Introduction
Overview
Management strategies in modern organizations have changed significantly from what they used to be about a century ago. Studies have shown that there has been a systematic shift from the traditional authoritarian rule to a more liberal and democratic approach of managing people (Baroudi & Arulraj, 2019). These changes have been witnessed in both public and private institutions. As people get more liberated and empowered through education, exposure, and close interaction, they get to learn and appreciate the fact that power lies with the people. A leader cannot achieve success without the blessings of the subordinate.
In the past, those in position of power would use coercion to ensure that they get the support of the followers. However, that approach to leadership is no longer effective in the modern society. Instead of coercion, leaders have to learn to be persuasive, understanding, and tolerant. They have to learn to respect junior officers to expect the same from them. According to Cherry and Aloisi (2016), another major shift in leadership is that many young people are finding themselves in positions of management. Many governmental and non-governmental organizations are finding it necessary to incorporate the youth in leadership positions to help them cope with emerging trends and changes that require creativity and innovation.
In the United Arab Emirates, the trend of promoting young people to positions of leadership has been common. Many large corporations operating in the country have been keen on having youths below 35 years to take managerial positions to help drive change. The government has not been left behind in this effort to empower the youth by granting them opportunity to be in leadership positions. The Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, has been promoting competent youths to positions of leadership in public institutions (Calk & Patrick, 2017).
Currently, the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs is headed by Shamma bint Suhail, a young lady who not only represents women but also youth in the country (Eisend et al., 2019). Her appointment to such a powerful position was an indication that the government trusts young people to lead and develop governmental entities and the country in general. Part of Dubai’s vision 2021 is to ensure that youths play a leading role in defining and implementing policies meant to promote sustainable socio-economic and political growth of the country.
Informed by this context, this research focuses on the platforms provided for the Emirati youth and whether they are ready to take up roles in the UAE’s Future Foresight Strategy. The UAE’s need to develop its youth leadership and young people’s desire to be engaged actively in the development of their country, is explained by Boyd (2001) who asserts that “leadership skills are essential for young people to feel satisfaction and contribute to society”.
Indeed, the New National Initiative program of the Shabab Emirates Foundation states: For the Emirates Foundation, we are now moving towards a new future with a new direction and a new corporate identity. Our aim is to contribute positively to the society of the UAE.1 Based on our belief that young people play a vital role in community development and are the country’s future, we have made a conscious decision to put young people as our main focus and we are now launching an integrated national initiative that invests in the UAE youth.2
Youth leaders are young people in managerial positions in private or public entities. This research will explore the capabilities that these youthful leaders possess, in contrast to their positions in organizations. Furthermore, the thesis will specifically explore the challenges that have limited these leaders from achieving growth in their careers. These challenges need to be identified in order to provide comprehensive research that identifies the problems faced by youth leaders in the UAE. Understanding the capabilities of these young leaders will make it possible to find ways of empowering young people when they are still in school to ensure that they embrace productive behavior.
They need to understand their own weaknesses to find ways of overcoming them (Akhras, 2019). Identifying challenges that young leaders in the country face makes it possible for all stakeholders to work as a unit in fighting them. Some of these challenges may require the attention of top leaders to help in changing the system and structure of the local organizations. The goals should be to create an environment where young people can thrive and become successful leaders.
People have different understanding of what the concept of leadership mean based on various factors (McCleskey, 2014). The concept of leadership began with a study on explicit characters that are reflected to be heroic such as Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Caesar, and Nelson, and many others who represented what we think a leader should be (Bennett & Murakami, 2016). Many countries provided numbers exhibiting good youth behavior because of the fundamental skills such as making decisions, communicating, self-awareness, and working with others and being part of a team. These required skills are called leadership life skills and are seen in the old generation.
