Developing leaders through self-directed learning: a conceptual model of self-development

This paper argues for a greater role for self-development in the process of developing managers and articulates and examines a model of managerial self-development. The problems and issues associated with traditional and formal development programs are highlighted and these are used to draw out the need for a self-directed learning approach for the development of managers. The nature of managerial self-development is then explored and a conceptual model of self-development is outlined and discussed. The model conceptualises self-development in two phases. The first phase relates to actions associated with self-understanding and is driven by self-reflective process and the management of self-awareness reactions. The second phase relates to self-change and incorporates self-regulatory processes.