not distinguish between peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed articles, each article was checked for peer reviewed status. After checking another six articles were excluded. For two non-peer reviewed articles we made an exception because they paid special attention to OA and IL, are often referred to in other research. Of the remaining 41 articles, 16 were excluded after reading the texts. Among these articles were those that mentioned learning only once or twice without paying attention to the definition; learning used as a word for which the definition was taken for granted, not as a concept that must be clarified. In some other articles, OA was only mentioned as part of the trends in the context of the organisation. Therefore, a total of 25 articles were included because of search 1.

The second literature search focused on “OA AND Review” resulted in 51 articles (31 via EBSCO, 20 via Google Scholar). We excluded 16 articles which also appeared in the first search. One article was excluded because it was not written in English or Dutch. 24 articles weren’t review articles and were excluded. Two articles were excluded after reading because they dealt with information technology agility. The remaining eight articles were included (See Fig.  1 ).

PRISMA overview of selection of literature: OA and Learning

Via snowballing. seven articles and one book were added to the final sample. Finally, 41 articles were studied for this integrated literature review. They are listed in Appendix 1.

What is the relationship between OA and IL and what mechanisms influence this relationship?

We present the results of the integrative review, focusing on the way aspects of IL are addressed within the description of OA in the articles featuring in this study. To structure our findings, we use the OA components identified by the framework of Wendler ( 2014 ); structures enhancing agility , people agility and agility prerequisites.

4.1 Structures enhancing agility

Structures enhancing agility refers to the ability of the organisation to cooperate and collaborate and make changes in their structure in order to respond to changing needs in their context, like changing questions from customers (Wendler 2014 ). This ability is described by the strategy of the organisation towards agility (engagement/awareness) and the way the operational outlook is structured to be collaborative.

Based on the 41 studies included in this review, we found that 35% reported outcomes on the strategy that could be related with IL and similarly 49% reported on the structure and IL.

4.1.1 Strategy and IL

According to Holbeche ( 2018 ) in her book titled The Agile Organization: How to build an Engaged , Innovative and Resilient Business , organisations should be self-ware, and able to decide in what way to deal with changes. They should develop the knowledge and capability to deal with these changes, and navigate between between resilience and response. In short, Holbeche outlines in her book the strategy that organisations need in order to be agile. Researchers agree that developing the capability to become and stay agile is a conscious organisational strategic choice (Appelbaum et al. 2017a ; Crocitto and Youssef 2003 ; Margherita et al. 2020 ; Tallon et al. 2019 ; Walter 2020 ). Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) found that IL depends explicitly on factors in the context in which it takes place. IL cannot be seen separately from the extent to which the organisation is perceived to have an eye for the long term, the degree of organisational? change, and appreciation of and room for learning. Based on the strategic decision to become agile Margherita et al. ( 2020 ) found, in their literature review of a framework for the development of OA, that organisations should investigate and learn about the important drivers for change and construct a proper strategic reaction. This should include an assessment of the needed capabilities, either present or missing, and, if required, an approach to develop these capabilities. Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) found that the capabilities for dealing with change, such as networking and reflecting on the work, are similar to the capabilities needed for IL Based on her literature review of the functions and roles of agility drivers, enablers and capabilities, Walter ( 2020 ) argues that OA is not a stable state, but instead fluctuates. OA therefore includes the ability of an organisation to regain skills and knowledge needed to restore agility. In regaining these capabilities, IL can be supportive. On the one hand, IL supports the learning process of the individual and the organisation itself. On the other hand, improving IL requires competencies that correspond to the competencies needed to be agile, like managerial responsibility and motivation (Jeong et al. 2018 ). When developing these capabilities in the workplace it is important to realise that innovations and changes in the social networks or social contracts are important drivers or catalysts for change, which will influence the way the profession is developing. IL particularly benefits from social connections such as professional networks and communities of practice. Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) mention that mixed internal and external social networks are important antecedents to learning in the workplace. Collective learning is already characterised by the diverse network (Garavan et al. 2015 ). This collective perspective of learning aligns with the strategic perspective of OA, and emphasises the organisational value of learning.

According to Appelbaum et al. ( 2017a ), in their literature review on how to achieve a greater level of OA, the strategic focus of an organisation should not be on what the organisation delivers, but on how the organisation is achieving its results. Organisations should focus their strategy on becoming a learning organisation. A deeper understanding of human motivation and behaviour is of utmost importance to help develop the organisation (Appelbaum et al. 2017a ). The capability of OA can only be developed when network partners are involved in a collaborative way (Wang et al. 2018 ). According to a review by Sherehiy et al. ( 2007 ), an intimate relationship with customers and suppliers makes organisations more aware of signs of change. Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) also emphasises the importance for IL of having open and trustful relationships in a diverse network. When combining these findings and the perspective of networked learning this means that focusing on the wider learning network instead of the learning organisation itself will be beneficial for OA.