Youth get the feeling of self- satisfaction when participating in society and through attaining essential leadership skills (Boyd, 2001). Therefore, offering young aged people leadership opportunities enables them to develop, promotes their personal growth and increases the positive environment. Increasing opportunities given to youth allows them to become more active in the community and while creating lifelong skills.
The youth generation is known for being afraid of long-term commitments to firms, causing organizations to avoid appointing them in leadership positions (Lancaster & Stillman, 2002). The process of these skills development enables the youth to adjust and cope with the surrounding environment through making reasonable and responsible decisions, understanding their values well and being able to better communicate with others. Therefore, many organizations are developing their training systems to include these skills with young employees.
Over the past several decades, organizations have changed drastically concerning developments and work structure methods. Many institutions have changed from the traditional organizational layout to flatter and leaner systems that focus on a team-based workforce (Bennett & Murakami, 2016). Leadership nature also has changed significantly over time. Leadership scholars’ focus has shifted in the 21st century, as they began to concentrate on skills to make sure that it can be progressed and attained through training (Mumford et al., 2017).
They emphasized that skills such as problem-solving skills, creative thinking skills, social judgment skills, and solution construction skills, should be acquired through the leader’s career journey. Globalization, the digital revolution, social media eras have also imposed significant challenges and constraints before companies and their managements. This, in turn, created the need for filtering and eradicating the restrictions that hinder development and progress such as; aged people, lazy workers, and useless professional development. Hence, youth growth and new ideas started to control and be prominent in various administrations in all sectors all over the world. Youth roles and ideas now spread in many prominent international organizations around the world.
Background of the Study: The Impact of Youth in Developing the Organization
The current report “Leadership EQ360” shows the importance of the self-evaluation in the person’s life development cycle. This cycle firstly starts with authenticity, which means serving the organization a fair and role model. Secondly, coaching, which means supporting the employee’s growth, is also considered important. Thirdly, the insight which means sharing the vision with colleagues inside the organization should not be ignored. Finally, the innovative leader who spurts the employees’ innovation and genius capacities must be embraced at all times. Turkaya and Tirthalia (2010) conducted a study entitled the “Youth leadership development in virtual worlds”.
Their focus was to check and assess the impact of ‘The Dream It. Do It Initiative’ (D.I.D.I.), which is an informal implemented learning program in Teen Second Life (TSL), on developing leadership attitudes (Turkaya & Tirthalia, 2010). The TSL Avenue was enhanced and supported in leadership exploration. Through this program, the volunteers or ventures had awareness with issues in the community as they started to gain leadership skills such as, responsibility, determination, leadership; and learned the best use of mistakes in projects improvement.
A study by Boudreau (2016) notes that youth have become critical to modern organizations when it comes to embracing emerging technologies. The study indicates that youths are more flexible and receptive towards change than the older workers.
In an environment where a firm is likely to encounter change in various contexts, it has become undesirable to have all the top managerial positions headed by older workers. A need is emerging where the experience of the old managers must be balanced with the creativity and flexibility of young workers. The goal is to ensure that when a firm is faced with a situation where it has to embrace change within a short period, young managers can take the lead and help (Elliott & Earl, 2018). It explains why many organizations are currently promoting youth to senior managerial positions that enable them to make policy decisions.
The Problem Statement in the Context of the UAE
The MENA region has one of the largest populations of youth in the world. According to a study by Oxford Business Group (2020), about 50% of the population in this region is under the age of 25 years. In the UAE, the study estimates that over 34% of the population is aged 25 years or less. The UAE society is characterized as a youth society, where the percentage of youth in the country is 50% of the total population (AL Bayan News, 2018). The government has invested a lot of resources in empowering youth in the country. Local centers for excellence and leadership development have made it possible for young people to understand what is expected of them when assigned leadership positions (Girma, 2016).
