ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we offer our perspective on what is wrong with leadership development and what might be done to correct it. We address these issues by organizing the field of leadership development into concerns or limitations associated with theory, research, and practice. In terms of theory, we argue that there is very little in the way of theory in the field. In particular, researchers have paid relatively little attention to appropriate timescales for development, the specific variables under study, and corresponding mechanisms of support. Leadership development practices are driven mainly by event-based and episodic interventions, with little recognition of the continuous and ongoing nature of development. Overarching recommendations made that have the potential to correct the current state of the field include adopting a more systemic view of leadership development, developing and refining theories that embed it within ongoing adult development, and recognizing the importance of incorporating time into theory, research, and practice.