Gunsberg et al. ( 2018 ) performed a case study of an Australian university to identify factors for establishing the maturity of OA in an organisation. For employees, industrial awareness is found to be a strategic factor, enabling them to value the information they receive and make decisions on what to explore and what to disregard. This awareness supports the absorptive capacity of the organisation, that is, the acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation of knowledge in an organisation (Demuner Flores 2023 ; Walter 2020 ). Organisations should work strategically on this absorptive capacity. In their study of innovative industries, Felipe et al. ( 2016 ) identified,, how absorptive capacity and information systems capabilities influence OA. They conclude that: “managers should foster and deploy the firm’s knowledge absorption mechanisms to effectively maximise the impact of IS [information systems] efforts and investments on achieving agility” (Felipe et al. 2016 , p. 4630). Results of a study of innovative activities among 102 manufacturing companies support the finding that absorptive capacity is needed for an effective response to changes in the environment (Demuner Flores 2023 ). One of the dimensions of IL that comes close to absorptive capacity is learning competence. This refers to the cycle of experiencing and reflecting (Jeong et al. 2018 ). The cycle that is defined by absorptive capacity is more elaborated. IL enhances knowledge and skills of individual employees, who are “more likely to gain new, practical knowledge” (Jeong et al. 2018 , p. 129).

In order to enhance OA, it is necessary to involve knowledge workers in strategy development. This contributes not only to a collaborative culture, but also brings in expertise where it is needed (Appelbaum et al. 2017b ). For IL, valuing the application of knowledge means improving its development (Jeong et al. 2018 ). Bringing knowledge workers together to share knowledge and negotiate meaning can promote collective learning (Garavan et al. 2015 ).

4.1.2 Structure and IL

Margherita et al. ( 2020 ) mention collaborative action as a necessity for achieving agility. This means having a collaborative mindset, and a clear and shared (aligned) approach to daily operations. Govuzela and Mafini ( 2019 ), in their quantitative study of business owners, found that collaborative innovation and OA had a positive relationship. In this light, cross-functional teams with a high level of autonomy promote OA (Akter et al. 2023 ; Menon and Suresh 2021 ; Vaszkun and Sziráki 2023 ). To promote collaboration, the structure of an organisation should be fluid in terms of roles, boundaries and functions. The organisation should develop in a more organic structure (Sherehiy et al. 2007 ). Coordination in agile organisations is informal and there is a minimum of formal hierarchy (Nijssen and Pauwe 2012 ). Internal collaboration and open communication between different departments and functions is essential when relying on informal structure (Sharma et al. 2014 ; Wendler and Stahlke 2014 ). For IL from the individual perspective, a collaborative mindset is needed to meet and learn from each other. Interpersonal communication in which open sharing is possible will make IL more effective (Jeong et al. 2018 ). From the collective perspective, collaboration and open sharing are part of the definition of learning (NLEC 2021 ). Focusing on networked learning means promoting connections not only between people, but also between people and artefacts. Networked learning sees learning as a process happening in an ecosystem and of value for that ecosystem. It fosters generous thinking and helps strengthen connections between organisations (NLEC 2021 ). In the section below on People agility we further elaborate on this.

In their integrative literature review on OA, Tolf et al. ( 2015 ) found that organisations need to know how to maintain network relationships in such a way that the network can respond to change by reforming itself. The crucial actors in this network are working and developing interdependently, based on information they exchange. No one has the complete picture. Everyone needs each other in their job (Tolf et al. 2015 ). The fluidness of the organisational structure is not limited to the internal organisation (Crocitto and Youssef 2003 ; Tolf et al. 2015 ; Wang et al. 2018 ). According to Tolf et al. ( 2015 ), a transparent and transient network of relationships at all levels of an organisation and its environment is one of the most frequently mentioned characteristics of an agile organisation. This way, employees get access to new knowledge as well as creativity and innovation (Appelbaum et al. 2017b ; Wang et al. 2018 ). Wang et al. ( 2018 ) found that working in a diverse network which reflects the complexity of the business process itself is supportive to OA. But also, these networks themselves should be flexible (Wang et al. 2018 . Sambamurthy et al. ( 2003 ) call this ‘partnering agility’:, the ability to leverage the qualities represented in the network itself. Garavan et al. ( 2015 ) see this leveraging as part of collective learning. Learning is interdependent and socially determined. Learner and context are inseparable.

4.2 People agility

People agility refers to the capability of the employees and management to deal with changes and be able to act in a way that suits the values of agility (Wendler 2014 ). Gunsberg et al. ( 2018 ) mentions two sub-themes, the first one leadership and management , the second one learning and changing . Of the 41 articles we reviewed, 17% reported outcomes on leadership and management that could be related with IL and 38% on learning and changing.