Evidence from work world CCL data from 462 global respondents shows that over 95% of responded believed leadership development should begin by age 21 (Velsor & Wright 2012). The government has also sponsored some students to further their studies in Europe and North America so that they can gain unique skills needed in managing both private and public institutions in the country. The effort demonstrates government’s commitment towards promoting youth leadership in the country. It is an indication that the rulers of the UAE understand the significance of empowering youths so that they can play active role in the country’s socio-economic and political development.
Training someone to embrace leadership does not mean that they will automatically become successful leaders. As Louis and Murphy (2017) observe, people are taught that theft and corruption is unethical, but they still go ahead to embrace these vices. Similarly, it is possible that the country has spent a lot of resources training youths to become leaders, but in reality, the majority of them cannot practice what they are taught.
Cimatti (2016) observes that traits such as being irrational, abrasive, and disrespectful are often associated with young leaders. Instead of using their authority to guide their teams towards a common vision of success, they take advantage of their newly gained power to show their peers that they are at the top. Such traits are often disruptive because it limits teamwork and the ability of a leader to earn the respect of subordinates.
Cascio and Boudreau (2016) argue that it is crucial to ensure that youths are granted positions of power but with proper guidance. There is a general perception that most of the leadership positions in the country are dominated by the elderly citizens. The problem is that after spending a lot of resources and time to train youths on how to become successful leaders, the country is not granting them the opportunity to practice what they have learned. It is necessary to find a way of addressing this problem while at the same time ensuring that youths granted positions of power demonstrate competence instead of abusing their power. They can use this opportunity to play critical roles in developing the country both socio-economically and also in political aspects.
Accordingly, the UAE must pay attention to this matter if they are to develop a general framework for youth leadership, as well as methods and principles to develop its leadership system. A number of prominent programs, which train people in the qualifications of leadership, have been devised in the United Arab Emirates. These focus first on the emirate government establishing schools to develop leaders, including the Mohammed Bin Rashid Center and the Abdul Aziz bin Humaid program to prepare leaders (Meleady & Crisp, 2017).
Then, they focus on establishing an integrated system at the state level to prepare leaders, which can be seen in the UAE model of government leadership. The UAE Government Leadership Model program provides a guiding framework for high-level leaders of the future. According to Mathias (2017), development of the next generation of leaders in the UAE’s governmental organization is viewed as a strategic challenge that the current leaders cannot ignore. Measures need to be taken to ensure that youths are empowered so that they can become effective future leaders.
The model depicted UAE Government Leadership Model was designed in 2019 to help young people to unleash their potential (United Arab Emirates Cabinet, 2020). Using this model, the UAE government can meet the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and also achieve its Vision 2021 and Centennial 2071.The model is composed of three main aspects: achievements and impact, future outlook, and leadership spirit. The UAE government also published a report that outlines 1,500 leaders from different leadership programs, including strategic leaders, executive leaders, future leaders, and leaders from the last UAE youth leaders program.
This highlights significant changes affecting government organizations that want to be ready to face difficulties and challenges in the next 2–5 years. These initiatives are meant to ensure that youths in this country can understand and appreciate the role they need to play for the development of the country. As Chau and Liu (2019) observe, sometimes one does not need to be in position of power to exercise and demonstrate leadership. Uniting team members and rallying them towards a common goal maybe the only initiative that one needs to take to help its organization realize its goals. Young people need to learn the significance of being proactive as a way of enhancing their chances of becoming leaders.
Significance of the Study
Since the 1970s, the United Arab Emirates witness drastic and comprehensive change in its effort to empower youth to ensure that they contribute to the country’s development and progress. Under the leadership of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid, the UAE Government has visions that facilitate people lives and businesses interacting with the government and contributes in establishing Dubai as a leading economical hub. Also, there is a mission that calls for achieving a virtual government through provisioning of high-quality customer focused on electronic services for individuals, businesses and government departments and to promote e-Services adoption through customer management.
