**3. Leadership**

The interest in the topic of leadership has been renewed with an expressive set of studies that correlate leadership to the most diverse themes, as they show frequent meta-analysis [37–40]. Leadership has an effect on the organization's performance, on the processes of change, on the commitment, satisfaction, and well-being of employees. Leadership theories began in the theory of traits, and successive other theories were being developed, such as behavioral theories, contingency or situational theories, and procedural theories [41]. A review of the main theories about the phenomenon (from trace-based theory to procedural theories, which are predominant in current research) can be found in [41].

kind of visionary leader associated with the professional development of subordinates is the diviner, whose target group is the employees and whose salient capacities are insight, sagac-

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Visionary leadership has been defined as a process with three specific steps: (1) vision (idea), (2) communication (word), and (3) empowerment (action). An alternative image of visionary leadership might be that of a drama with action and communication occurring simultaneously. So, the visionary leaders act as follow: repetition (idea), representation (vision), and assistance (emotion and action) [59]. So, the visionary leaders act as follows: repetition (idea), representation (vision), and assistance (emotion and action). By repeating an idea, creating the representation of a certain vision for the future, and acting in an inspiring way for the subordinates, simultaneously in terms of emotion and action, the visionary leader creates an environment conducive to professional development. More specifically, it has been argued that visionary leaders mobilize follower action by linking organizational goals and activities with followers' self-concept and value hierarchies, as well as by connecting followers to the collective such that their interests become fused with those of the organization [60, 61]. The importance of leader vision communication is pointed in both visionary leadership and trans-

Thus, the transformational leader also has great ability to contribute to the professional development of his subordinates. The leader acts in the creation of shared goals and encourages the experimentation of solutions, making concessions of power and maintaining a systemic communication that leads to collective engagement. The transformational leader therefore acts in different types of management, namely: attention management, meaning management, trust management, and management of the individual. Each of these dimensions is associated with one of the four Bass' dimensions [43]—Charisma, Inspiration, Intellectual stimulation, and

> Intellectual stimulation

Individual consideration

**Bass' dimension Evidence of dimension**

Charisma Respect for the leader who wants to be

Inspiration The degree to which the leader

and purpose

creative way

development needs

imitated and generates high levels of expectation in his subordinates

Leader actions related to intellectual stimulation for subordinates solve problems, challenges, and obstacles in a

The support provided to followers, paying attention to their personal

energizes the subordinates by providing a vision of the future, goals,

ity, and inspiration.

formational leadership theories [61].

**Management focus Expected action of the leader**

Trust management Maintain a constancy of purpose

virtues

Attention management

Meaning management

Management of the individual

Individual consideration—as shown in **Table 1**.

Express your goals with clarity of purpose

communication of your ideas

**Table 1.** Expected actions of a transformational leader according to its four dimensions.

Develop effective

Seek to know each individual and develop their

This diversity of theories has led to many styles of leadership and a varied nomenclature, for example, charismatic/bureaucratic leadership [42], transactional/transformational leadership [43, 44], autocratic/democratic/visionary-inspirational leadership/laissez-faire [45, 46], supportive leadership [47], ethical leadership [48], Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) [49]. Each of these styles has specific characteristics, although some styles are derived from others.

This variety of theories and styles is also accompanied by a set of definitions for leadership. But in spite of this conceptual plurality, the process of influence and the involvement of people are often frequent in definitions of leadership. Thus, we consider as a parameter the definition of [50]: leadership is a complex and multifaceted construct that influences organizational tasks, strategies, and cultures, as well as the commitment and identification of teams.

This definition of [50] focuses on the process of influence and interaction of leadership that is also present in the perspective of [51, 52] in terms of the transformation of the leader, from processes of change based on learning and knowledge. In this sense, although the current leadership theories are very focused on the processes [53], such processes include the exchanges between leaders and subordinates, being more prevalent the more integrative approaches of leadership theories [54, 55].

Thus, leadership can be characterized as a process of social influence, since it establishes the relationship between groups of people around individual, group, or institutional goals [56]. Therefore, leadership involves influencing other people's attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and feelings toward achieving a goal in a given situation [56, 57]. In a similar vein, authors like [58] point out that the main components of leadership are interpersonal influence, leadership in a situation, communication process, and achievement of goals. These goals can be from the organization, the group, the follower, and/or the leader. In this sense, the leader would influence the subordinate's behavior through communication.

Among the various leadership styles, the so-called visionary leadership and transformational leadership [52] are the ones that make the greatest contribution to highlighting the role of leaders in the professional development of subordinates. The concept of visionary leadership involves strategic management in a process of interaction of repetition, representation, and assistance. According to the process, content, and context, there are various types of visionary leadership: the creator—product focus; the proselytizer—market focus; the idealist—ideal focus; the bricoleur—product and organization focus; and the diviner—service focus [59]. The kind of visionary leader associated with the professional development of subordinates is the diviner, whose target group is the employees and whose salient capacities are insight, sagacity, and inspiration.

**3. Leadership**

128 Leadership

leadership theories [54, 55].

