Developing the Leader Within: A Process of Restoration

This paper outlines the creation of a unique integrated Authentic Leader Development framework (iALD), incorporating executive coaching and an approach to authentic leader development, underpinned by four stages which reflect a development process for leaders. The iALD framework was developed from qualitative research in response to the lack of innovative and impactful leader development theory. There is an absence of “any form of a comprehensive theory of leader development” (Day, Harrison and Halpin, 2008: xi) and Quick and Nelson (2008) call for a more integrative model of leader development, signalling a move away from the traditional focus on competencies and skills, to development which focuses more holistically on the whole person as a leader, in particular in developing self-awareness and self-regulation (e.g., Avolio, 2005; 2007).