The UAE has a government framework embracing the seven emirates, governed by Abu Dhabi. Every emirate has its government, the intricacy of which differs as indicated by the size and populace of the emirates. Each emirate has a voice in the typical organization of the nation, in both the preeminent chamber and the bureau. However, the status and intensity of the ground-breaking emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai are evident in the growth of the economy.
Singular emirates hold formidable force and self-governance in running their economies and social frameworks (UAE Ministry of Justice, 2018). H.H. Sheikh Mohammed serves additionally as Prime Minister (UAE Ministry of Justice, 2018). The Ruler also made Sheikh Mohammed his Minister of Defense; thus, he became the world’s youngest defense minister. These initiatives are meant to promote youth leadership in the country. It demonstrates that the government trusts their ability to offer leadership.
The connection between the central and devolved governments is set down in the constitution and permits some adaptability in the circulation of power. The current government, despite everything, has a significant influence in the administration of the UAE and keeping up a job in guaranteeing that citizens have free access to their rulers. This is a demonstration of clear, strong leadership, by keeping the emirates unified.
Devi (2017) reported that the country is building a new government ministry- unique in the world- to engage and empower the nation’s youth. The primary goal is to connect youth to their government and the UAE government to their youth, elevating young people’s voices and serving as their seat at the table. Despite the many challenges in the region, there is hope, life, and a brighter future every day within the society, as the ruler of Dubai noted.
This study will play a major role in promoting youth leadership in the country in line with the country’s vision 2021. It will start by identifying the current state of leadership. Such an analysis will help in demonstrating whether the country is on the right path towards fulfilling its desire to have a high representation of young people in senior managerial positions. This study will then identify possible challenges that youth face in their effort to attain leadership positions. As Shamira and Eilam-Shamir (2017) observe, although the government has done a lot to promote youth leadership, their representation in public institutions is significantly low. The study will explain why there is still a low youth representation in management position of government organizations in the UAE.
The primary objective will be to find out how to build strong youth leaders in the UAE governmental organizations. The study seeks to respond to the question about the relevance of competency-based leadership among Emirati youths seeking leadership positions in government institutions. The government has a responsibility of ensuring that they assign people roles that they can undertake instead of just basing promotion on one’s age.
As such, when youths fail to demonstrate leadership qualities, then chances are that they may be less likely to be promoted. This study will also identify potential challenges to youth leadership and discuss ways in which they can be managed. The information will be crucial to the policy makers as well as educators who are keen on empowering local youths to become leaders in both public and private entities.
This is important for two reasons, first it will add to the literature on youth leadership specifically in the UAE and Arab world. It will add to the knowledge by developing the core competencies that are needed to create strong youth leaders in the country and the Arab world. Secondly, the research will provide a clear path on how to develop effective programs to empower and support the youth. This finding will help the government and policy makers to prepare the youth to be leaders by providing the required training that will mainly focus on the core competencies (Patel et al., 2017).
It will help them develop the vision, goals, and understanding of the importance of newcomer adjustment in the UAE government sector and in the Arab world context. The report, which will be provided to the organizations taking part in the study, will contain findings about the ways they can improve youth leaders to become future leaders through organizational practices. The findings will be published in international conferences, journals, and reports.
The study will highlight the importance of having a model of youth leadership in the UAE government. It will identify prospective youth leaders, initiating programs to support and train future youth leaders, and try to add value to existing youth-leadership platforms. It is expected that it will help develop skills for future youth leaders and creates a new model, which has not previously been tested empirically.
Findings made will help decision makers to create and build organizational apparatus for UAE youth leaders in the government. In so doing, this research will offer a new policy that governments can follow and from which they can learn in the future.It is expected that this study will help managers and newcomers implement the organization process successfully, by providing a framework that outlines what they are aiming to achieve and how they might achieve these changes.