4.2.1 Leadership and management and IL

Sharma et al. ( 2014 ) studied the way customers are involved in innovation in the health care sector in Australia. They found that innovation driven by customer participation is needed for health care organisations to act on change. Because of this customer participation, innovations and therefore changes in knowledge and behaviour occur at all levels of the organisation. This implies that employees at all levels should be accountable and responsible for implementing these changes and therefore be able to make decisions. Decentralised leadership responsibility and accountability at all levels of the organisation support customer participation and are essential in order to act on the results of this participation (Sharma et al. 2014 ; Sherehiy et al. 2007 ; Tolf et al. 2015 ). Researchers disagree on the decision-making process, with some finding that hierarchical decision making improves OA because it speeds up the process (Felipe et al. 2016 ), and others finding that decentralised decision making is much more effective for OA (Appelbaum et al. 2017a ; Safari et al. 2018 ; Sherehiy et al. 2007 ; Vaszkun and Sziráki 2023 ; Wendler and Stahlke 2014 ). According to proponents of decentralised decision making, the responsibility for making decisions should relate to task and expertise, rather than a function or person. According to Felipe et al. ( 2016 ) this difference in findings could relate to customers’ changing demands for greater efficiency at lower cost. Alignment of strategy, processes, behaviours and systems have a significant positive influence on agility (Govuzela and Mafini 2019 ; Walter 2020 ). So, it is possible that such alignment is the bridge between hierarchical and decentralised decision making. A strong hierarchy combined with high competition between teams is unsupportive of IL. On the other hand, task autonomy, and within that controllable complexity, are supportive of IL (Jeong et al. 2018 ). For IL it is also important that employees notice that their expertise and knowledge is useful for their job. When this is the case, they are more willing to use their knowledge and expand it (Jeong et al. 2018 ). In the case of the collective perspective of IL, leadership needs to create opportunities for dialogue and to demonstrate exemplary behaviour by, for instance, listening and respecting (Garavan et al. 2015 ).

Management should provide an atmosphere where risk-taking is supported (Appelbaum et al. 2017b ). The learning perspective on work can be useful in this because it values risk-taking for its possibilities for development. Teece et al. ( 2016 ) developed a framework of the ‘dynamic capabilities’ needed by agile organisations to deal with uncertainties. These capabilities are clustered into three elements: sensing, seizing and transforming. In these capabilities they see a central role for managers. The manager can determine the level of agility needed for the observed or desired changes. They can support employees to be entrepreneurial and override routines when necessary. This supportive role is also needed for the continuous learning processes, which is key for effective knowledge sharing and management in achieving OA, according to Paterek ( 2017 ) in his multiple case study. Paterek ( 2017 ) mentions the importance of communities of practice in facilitating effective knowledge management. Encouraging risk taking and encouraging employees to develop and share knowledge are antecedents for IL (Jeong et al. 2018 ). Garavan et al. ( 2015 ) also see risk-taking in cross-functional networks as an important cultural antecedent for collective learning, especially focusing on networked development.

Walter ( 2020 ) found that it is the role of the management team to explore what drivers for agility are at stake and, based on that, choose the required strategy, and the required agility capabilities such as responsiveness, speed and flexibility, to react in an agile way. The management team must establish whether the capability is at the required level or if it needs to be developed. The role of management in literature on OA is often described as determining. This seems to contrast with the call for autonomy and personal responsibility for professionals, both for OA as for IL. Although not always clear, the researchers are probably referring to strategic-level decision-making. But here, too, other researchers point to the involvement of professionals in strategic choices in order to be challenged for adjustments in their work either for their own benefit or for the benefit of the organisation (Appelbaum et al. 2017b ; Jeong et al. 2018 ).

4.2.2 Learning and changing and IL

Learning is scarcely defined in research on OA. The few exceptions interpreted learning in a variety of ways. Menon and Suresh ( 2021 ), in their study to identify factors that influence agility in higher education, define learning as one of the crucial factors for agility, by acquiring knowledge and distributing information in the organisation in order to put this information into practice. Teece et al. ( 2016 ) define learning as sensing changes, building hypotheses about these changes, and testing these hypotheses in one’s own practice. They suggest doing this in an abductive way. This means looking at complex phenomena and intuitively coming up with solutions, after which data is to be found to make these solutions plausible. Tsou and Cheng ( 2018 ) surveyed 170 business to IT companies about the mediating role of OA between learning and service innovation performance. They define learning as translating the results of experience into accessible knowledge. Experience is core to IL. One of the challenges for organisations is to make the knowledge tangible (Jeong et al. 2018 ). Promoting learning can cultivate OA (Tsou and Cheng 2018 ). Bahrami et al. ( 2016 ), in their study of the mediating role of learning in the relationship between organisational intelligence and OA, describe learning abilities according to Senge’s definition of a learning organisation (shared vision, mental models, system thinking, teamwork and interpersonal skills). This alignment of mental models is mentioned as a condition for the strategic success of the organisation and partly describes the ability for collective learning (Marsick and Watkins 2003 ). In a large survey among public sector organisations during COVID, Ludviga and Kalvina ( 2023 ) found learning to be an important driver for OA. They follow the definition of Marsick and Watkins ( 2003 ) and define learning as the capability of an organisation to develop and innovate, and the capacity to share knowledge among coworkers. Theirs is the only research for we know that explicitly emphasises the collective perspective of learning. Govuzela and Mafini ( 2019 ) see learning as an investigation that leads to shared values and knowledge. Like Tsou and Cheng ( 2018 ) several researchers find learning supportive to OA in developing knowledge and capabilities (Bahrami et al. 2016 ; Ludviga and Kalvina 2023 ; Menon and Suresh 2021 ; Teece et al. 2016 ). In most cases, learning relates to developing capabilities to become agile, not as a state of being that supports agility. The only exception to that, as far as we could establish, is the study of Ludviga and Kalvina ( 2023 ). They see collective learning as an important mechanism for being agile as an organisation, but not for becoming agile. Because IL is integrated with daily work (Jeong et al. 2018 ) it has the potential of being more than a way to learn the knowledge and skills that are required to become agile.

