Open Access

Weindel Franziska

• Leadership development is often approached as an individual process focused on traits, competencies, and formal learning interventions. This dissertation reconceptualizes leadership development as a socially embedded, observational, and contextually shaped process, termed Observational Leadership Development. With particular attention to management consultancies as dynamic professional environments characterized by frequent exposure to diverse leader role models, the dissertation draws on social learning theory, identity theory, and qualitative analysis to examine how individuals learn leadership through observing, interpreting, and selectively integrating the behaviors, values, and practices of multiple leader role models. Across three studies, it develops a conceptual understanding of leader role models, identifies key characteristics, and shows how career ambitions, organizational context, and career tenure influence role model selection and leadership learning. It further identifies three reflective processing modes —Leadership development is often approached as an individual process focused on traits, competencies, and formal learning interventions. This dissertation reconceptualizes leadership development as a socially embedded, observational, and contextually shaped process, termed Observational Leadership Development. With particular attention to management consultancies as dynamic professional environments characterized by frequent exposure to diverse leader role models, the dissertation draws on social learning theory, identity theory, and qualitative analysis to examine how individuals learn leadership through observing, interpreting, and selectively integrating the behaviors, values, and practices of multiple leader role models. Across three studies, it develops a conceptual understanding of leader role models, identifies key characteristics, and shows how career ambitions, organizational context, and career tenure influence role model selection and leadership learning. It further identifies three reflective processing modes — situational adaptation, selective integration, and contrastive delineation — that explain how observed leadership experiences are translated into leader identity formation. Building on these insights, the dissertation proposes a Leadership Learning Cycle that captures the recursive interplay of observation, reflection, identity work, and contextual influence in leadership development.…