| Abstrakt: |
Based on exploratory interviews with 22 executives and 18 experts on executives, Kaplan, Drath, and Kofodimos found that self-development is especially difficult for those who are positioned high in the organizational hierarchy. Defined as "the conscious, deliberate effort to come to terms with one's limitations," self-development at high levels is affected by four elements of the executive job: the possession and exercise of power, the highly demanding nature of the job itself, the need to be and to appear to be competent, and the history of career successes that inevitably precedes executive position. The factors associated with the power that accrues to an executive are an air of authority, the exaggerated impact of the executive's actions, the executive's autonomy, and isolation. These elements affect both the willingness of others to criticize the executive's actions and the likelihood that he or she will be available to those who might offer critical feedback. According to the authors, introspection, or self-feed- back, is a necessary step in self-development. However, the demands of the job make it difficult for the executive to indulge in introspection. The executive is also by nature a "doer" who is not likely to put intro- spection high on his list of priorities. A history of success may leave the executive well acquainted with his strengths, but relatively unacquainted with his weaknesses. He may feel that his particular configuration of strengths and weaknesses is responsible for his success and is likely to reject any suggestions that he tamper with a "winning formula." In addition to discussing the barriers to executive self-development, the authors also present strategies that can be employed by those around the executive, by the organization of which he is a part, and by the executive himself to overcome constraints to self-development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