Developing knowledge, sharing it, and putting this knowledge into practice is seen as key to being agile and can be organised through communities of practice, networks as well as promotors of change. Facilitating management of knowledge is seen as one of the major obstacles for OA (Paterek 2017 ). In dealing with change the importance of a solid knowledge infrastructure is supported (Appelbaum et al. 2017a ; Crocitto and Youssef 2003 ; Phuong et al. 2012 ). Cegarra-Navarro et al. ( 2016 ), in their survey of 360 users of a knowledge platform, found that the relationship between applying knowledge and organisational performance was moderated by OA. Emphasis on knowledge creation and application therefore is not enough. Becoming agile to use the knowledge in an effective way is also necessary, so it will be a self-reinforcing process (Cegarra-Navarro et al. 2016 ). In their meta-analysis of 176 primary studies, Cerasoli et al. ( 2018 ) found that IL behaviour, like self-experimentation or learning by doing, supports the creation of new knowledge and skills, both individually and collectively. Furthermore, Kavosi et al.’s ( 2021 ) study of organisational intelligence, forgetting, learning and agility, which involved a questionnaire distributed among 316 co-workers in Shiraz public teaching hospitals, found that forgetting knowledge, both on purpose or by accident, supports OA. They conclude that getting rid of old knowledge makes room for new knowledge (Kavosi et al. 2021 ).

Developing specific workforce capabilities for customer activation, organisational activation, interaction capabilities, and learning agility enhances OA (Sharma et al. 2014 ). These four concepts describe the four types of capabilities an organisation must have to innovate through co-creation. Customer activation deals with the capacity to identify and act on customer needs. Organisational activation refers to the willingness to collaborate among disciplines and teams and is found to be crucial (Menon and Suresh 2021 ; Sharma et al. 2014 ). Interaction capabilities are capabilities for understanding, developing and empowering customers, and involving them in the process by relating to them and intervening appropriately in the process of innovation (Sharma et al. 2014 ). Learning agility is defined as the capability to improve the processes of an organisation. This means responding to customer needs with improvements, flexibility and systematic reflection on the way the organisation can meet the needs of the customer, while also abandoning processes that hinder the adoption of customer-needed innovations (Sharma et al. 2014 ). Cerasoli et al. ( 2018 ) found that, by facilitating IL behaviour, organisations can enhance employee knowledge, skills, performance and expertise - enabling their workforce to continuously identify opportunities and implement improvements to organisational processes. The latter is part of OA establishes the relation with IL.

4.3 Agility prerequisites

Wendler ( 2014 ) refers to the prerequisites supporting the agility of an organisation in both culture and innovation, the first focusing on agile values, and the latter being defined as the systematic approach of the organisation towards innovation, incorporating flexibility and proactivity. Based on the 41 studies included in this review, we found that 20% reported outcomes on culture that could be related with IL and 41% on innovation.

4.3.1 Culture and IL

According to Vaszkun and Sziráki ( 2023 ), agile organisations value customer satisfaction and response to change over following a fixed plan. Paterek ( 2017 ) found that, in supporting these values, a learning organisational culture plays a significant role. Such a culture supports the transformation towards OA. A learning organisational culture recognises that learning is a social process and a shared responsibility, which align with the characteristics of IL (Marsick and Volpe 1999 ).

Organisations may endorse the values associated with customer satisfaction and response to change, but struggle to put them into practice (Wendler and Stahlke 2014 ). This might be caused by the ambidexterity of sustainable innovation, exploring on one hand while exploiting on the other. Co-workers being open about this duality and having a clear idea of their own role in innovation contributes to OA (Appelbaum et al. 2017b ). Crocitto and Youssef ( 2003 ), by proposing an integrative model for OA based on the literature they reviewed, plead for employees to be called organisational associates. This changes the relationship of the employee with the organisation towards more responsibility. The importance of accountability is also indicated by the needed willingness to continuously monitor for improvement and to experiment and improvise (Sherehiy et al. 2007 ). This asks for the development of an agile mindset, not only agile capabilities. And for an agile mindset a collaborative mindset is essential (Margherita et al. 2020 ). In collective IL, this collaborative mindset is inevitable. In this sense, participation as an antecedent of collective learning is beneficial. A collaborative mindset asks for active engagement, expressing insights and interaction (Garavan et al. 2015 ).

