پژوهشهای مدیریت عمومی (Mar 2024)
Competency Ddevelopment Strategies of Gglobal Transformational Lleadership in Iran’s Ministry of Energy
Abstract
Abstract Global Transformational Leadership (GTL) is an approach that focuses on understanding, adopting and directing change by creating a global network and teamwork and learning environment in order to compete in the global arena. The GTL has attracted the attention of organizations that operate globally, but there are uncertainties regarding its various dimensions, especially the strategies for developing its competencies in organizational leaders. Iran's Ministry of Energy (IME), as a vital government agency, has a global orientation, but is facing challenges to develop its leaders in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. Thus, this research aims to explore strategies for developing GTL competencies in the context of IME. The research method is qualitative with an exploratory approach. The study population is managers with experience and expertise in the international projects of IME. To collect data, 15 of these managers were selected using the purposeful sampling method and participated in semi-structured interviews. The thematic method was used to analyze the collected data. The findings led to identifying strategies to develop transformative leadership competencies in IME. Two overarching strategies identified, namely empowerment strategies and individual development strategies are discussed and their implications for IME are highlighted.Introduction Today, the stated goals and missions of many organizations oriented toward global markets with emphasis on continuous interactions with foreign suppliers, partners, employees, shareholders and customers. The global environment, along with the transformation that has created in the competitive landscape of businesses, has changed the approach of directing organizations and developing the competencies leaders need to be successful globally. Thus, it is expected that the global leaders are equipped with the new knowledge, skills and attitudes which enable them to effectively guide organizations in a complex, changing and often ambiguous global environment. Given the reality of today’s global markets, it is argued that organizations should revisit and reassess their leadership development strategy and focus on developing their leaders' competencies that meet their existing requirements in the face of global competitive forces. To meet this challenge, a key decision for all organizations is choosing the right strategies for developing leaders’ competencies. The main purpose of this article is to present strategies for the development of global transformative leadership competencies in IME based on the views of its experts and managers with international experience.Case studiesThis research is carried out in Iran’s Ministry of Energy and its affiliated companies that operate offshores.Materials and methodsThis research uses qualitative method and collect its data through semi-structured interviews. The theme analysis method was used to identify strategies for developing GTL competencies.The data collected in semi-structured interviews from 15 experts and senior managers of IME, who hold senior positions, such as deputies and advisors to the minister and CEOs of international companies affiliated with the Ministry of Energy, with relevant work experience in international projects.Results and discussions The analysis of the themes in interviews led to the identification of 123 concepts were identified. After allocation of these concepts to themes and refining them several times, 56 basic themes, six organizing themes and two overarching themes were obtained. The findings revealed that although IME bears responsibility for developmental strategies that aim to equip leaders with necessary competencies, but the onus of the competence development strategies primarily rests on individual leaders themselves. In other words, it is argued that individual strategies are complementary to organizational strategies in leadership competency development.ConclusionsThe findings of the research highlight the critical role of empowerment and individual development strategies for developing GTL competencies. The empowerment strategies include professional development, knowledge enhancement, provision of opportunities for cross boarder presence and experience, and granting authority. The individual development strategies, on the other hand, are consist of reflective learning approaches, self-learning and independent study, and revision and reshaping of leader’s mentality.
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