Reflective leadership review: a framework for improving organisational performance

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe, examine and discuss scholarly literature on reflective leadership, a topic gaining momentum as a result of globalization. Despite the growing popularity of reflective leadership techniques, current and aspiring leaders are struggling to find ways in which to effectively practice reflection as a consequence of a lack of tangible available guidance. Design/methodology/approach – Scholarly literature on reflective leadership was examined and presented in this paper. Discussion on the potential efficacy of reflective leadership is also included as the available literature on the topic is scarce in comparison to other more established leadership techniques. Findings – Reflective leadership has been shown to improve organizational performance. The advent of globalization further intensifies the need for an effective approach leaders may deploy when assessing the long-term consequences of their actions and decisions. Therefore, methods to extend the theory and effective practice of reflective leadership are necessary to enable the future development of leaders. Practical implications – This paper provides leaders with strategies for improving their leadership effectiveness. Practical techniques for utilizing reflective leadership are offered. Originality/value – This paper describes the challenges faced by leaders when adopting reflective leadership as a way to improve organizational performance. A universal framework is presented for the effective practice of reflective leadership. This framework provides a basis for future research to test the efficacy of the model.

Accountability and Moral Competence Promote Ethical Leadership

“…Results of this study reinforce the importance of creating a culture of ethical leadership in organizations. Leadership research supports the ethical role that reflective leadership can play in solving and reducing issues in the workplace (Castelli, 2012(Castelli, , 2016Looman, 2003, Park, Kim, & Song, 2015. Consistent with values-based leadership, reflective leadership practices can help employees understand the role they play in the organization's goal attainment.…”

“…Consistent with values-based leadership, reflective leadership practices can help employees understand the role they play in the organization's goal attainment. An organization that encourages reflective practices creates a safe environment that promotes trust, values open communications, connects work to the organization mission, builds the confidence of the workforce, respects diverse cultures, and challenges beliefs and assumptions (Castelli, 2012(Castelli, , 2016. Leadership research also supports the role that emotional intelligence can play in reducing ethical dilemmas (Barling, Slater, & Kevin Kelloway, 2000;Cole, Cox, & Stavros, 2018;Sivanathan & Cynthia Fekken, 2002).…”

The role of transformational leadership style in enhancing employees’ competency for organization performance

“…Researchers found out that an effective transformational leadership style is positively enhancing employee's competency. The transformational leadership style as the full range leadership theory among the theories has received the greatest attention from various researchers in various fields over the last decade (Avolio et al, 1999;Castelli, 2016). According to Robbins et al (2009), transformational leaders are able to motivate their subordinates by earning their respect and trust and encouraging their subordinates to work more efficiently to achieve their leaders' goals.…”

Mindfulness and leadership flexibility

“…For example, a company that is a competitor in one sphere of activity could conceivably become an ally in another, just as striving to maximize profits today may contradict efforts to invest in the future. While the phenomena affecting decision making are increasingly complex and interconnected, adapting to these apparent contradictions is a major challenge for leaders, who often struggle to maintain the level of acuity and calm needed to fulfill their role (Castelli, 2016;George, 2014).…”