OA is based on trust (Tolf et al. 2015 ). This includes employee trust when discussing findings on working together in networks and establishing customer intimacy, and management trusting employees with a great deal of responsibility and accountability. Trust requires an open atmosphere among team members (Vaszkun and Sziráki 2023 ). A safe, open and trustful working environment helps co-workers to be frank about their questions and mistakes, which supports learning (Jeong et al. 2018 ; Tolf et al. 2015 ). Such an environment also supports proactive behaviour, shifting responsibilities when helpful in the process and spontaneous collaboration (Sherehiy et al. 2007 ). It fosters IL (individual and collective) by creating an environment where people feel safe to experiment and share knowledge (Garavan et al. 2015 ; Jeong et al. 2018 ). In larger organisations trust is more wanted by employees then in smaller organisations (citation for this? ). On the other hand, the presence of trust is always a vulnerability for organisations due to the complexity of collaboration and communication (Wendler and Stahlke 2014 ). Trust takes a short time to break, but a long time to build.

4.3.2 Innovation and IL

Tsou et al. (2018) found that the impact of learning on innovation is mediated by OA. Learning is supportive of becoming more agile. Hamad and Yozgat ( 2017 ) performed quantitative research on 158 top and middle managers at commercial banks in Jordan. They found that OA positively impacted learning. Agility improves aspects of learning such as experimentation, risk taking, interaction and cooperation. This relationship fosters innovation by the way knowledge is effectively applied (Crocitto and Youssef 2003 ; Hamad and Yozgat 2017 ; Menon and Suresh 2021 ). The assimilation of external knowledge, which involves analysing, interpreting and internalising new knowledge, is particularly important for innovation (Demuner Flores 2023 ; Teece et al. 2016 ). Ravichandran ( 2018 ), in a survey among 710 large firms in the United States, found that innovative capacity is only supportive to OA when it not only contains access to new ideas, but that these new ideas can also be connected to existing processes and knowledge. This coupling is in fact learning, because it involves changing perspectives and ways of doing things. Innovative capacity is supported by an adjustable infrastructure and scalable workforce (Nijssen and Paauwe 2012 ), both connected with structure enhancing agility and people agility . Responding to changes with speed, making decisions quickly and applying the solutions quickly is required, according to Phuong et al. ( 2012 ) in their literature review on the way information systems in general and enterprise systems in particular contribute to OA. Govuzela and Mafini ( 2019 ) emphasise the significance of collaborative innovation for OA, with various stakeholders involved in improving existing or creating new processes and knowledge. Sharma et al. ( 2014 ) emphasise the importance of customer involvement in innovation, for it brings in the feedback and needs of customers. Making the customer part of the creation of knowledge ensures the speed in which needs are translated into innovation. Innovative behaviour is found to be an IL activity that enhances knowledge and expertise in the workplace (Bednall and Sanders 2014 ).

Organisations with proactive behaviours acknowledge change as part of the routine and see change as beneficial to their performance (Tolf et al. 2015 ). Proactivity means that organisations like to experiment, take informed risks, and are supportive to testing new innovative ideas (Appelbaum et al. 2017b ; Gunsberg et al. 2018 ). Monitoring these experiments by continuous data gathering and analytics can be seen as one perspective on knowledge creation (Margherita et al. 2020 ; Walter 2020 ). Doornbos et al.’s ( 2008 ) study of Dutch police officers found a positive correlation between the possibilities for collegial feedback and the frequency of informal work-related learning activities. Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) also found other research supportive of the fact that feedback and reflective dialogue improve the learning activities and therefore IL. Innovation benefits from IL because it in turn is fostered by experimentation and creative problem solving (Jeong et al. 2018 ).

An organisation’s IT (Information Technology) capability is an enhancer of OA in facilitating innovation. It helps avoid redundant processes and miscommunication if information about customers is up to date, applicable, and keeps all necessary staff in the knowledge loop (Phuong et al. 2012 ; Tsou and Cheng 2018 ). For IL (individual and collective) IT provides a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange (NLEC 2021 ; Jeong et al. 2018 ).

5 Integrating the findings

The main purpose of this study is to gain insight in the relationship between OA and IL and to investigate what mechanisms influence this relationship. In this section we integrate the main findings.

A general observation is that most of the literature reviewed sees (informal) learning as a mechanism to become agile as an organisation. Learning relates to the development of the dynamic capabilities or absorptive capacity needed to be able to act on changes in an effective way. Learning is only once reported as an approach in itself that enables agile organisations to act on change (Ludviga and Kalvina 2023 ).

In the results presented here, we show that there is enough potential to integrate the OA and IL as qualities of an organisation to be utilised for dealing with an ever-changing environment. The relationship between the two concepts not only has similarities with the Learning and Changing component of the framework presented by Wendler ( 2014 ) and Gunsberg et al. ( 2018 ). IL also exhibits many similarities with the other components of their framework. Integrating the two concepts offers suggestions for a framework of mechanisms that support both OA and IL. For a visualisation of the integration see Fig.  2 .

