In the context of agricultural leadership development programs, effective leadership development is not only limited to external skills and knowledge acquisition, but also on the reflective and personal insights that come from core self-evaluation. This process of self-assessment, where individuals critically reflect on their strengths, weaknesses, and overall self-concept, forms the foundation of robust leadership. Agricultural leadership development programs that incorporate core self-evaluation into their program curriculum equip leaders with the self-awareness necessary to navigate complex challenges and inspire others. However, little is known about high level participant trends, particularly in the context of core self-evaluation. Using a demographic lens, I was able to work with a great research team to analyze core self-evaluation data from over 1,100 agricultural leadership development program alumni. The results we observed were interesting and we hope provide some preliminary data looking at this important concept. Of course, the results are limited to those individuals who participated, so should not be extrapolated to other groups; however, having empirical data should help to leadership development program leaders to think about if, or how, they might want to use these results in their programs.
Key Findings:
Core Self-Evaluations and Age: A positive correlation was found between age and core self-evaluation scores, suggesting that self-awareness tends to increase with experience and maturity.
Core Self-Evaluations and Organizational Level: The study observed higher core self-evaluation scores among individuals at higher organizational levels, indicating that those in more senior roles may have greater self-confidence and self-awareness (logically, there may also be a relationship between organizational level and age; nevertheless, the trendline appears is noteworthy).
Non-Findings: In parallel to the statistically significant findings we observed, we did not find any statistically significant differences when comparing between demographic groupings based on gender, educational attainment, nor geographic region.
Challenges and Opportunities:
Tailoring Educational Interventions: Leadership educators should consider the varying levels of self-awareness among participants when designing programs, allocating more time for introspection where needed and appropriate.
Leveraging Core Self-Evaluation: Incorporating core self-evaluation into leadership training can provide valuable insights for both learners and educators, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the program.
Core self-evaluation is an important component of effective leadership development. By developing self-awareness through structured reflection, agricultural leadership programs can better prepare individuals to lead from a robust self-aware foundation. We hope the insights from this study provide a starting point for future exploration and application, helping leadership educators design more tailored and impactful programs and training that meets the needs of diverse learners. I've included the full article if you would like to read more. Please be sure to share your insights using the comments section.
Lamm, K. W., Nguyen, N. P., Edgar, D. W., Borron, A., & Lamm, A. J. (2019). Know thy self: An examination between individual core self-evaluations and demographic characteristics among agricultural leadership development program participants. Journal of Leadership Education, 18(4), 15-23. https://doi.org/10.12806/V18/I4/R2
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