There are many reasons why leadership development is hard to get right. A new ANZSOG Research Insights publication explores why and identifies six major factors based on a high-level overview of relevant academic literature.
The Why is leadership development hard to get right? paper was developed by the ANZSOG Research Team led by Dr Lisa Carson with Dr Julia Richardson with guidance from Dr Patrick Brownlee.
Whilst a vast amount of literature exists on leadership theories, far less is known about leadership development theories, with the distinction between both often left unstated or conflated. Generally, leadership theories focus on what and why leadership happens, whereas leadership development focuses on how to help people become better leaders, and how to help organisations develop better leadership.
The paper synthesises a non-exhaustive list of six main factors influencing why leadership development for the public sector is hard to get right.
1. Complexities of leadership research
2. Expanding strands of leadership theory and practice
3. Lag between theory and practice (and vice versa)
4. Limited data on leadership development and impact
5. Who and how ‘effectiveness’ is defined
6. Underestimating how much context matters
The report concludes that further research specific to the public sector, especially in regard to more comprehensive theoretical frameworks and longitudinal research on impact is needed. Whilst many public sectors rely on capability frameworks, questions remain about how they are actually used in practice, their utility and how to better track alignment and impact over time.
- Published Date: 15 October 2025