Venn diagram showing relationship between OA and IL

OA is an action or reaction towards a changing environment. Research on OA states that agility is a state of mind of an organisation: an awareness of changes in the environment that are approaching or about to happen and that, when noticed early, can be acted upon effectively and efficiently. Changes in the environment or organisation themselves are not continuous, but come and go (Walter 2020 ). Changes differ in time, tempo, intensity and meaning. And changes are contextual. Changes can be initiated or acted upon. Characteristic of change is that it is never the same. Therefore, every change brings a new situation, and the organisation needs a new way to cope with this situation. This is the core of learning processes, therefore research on IL provides us with insights on ways to improve these learning processes offered in the daily working practice. This is an important benefit of integrating IL and OA.

Both concepts emphasise change as being part of the daily routine of an organisation. For IL, the emphasis is on valuing the individual and collective learning that happens in daily work triggered by change (Cerasoli et al. 2018 ; Jeong et al. 2018 ; Marsick and Volpe 1999 ). For OA, the emphasis is on the capability of the organisation to deal with change as part of daily work (Charbonnier-Voirin 2011 ; Demuner Flores 2023 ; Förster and Wendler 2012 ; Gunsberg et al. 2018 ; Walter 2020 ). OA leads to a supportive atmosphere where (informal) learning and working are valued more equally. OA also provides the organisation with reasons to connect the strategic development goals of the organisation with individual and collective learning. IL, on the other hand, provides the organisation with a way to collectively create knowledge and practices that lead to the innovations needed in response to change. The main similarities between OA and IL as presented in the results are summarised in Table  1 .

Taking into account the aspects of structure enhancing agility, people agility and agility prerequisites and integrating it with the aspects that let IL flourish, three key attributes of an organisation clearly overlap: (1) seeing the boundaries of an organisation as fluid and having close and meaningful relationships, (2) being accountable for work and working, and (3) having processes for creating or acquiring, processing and applying knowledge. These attributes will be referred to as social networks, leadership, and knowledge development. In the second part of Section 5 the relationship between IL and OA is described in terms of these three key attributes.

5.1 Social networks

Learning happens in a social context, in which it is important to have peers both inside and outside the organisation. These close relationships and multiple connections play a key role for both IL and OA. For IL, the social element is a main ingredient for a rich learning environment (Jeong et al. 2018 ). For OA, involving the appropriate parties, maintaining this network and involving different departments facilitates an effective and speedy response to change. In both concepts, involvement means working closely together, knowing each other’s language, context and profession, and including each other’s values and interests. This is why autonomous cross-functional teams with a large amount of autonomy are mentioned by some researchers as beneficial for OA (Akter et al. 2023 ; Menon and Suresh 2021 ; Vaszkun and Sziráki 2023 ). But these teams need to be fluid in composition and roles (Ludviga and Kalvina 2023 ; Sherehiy et al. 2007 ; Tolf et al. 2015 ). By having a more developmental organisational approach towards networks and processes, participants would be more aware of the learning process itself and how to improve that process. By paying attention to the composition of the network, people become aware of their interpersonal relationships and the influence of these relationships on innovation and improvement and therefore learning. This awareness makes the learning processes more conscious and therefore the results of IL can be made more visible. The ability to leverage qualities evident in the network (Sambamurthy et al. 2003 ) also sets a focus for IL. Another aspect worth mentioning here is the supportive role of IT for staying connected with others. Jeong et al. ( 2018 ) also found a supportive role of IT for IL.

While it is often considered from the individual perspective, IL provides insight into the way relationships can be maintained, by developing interpersonal communication, being able to openly share ideas, and by influencing in what way these capabilities support the learning process (Jeong et al. 2018 ). Research on how close relationships and diversity in social networks support learning and innovation is beneficial here (Baer et al. 2015 ; De Laat 2006 ; Haythornthwaite and De Laat 2010 ).

The diverse network also enables employees to identify developments as soon as possible, to weigh up options, make informed decisions, and act swiftly, all in a collaborative way. This organisational focus for improvement in cooperation provides a breeding ground for IL in that it combines the learning of individuals and connects it to learning collectively, and ultimately to the interest of the organisation (Jeong et al. 2018 ).

5.2 Leadership

The way leadership operates influences employees’ accountability for work and learning. From an OA perspective, commitment of employees to the organisational goals are important and, with it, entrepreneurial behaviour (Teece et al. 2016 ). Involving employees actively in decision making and problem solving, challenging them by giving them a high level of responsibilities and autonomy affects the way employees are involved in IL (Cerasoli et al. 2018 ; Jeong et al. 2018 ; Manuti et al. 2015 ). This autonomy makes work challenging and valued, according to Kim and McLean ( 2014 ). Task autonomy gives freedom and a variety of opportunities which stimulates the employees to learn (Jeong et al. 2018 ).

From the OA perspective, leadership is about providing the conditions for collaboration between different departments (Vaszkun and Sziráki 2023 ). Bringing people together and identifying possible experts to involve can bring diversity and commitment into the network. Facilitating meetings and encouraging open communication with other organisations stimulates information exchange (Sharma et al. 2014 ). These are all aspects of leadership that support IL (Ellinger 2005 ). Paying attention to shared meaning-making and better communication is part of collective IL (Garavan et al. 2015 ). Leadership that facilitates these processes is not a condition, but a characteristic of collective IL.