It will benefit the organization immensely, particularly the Federal Human Resource Authority and Ministry of Youth Affairs (Sherif, 2018). In designing a model that is specific for youth leaders and that helps millennial to be leaders in the future, this thesis will help to develop their skills and help them to be more talented. It could also influence programs that will lead to UAE government youth leaders’ outcomes. A study by Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (2019) shows the growing relevance of data-based decision-making as in future leadership as the concept of big data continue to gain popularity. Institutions of higher learning within the country should train future leaders on how to make important decisions based on factual information instead of emotions.
Research Aim
This research aims to measure the effect of influential UAE youth leaders’ capabilities on the development of governmental organizations. This study will investigate competencies expected of a youth leader and the impact on building practical skills, which will create effective Emirati youth future leaders in national organizations. This research will enable governmental organizations to support future youth programs.
It will likewise add value to the existing youth-leadership platforms when understanding skills and the characteristics that can lead and inspire people in organizations (Green & Jenkins, 2014). Furthermore, in recent studies, the researched competencies were not investigated all in one study. Therefore, the study will be the first to fully analyze the impact of future youth competencies on organizational development in the context of the UAE and to develop a competency-based model for youth leadership development in the country’s governmental organizations.
Research Objectives
The concept of leadership is widely researched because of its significance in the society. As Kaurani (2020) advises, when conducting a study, it is advisable to have clearly defined objectives that help in differentiating it from existing bodies of literature. The objectives help the researcher to understand specific information that should be gathered from various sources based on what needs to be accomplished. One is able to determine if the study is a success by determining if the objectives were realized. The following are the objectives that the researcher seeks to achieve through this study.
- To examine the relevance of competency-based leadership among Emirati youths seeking leadership positions in government institutions using quantitative methods of analyzing primary data.
- To investigate the impact of leadership competencies on the readiness of future youths in the United Arab Emirates governmental organizations.
- To develop and test a competency-based model that links variables together to support governmental organizations in selecting and developing future generations of youth competent leaders.
Research Questions
When the research objectives have been defined, it sets the stage for the researcher to develop research questions. The set questions should help in achieving the research objectives, as Kumar (2019) observes. They eliminate cases where one ends up collecting data, which are irrelevant to the study. The primary questions set at this stage also help in defining the questions that will be developed in the questionnaire. The following are the primary research questions for this study, based on the research objectives discussed above.
- What is the relevance of competency-based leadership among Emirati youths seeking leadership positions in government institutions?
- What is the impact of leadership competencies on the readiness of future youths in the United Arab Emirates governmental organizations?
- What is the competency-based model that supports the UAE Governmental Organizations in selecting and developing future generations of youth competent leaders?
Structure of the Thesis
This thesis has six main chapters. The first chapter provides detailed background information about the study. Significance of the research and its theoretical and practical impact are outlined. The chapter also discusses the problem statement before stating research aim, objectives and research questions. In Chapter 2, the researcher reviews the literature on the impact of youth leadership in developing organizations, and then presents a recommended model for leadership competences.
This chapter also identified research gaps that have to be addressed through primary data collection and analysis. Chapter 3 presents the methods and the research design used to collect and analyze primary data, and Chapter 4 describes and presents findings made from the analysis, which are further discussed in detail in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 explains the theoretical and practical implications for youth leadership and its competences, human resource management and organizational structure in the UAE context. The researcher concludes with the limitations of the study and recommendations for future research.
Literature Review
Overview
The primary goal of this chapter is to review previous research on youth development leadership and competencies. The researcher seeks to identify the knowledge gap in the existing literature on youth leadership in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It presents the conceptual framework of keywords with in-depth analysis. Furthermore, the related theories are presented, and the hypotheses for the current study are developed. At the current era, leadership is an essential asset in our youth society. The leadership skill which youth acquire is very significant in getting self-confidence, self-satisfaction, and contribution to community and nation (Scheer, 1997).
The purpose of reviewing the literature is to shed light on the future youth creation involved in United Arab Emirates Governmental Organizations as this is very significant for the community, country, and youth. According to Boyd et al. (1992), understanding the variability of skills leads to identifying individual leadership. There are a lot of benefits for youth from the development of leadership such as; youth can communicate effectively with others, be responsible and make the right decision, understand their values profoundly and better.
