Proximal Outcome of Leadership Development: Changes in Leadership Self-Efficacy Following Leader Development Training

INTRODUCTION: Leadership development (LD) is important in preparing leaders to successfully navigate the future of health care. Measuring the outcome of LD is vital in ensuring that LD programs effectively meet their intended learning outcomes. REVIEW OF LITERATURE: Leader self-efficacy is regarded as a proximal learning outcome seen within weeks to months of LD. Although this outcome has been explored in other industries, it has yet to be explored within the physical therapy profession. To date, there is limited literature evaluating leader self-efficacy or any quantitative outcomes of LD programs in the physical therapy profession. This study aimed to investigate the proximal learning outcome of leader self-efficacy following LAMP Leadership 101: Personal Leadership Development. SUBJECTS: Thirty health care professionals. METHODS: A quantitative 36-item survey including demographic data and the Leader Efficacy Questionnaire (LEQ) was distributed at 3 time points: precourse, 2 weeks post-training, and 6 months post-training. The researchers used inferential statistics through a difference of least squares means analysis to determine if there were changes in leader self-efficacy following the course across the given time frames. RESULTS: Leader self-efficacy increased significantly after LD training (precourse vs 2 weeks posttraining: P < .01; precourse vs 6 months posttraining: P = .01). There was no significant change between the 2 post LD training time points (2 weeks posttraining vs 6 months posttraining: P = .62). The LEQ subcategory of self-regulation efficacy increased significantly after LD training (precourse vs 2 weeks posttraining: P < .01; precourse vs 6 months posttraining: P < .01) again with no differences between 2 weeks posttraining and 6 months posttraining (P = .66). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The increase in LEQ scores after LD training suggests that LD training improves leader self-efficacy. These results may indicate improved leadership competency, including a change in attitudes and beliefs following LD training. Given that there was no significant change between the 2 posttraining time points, these proximal increases in leader self-efficacy may persist as long-term outcomes of LD.