OA benefits from an alignment of systems, processes, departments, roles,. and so forth, which makes the process of informing and understanding one another easier. The process of alignment is itself of great support to IL, as are knowledge exchange, being clear about mental models and paying explicit attention to the goals of the organisation is organised. Leaders in organisations should create possibilities for working on this alignment and collaboration (Vaszkun and Sziráki 2023 ). Results of research on delegated responsibilities do not lead to clear insights for OA. Some researcher claim that swift decision making requires a clear and strong hierarchy (Felipe et al. 2016 ), while other researchers claim that OA is supported by collaborative decision making, which fosters adaptability (Nijssen and Paauwe 2012 ; Wendler and Stahlke 2014 ). The main tendency, though, is to support the distribution of responsibilities with those who have the professional expertise in order to become faster and more flexible (Menon and Suresh 2021 ; Safari et al. 2018 ; Vaszkun and Sziráki 2023 ). OA appears to be a matter of dealing with complex situations, involving the balancing of competing values, such as speed, engagement, support, thorough analysis, short-term versus long-term considerations, and so forth. OA involves the ability to adapt and learn iteratively throughout a process of improvement and innovation (Teece et al. 2016 ).

5.3 Knowledge development

Being able to respond in a rapid way means there is a need for accurate and up-to-date knowledge involving the ‘right’ people at the ‘right’ time (Charbonnier-Voirin 2011 ; Demuner Flores 2023 ). IT-systems (Phuong et al. 2012 ), communities of practice (Paterek 2017 ), interpersonal skills (Bahrami et al. 2016 ) and absorptive capabilities (Demuner Flores 2023 ) support the processes needed for collaborative and collective knowledge development and exchange. Placing greater value on and consciously utilising IL within the organisation can strengthen this process of collective knowledge development. It provides the organisation not only with forms of learning, but also makes the organisation aware of the learning processes that are happening in daily work. Seeing knowledge as an important value for the organisation and linking it to the strategy of the organisation (Dove 1999 ) also helps valuing IL as a strategic instrument (Jeong et al. 2018 ).

In order to give meaning and direction to innovation, knowledge development should be supported by hypothesising and analysing the available information. By making clear in a collaborative way the possible consequences of changes via ‘for instance’ scenarios, people not only become aware of the possibilities and hypotheses entailed, but also the data that underpins these possible solutions (Teece et al. 2016 ). This can support critical reflection (Jeong et al. 2018 ), especially when management sees it as its task to make tacit knowledge available for the organisation. It also provides ways to make IL more conscious so that employees are motivated to use a research-related approach that can also give direction for experimentation (Teece et al. 2016 ). After improvements are implemented, one should monitor the results and the process, through iterative cycles of action and reflection (Marsick and Watkins 2001 ). Monitoring results and processes provides the organisation with data that can be learned from, because it gives the organisation the opportunity to check whether hypotheses and analyses were accurate (Jeong et al. 2018 ). Performing this in a dialogic way between co-workers in a network of different organisations working together puts IL in a collective context (Garavan et al. 2015 ).

Developing skills to support OA, such as interaction capabilities, improving processes and reflecting systematically, sets a focus for learning, but these capabilities also support a learning climate. Becoming more sensitive to their environment makes people more aware of the signals for change in this environment, which trigger learning and initiate a research-related approach (Jeong et al. 2018 ). Seizing the information means organising information and therefore the action needed for IL, as mentioned by Marsick ( 2009 ). Transforming capabilities deal with keeping the structure, strategy and culture aligned when changes are implemented. Transforming capabilities foster a culture in which experimentation and innovation are valued, which creates a rich climate for IL (Gunsberg et al. 2018 ; Jeong et al. 2018 ). Seen form the collective perspective, this in fact is how networked learning is defined (NLEC 2021 ). These elements form the basis for the trustful climate necessary for open communication and accessibility of knowledge (Jeong et al. 2018 ). An important condition for individual IL is also the supportive role of leaders in which risk taking for experimentation and knowledge exchange is seen as just as important as being productive (Jeong et al. 2018 ; Skule 2004 ). Continuous training and workshops support improvements in OA. Furthermore, combining IL with formal learning makes IL more effective (Jeong et al. 2018 ). IL is closely related to daily work and therefore the results are expected to be directly applicable to the daily workplace context (Marsick and Volpe 1999 ). In fact, being less conscious about this as a learner is showing both the strength and the weakness of IL in supporting OA. Making tacit knowledge tangible is a key aspect of IL in order for it to become valuable for others in the organisation or the network (Kim and McLean 2014 ; Nonaka and Takeuchi 1996 ). The way knowledge is strategically valued contributes also to the learning.

Mechanisms that influence both IL and OA

culture of an organisation (Dove 1999 ; Ellinger 2005 ; Kim and McLean 2014 ).

