| Abstract: |
Objective Leadership has consistently been recognized as a fundamental element in any group of individuals, playing a critical role whether in defining their roles within society or within the structural confines of an organization. Effective leadership within an organization is crucial for steering its members toward the attainment of established goals and upholding the values defined by the organization. Leadership is extensively defined as the ability to significantly alter the values, beliefs, and attitudes of people, primarily exerting this influence through persuasive and strategic interactions. A crucial aspect of effective leadership involves strategically shaping the mental models of individuals to ensure alignment with the organization’s objectives and foundational values. In today’s era, which is characterized by a remarkably rapid pace of information transmission, distinguishing between good and bad decisions becomes particularly challenging, especially in the face of ongoing crises and environmental changes that introduce significant complexity to the process of sense-making. Indeed, in many scenarios, an individual’s perception of reality can hold more significant implications than reality itself. This research initiative was undertaken with the aim of exploring how the sense-making process can significantly enhance leadership capabilities through the systematic deployment of behavioral scripts and cognitive scripts. Methods Considering the limited resources available in this specific area of study, the grounded theory approach was adopted. This research is firmly grounded in an interpretive paradigm and is classified under qualitative methodologies, employing an inductive approach that also incorporated a retrospective analysis to deepen the understanding of the underlying themes. In this extensive study, a total of 111 randomly selected groups operating at various organizational levels within companies active in the pharmaceutical industry were meticulously examined to gather a broad spectrum of insights. Results The evaluation of leadership effectiveness is predominantly conducted through a detailed analysis of a leader’s followers; hence, interviews were strategically conducted with groups at different organizational levels, always involving the presence of the group leader and at least two of his or her followers. Following the meticulous collection of data, the responses were carefully coded, rigorously analyzed, and the insightful findings subsequently implemented. The thorough analysis revealed eight distinct components of cognitive scripts and four components of behavioral scripts that play significant roles in the sense-making process, thereby facilitating effective leadership empowerment. Conclusion The in-depth insights derived from the interviews and the subsequent coding processes demonstrated that effective sense-making, significantly augmented by the strategic use of behavioral scripts and cognitive scripts, profoundly improves the mental models within an organization, leading to enhanced leadership empowerment. This empowerment equips leaders and their followers to exhibit optimal responses in their roles when confronted with crises, changes, and decisions that are impending, thereby aligning effectively with the strategic goals of the organization. The intricate process of enhancing the mental model, which is crucial for the cultivation of effective leadership, is achieved through diligent and methodical sense-making that respects and incorporates the core values of the organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