According to Groff (1992), making the right and wise decisions, solving problems, and setting goals are not confined to a leader’s skills but are the necessary and successful in building life skills. It can help teenagers to develop unique life skills that will help them in future when they want to become leaders. It defines roles they need to play and relationships they need to develop to achieve success in life.
Conceptual Framework
Definition of Leadership
To get a concise definition which this research hopes to establish, a number of common definitions were put forward. Garton (2017, p. 12) argues that “Inspiring leaders are individuals who use a combination of unique skills and capabilities to motivate other people embrace bold missions and hold them accountable for outcome.” The concept of leadership involves mobilizing others within an organization to remain committed towards shared aspirations (Kouzes & Posner, 1995). This concept also refers to a purposeful relationship among individuals who use their unique capabilities to influence and advocate for change (Michael & Kearns, 2005).
Leadership does not involve trying to win more advocates. Instead, a good leader tries to build, train, and mentor others. Therefore, leaders should explore intrinsic aptitudes in others, then promote and fertilize growth until they see the thriving of a future leader with comprehensive capacities. Williams (2005) believes that it is necessary to promote the talent of junior workers, specifically their competence, confidence, and personal responsibility. To create a promising setting for achievements, leaders need to value individuals and inform them of their capabilities. Essentially, leaders are developed through feedback, coaching, and development of strengths, while simultaneously managing weaknesses, giving praise, and taking risks.
Williams (2005) suggested four dimensions to leadership. They include operational leadership, which focuses on the daily tasks and how things are run; Strategic leadership in which leaders take actions and decisions based on long-term goals rather than short-term gains; performance leadership, which focuses on the performance and attainment of results, usually by keeping the good ones in and taking the under-performing people out.
Finally Inspirational leadership, which is the most desirable type of leader, looks for talents and pushes them forward. Talent may manifest in different forms. Striving to maximize talent requires a person to be motivated to accomplish their tasks, while also understanding talent as an intellectual ability to make decisions and the ability to relate and empathize effectively with others. It is also important to empower others and to feed team members with well-deserved praise, rather than hoarding recognition.
Thus, this leader trusts their members (Williams, 2005). Leadership may be viewed as an art of inspiring and empowering others to achieve a vision and build success. In a business context, it involves leading a group or groups towards a known goal. A leader combines character strengths and acquired skills in order to reach successful outcomes.
When defining the concept of youth leadership, Leuenberger (2006) emphasizes the need to be as simple as possible. It is necessary to use words that can be understood easily by the target audience. When stating whether an individual is a good leader or not, Madsen (2010a) argues that there are specific factors that should be considered. For instance, the way in which a person relates with others will help in determining their effectiveness to guide others.
The followers have the best capacity to explain why they believe one is a better leader. They can state if the individual motivates them towards success and challenges that they sometimes face as they try to achieve specific objectives. When one tries to state the level of one’s effectiveness in leadership, Baroudi and Arulraj (2019) state that it is often important to know when such decisions are based on an individual’s financial skills, ethics, emotional intelligence, legal knowledge, or a combination of all these factors.
In most of the cases, one may not be perfect in everything. However, they must know how to balance and how to delegate duties responsibly and conduct supervision to ensure that intended goals are realized. Some of these definitions of leadership are universally acceptable, such as the ability to guide and offer support to others to help them achieve specific goals. However, others remain controversial such as the argument as to whether leaders are born or made.
When defining leadership, some scholars insist that the ability of an individual to have a vision and share it effectively with others is a natural skill that one is born with (Ahmad, Agrawal, & Khan, 2014). Such skills often manifest at very tender ages. One child will always be the vision bearer of the rest of the team, always coming up with games that they should play or how to address issues they face in life. It explains why factors such as physical attribute of an individual (height, gender, race, appearance) define their likelihood of becoming a leader in democratic processes where one may make decision based on how they perceive that individual.
