The utilization of leadership development training and strategies within a non-profit organization: A multiple case study

Leadership development is an important factor for those with upper echelons of an organization. This dissertation explored how leadership development trainings (LDT) enhanced the leadership skills of leaders and explored the strategies significant to those providing direction to others. The purpose of this study was to understand which leadership strategies are used by effective leaders to motivate others on their teams. It provides an opportunity to improve the understanding of a leader's experience in totality using development strategies. This qualitative study using multiple-case study research design collected various types of data, including data through in-depth interviews of senior level leaders who were alumni from LDT, field notes from interviews, as well as the company's training modules. The data analysis revealed three themes including: (a) Strengths-based Leadership, (b) Leadership Growth Model, and (c) Action Learning. These are all specific approaches covered in the organization's training. It was found that strengths work and the leaders' own spiritual growth work in combination with that of Action learning projects which support the leader to apply insights in practical ways. When comparing these findings with studies for profit organizations, strengths work and Action learning are both found to be highly useful but are not always used in combination; spiritual growth was not emphasized in leadership models in many organizations. The conclusions that evolved include implications from these findings for the organization studied and also for other organizational leaders looking for insights on using these strategies in leadership development work.