The interest in the topic of leadership has been renewed with an expressive set of studies that correlate leadership to the most diverse themes, as they show frequent meta-analysis [37–40]. Leadership has an effect on the organization's performance, on the processes of change, on the commitment, satisfaction, and well-being of employees. Leadership theories began in the theory of traits, and successive other theories were being developed, such as behavioral theories, contingency or situational theories, and procedural theories [41]. A review of the main theories about the phenomenon (from trace-based theory to procedural theories, which are

This diversity of theories has led to many styles of leadership and a varied nomenclature, for example, charismatic/bureaucratic leadership [42], transactional/transformational leadership [43, 44], autocratic/democratic/visionary-inspirational leadership/laissez-faire [45, 46], supportive leadership [47], ethical leadership [48], Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) [49]. Each of

This variety of theories and styles is also accompanied by a set of definitions for leadership. But in spite of this conceptual plurality, the process of influence and the involvement of people are often frequent in definitions of leadership. Thus, we consider as a parameter the definition of [50]: leadership is a complex and multifaceted construct that influences organizational tasks, strategies, and cultures, as well as the commitment and identification of teams. This definition of [50] focuses on the process of influence and interaction of leadership that is also present in the perspective of [51, 52] in terms of the transformation of the leader, from processes of change based on learning and knowledge. In this sense, although the current leadership theories are very focused on the processes [53], such processes include the exchanges between leaders and subordinates, being more prevalent the more integrative approaches of

Thus, leadership can be characterized as a process of social influence, since it establishes the relationship between groups of people around individual, group, or institutional goals [56]. Therefore, leadership involves influencing other people's attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and feelings toward achieving a goal in a given situation [56, 57]. In a similar vein, authors like [58] point out that the main components of leadership are interpersonal influence, leadership in a situation, communication process, and achievement of goals. These goals can be from the organization, the group, the follower, and/or the leader. In this sense, the leader would influ-

Among the various leadership styles, the so-called visionary leadership and transformational leadership [52] are the ones that make the greatest contribution to highlighting the role of leaders in the professional development of subordinates. The concept of visionary leadership involves strategic management in a process of interaction of repetition, representation, and assistance. According to the process, content, and context, there are various types of visionary leadership: the creator—product focus; the proselytizer—market focus; the idealist—ideal focus; the bricoleur—product and organization focus; and the diviner—service focus [59]. The

these styles has specific characteristics, although some styles are derived from others.

predominant in current research) can be found in [41].

ence the subordinate's behavior through communication.

Visionary leadership has been defined as a process with three specific steps: (1) vision (idea), (2) communication (word), and (3) empowerment (action). An alternative image of visionary leadership might be that of a drama with action and communication occurring simultaneously. So, the visionary leaders act as follow: repetition (idea), representation (vision), and assistance (emotion and action) [59]. So, the visionary leaders act as follows: repetition (idea), representation (vision), and assistance (emotion and action). By repeating an idea, creating the representation of a certain vision for the future, and acting in an inspiring way for the subordinates, simultaneously in terms of emotion and action, the visionary leader creates an environment conducive to professional development. More specifically, it has been argued that visionary leaders mobilize follower action by linking organizational goals and activities with followers' self-concept and value hierarchies, as well as by connecting followers to the collective such that their interests become fused with those of the organization [60, 61]. The importance of leader vision communication is pointed in both visionary leadership and transformational leadership theories [61].

Thus, the transformational leader also has great ability to contribute to the professional development of his subordinates. The leader acts in the creation of shared goals and encourages the experimentation of solutions, making concessions of power and maintaining a systemic communication that leads to collective engagement. The transformational leader therefore acts in different types of management, namely: attention management, meaning management, trust management, and management of the individual. Each of these dimensions is associated with one of the four Bass' dimensions [43]—Charisma, Inspiration, Intellectual stimulation, and Individual consideration—as shown in **Table 1**.


**Table 1.** Expected actions of a transformational leader according to its four dimensions.

Thus, in the logic of the transformational leader, there is collective engagement around shared goals. This favors professional development because subordinates feel the importance of their participation in building something meaningful, which increases individual commitment.

organization, and role breadth self-efficacy than did supportive leadership [65]. In this sense, investing in developmental leadership can bring better results for the professional develop-

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But beyond understanding what leadership style can be most effective for the professional development of subordinates, it is also important to know how leaders can contribute to this development process. Considering that professional development depends essentially on formal and informal actions of learning at work, it is important that leadership stimulates these two areas. From the point of view of formal learning actions, there has been an investment in corporate universities that fulfill the function of establishing a theoretical and methodological reference for the educational practice, defining the vision of the professional wanted in the organization and the pedagogical guideline of educational actions to be developed [66]. In this sense, leaders can provide learning opportunities for workers through a broad set of training and development actions, including preparation for new positions in the future.

And in addition to formal workplace education, the leaders also can stimulate the informal learning with actions that are non-systematized, spontaneous, and natural [67]. Literature in the area of learning in organizations supports the theoretical premise that the psychosocial support of peers and bosses to the use of new skills and innovation in individuals' work routines is an important variable to support natural learning in organizations [33]. In this sense, leaders can foster a learning culture as a gradual, cumulative, and ongoing process with struc-

This is important because it is estimated that 90% of work-based learning comes from informal processes that are outside the curricula of educational programs [69]. In this sense, it is up to the leaders to understand that learning at work can occur from a question answered by a more experienced colleague, through daily observation, or reading the books and documents of the organization. Thus, the leader needs to create a work environment that can be considered a space of continuous production and sharing of collective knowledge, since this type of environment provides an informal learning process parallel to the actions of the training system [10].

So, there are basically three fields in which leaders can act to contribute to the professional development of subordinates. The first involves strategic management and concerns the development of a work environment conducive to learning and commitment [2, 12–14]. This environment should be aligned with people management policies that favor learning paths, error management—with the understanding that they bring learning—and knowledge management. It is important for leaders to understand the importance of investing in systemic communication and technology systems that foster peer collaboration. But probably one of the most important aspects is to have shared goals with the work teams and to carry out empowerment that leads to the commitment of the employees and the perception of each one

The second field of action concerns the encouragement of formal learning actions, and the role of leaders is the intellectual stimulation of the team. Training and development actions [1, 16] may take place in different modalities such as distance education, face-to-face or blended learning, and should aim at preparing for the current positions of subordinates and also for

ment of work team members.

tured learning experiences [67, 68].

of their importance in the organization.