We summarise the integration of the findings in detail in Fig.  3 .

6 Discussion and conclusion

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between OA and IL and to investigate what mechanisms would be beneficial for both concepts. IL finds it origin in the theory of Dewey (Kim and McLean 2014 ), for whom learning was the effect of acquiring experience. Learning, in this scientific tradition, is contextual and social. This fits the way OA must be conceived according to the literature studied. However, the primary approach to learning in research on OA is, at best, instrumental; learning is considered a way to become agile as an organisation by improving the adaptive capacity and dynamic capabilities. But learning, as we have shown, is much more than an instrument. It can be seen as a quality of an organisation and another way to deal with change in the environment. And as IL is part of every organisation, whether beneficially used or working unconsciously, it provides organisations with an opportunity to be more agile. Learning is poorly defined in most literature on OA, and the benefit of informal learning seems under-valued. Based on an in-depth insight into the relationship between IL and OA in this article, the mechanisms that either support or characterise IL can be an answer to the rapid changes in the environment, just as OA is. The knowledge that is gained by studying the way IL is beneficial for organisations can enrich the field of study of OA, and this warrants further research. For example, OA is supported by a variety of professionals working together and bringing in their perspectives in order to be innovative. One could use the knowledge from the studies on IL about strengthening these networks on the one hand and keeping it fluid on the other hand. Both strong and weak social connections are important for learning and innovating. These insights might be helpful in reflecting on the way that organisations’ networks are developing. Paying attention to the development of networks not only improves OA, but also IL. The way learning networks can be beneficial for OA should be studied in more detail, especially in the context of hierarchy and task autonomy.

The collective perspective of IL is hardly considered in research on OA; most learning is seen as individual. Collective learning is interesting, and OA itself also deals with dynamic capabilities and absorptive capacities of groups and networks of organisations. To date, most of the research on OA taken from our database is based on queries that gather individual perspectives. It would be interesting to focus more on research methods that look at the system as a whole, not only as a sum of its parts. The model of Garavan et al. ( 2015 ) for looking at individual and collective learning, either organised or emerging, could be beneficial in looking at OA from a collective and learning perspective.

The model presented here as the result of integrating OA and IL is also an agenda for further research. We recommend further research into the effects of leadership mechanisms on the way (networks of) organisations (continue to) learn to deal with change. Similarly, it is important to further scrutinise the impact of informal learning mechanisms that influence social networks and knowledge development effects within agile organisations.

Both OA and IL are concepts that are strongly interwoven with their environment. This interconnectedness means that they themselves are also constantly subject to change and learning. As such, they form complex and multi-level processes which are challenging to investigate in an appropriate manner. In this context, it is fitting to be able to dwell in the space of not knowing, just as with OA and IL themselves, whilst the researcher searches for answers.

6.1 Practical implications

Organisations dealing with a rapidly changing environment can benefit from the findings of this study. By paying attention to the mechanisms mentioned in Fig.  3 , they can strengthen their learning capacity on the one hand. Focusing on the composition, quality, and development of relationships in social networks helps organisations to utilise these networks for innovation and improvement of their processes, products, and services. Attention to how leadership is shared within these networks and relocated where necessary, depending on knowledge and expertise, creates space for ownership of results and thus for reflection and improvement. Recognising the value of knowledge and expertise contributes to the sharing of this knowledge and thereby to collective learning.

The same mechanisms contribute to the organisation’s agility. The networks can provide rapid information dissemination and early detection of changes. Shared leadership can accelerate the implementation of changes. And the appreciation of knowledge and expertise can lead to increased attention to its development and the processes that facilitate it.

The identified mechanisms are not isolated from one another. They are interrelated and require an integrated approach at both individual and collective levels.

7 Limitations in the research

As both IL and OA derive from different disciplinary domains, bringing the two concepts together is a challenging exercise. This is especially so when similar concepts like learning and knowledge are used in both contexts but may not have a shared meaning across these domains. The use of barely defined concepts such as learning and knowledge in studies on OA did not help in this regard. The often instrumental view of learning also makes this study a cautious exploration of the relationship. Therefore, more research into bringing together both concepts is desirable.

Furthermore, the meaning and definition of OA is still very much developing, resulting in different weights or emphases applied to learning and knowledge in the articles included in this review. In this study, we attempted to be as clear as possible about the interpretations we made and the definitions we have used. Nevertheless, this is an integrative literature review and a first attempt to bridge a dialogue about how to foster dealing with change from the perspective of IL and OA. This review might inspire inter-disciplinary research and develop ways in which IL can help promote and facilitate OA and, similarly, where OA can include a richer understanding of learning and knowledge processes in its definition. Further empirical research, in which learning and change processes relate to orientations towards OA will help to further unpack this relationship and reveal how IL can play a key role in achieving a sustained approach to agility. The identified key conditions for improving IL and OA – based on social network, knowledge development and leadership – is a first take on this.

Data availability

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Boerma, S., de Laat, M. & Vermeulen, M. The relationship between organisational agility and informal learning. Manag Rev Q (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-024-00460-x

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