Although such arguments have their merits, Yahaya (2016) believe that when such skills are not natured, then they may amount to nothing when it comes to defining a successful leader. One must learn how to relate with others, how to coordinate them, ways of overcoming their weaknesses, and strategies that can be used to motivate everyone towards success. The essence of leadership is to make others understand a common vision and be committed towards achieving organizational goals. Emotional intelligence, empathy, commitment, visionary, and experience all play a critical role in defining great leadership.
Successful leaders must understand the relevance of service to the people (Hunt & Fedynich, 2019). Leaders who neglect the good of their people will be forsaken. Individuals trusted with management positions must understand that leadership is a service, not a gateway to privilege. Leadership is the art of inspiring and empowering others to achieve a vision and build success. In a business context, it involves leading a group or groups towards a known goal (Houwer, 2016). Successful leaders combine character strengths and acquired skills in order to reach successful outcomes. They should always develop high level of competency which makes a real difference in developing the organization and the country
Youth Leadership
Scholarly articles have been written on leadership and the characteristics of a great leader. This is an essential topic for organizations, governments, and industrials firms to succeed. However, limited studies have been conducted on how it develops in youth. In reality, scholars are unclear whether to view leadership as a talent or ability, or a combination of both (Pfeiffer, 2001). In 2016, the United Arab Emirates created various youth organizations to help play an essential role in promoting early leadership among the local youth (Madsen, 2010b).
The study identifies a case where His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum appointed Shamma Bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui to serve as the Minister of State for Youth Affairs, making her the youngest serving minister in the country. It gave hope to the youth in the country that the government can consider them suitable candidates to hold important positions in the government. Therefore, leadership skills are crucial for young individuals to develop a sense of belonging, have a positive attitude and in return, contribute to society (Boyd, 2001).
Leadership means to be involved in community activities that develop the society to be a better place. Moreover, leadership skills which youth acquire are significant in getting self-confidence, self-satisfaction, and contribution to community and nation (Scheer, 1997). The purpose of reviewing the literature is to shed light on the creation of youth leadership in United Arab Emirates governmental organizations as this is very significant for the community, country, and the next generation.
Moreover, there are many committees and societies that call for involvement of youth in private and public organizations. One such society is the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) (Akhras, 2019). The society defines unique skills and qualifies that a leader should exhibit to be successful in guiding others towards success. They include interpersonal skills, personal attributes, team-building capabilities, one’s capacity to allocate and manage resources effectively, and communication capacity. The society insist that youths must learn that leadership involves embracing a wide range of attributes, remaining accountable, and able to make others share one’s vision without coercion.
Youth Leadership Development
Edelman et al. (2004) conducted a study entitled “Youth Development & Youth Leadership”. The outcome of their study showed that the majority of youth programs have youth advancement as their centre of focus. Successful youth administration programs expand on strong youth improvement standards, with an accentuation on those zones of improvement and program segments that help promote youth authority. Their findings show that it is important for directors and youth administration experts to understand how they can guide these young workers so that they can understand what is expected of them to become future leaders. They should know how to guide youths to gain respect and authority that is needed to guide others towards achieving a common organizational goals.
Reviewing studies conducted about youth leadership development will help in achieving the primary objective of the research. A study Girma (2016) focuses on the relationship that exists among the style of leadership, job satisfaction, and organizational culture. It revealed that the leadership style that the top managers embrace defines the organizational culture, which in turn defines the level of satisfaction of employees. It helps in understanding what leaders can do to enhance levels of satisfaction among subordinates. Fernández-Aráoz et al (2017) focused on identifying specific factors that limit youth’s capacity to become leaders. Some of them do not even get to fulfill their potential because of various environmental factors.
The researcher starts this section by furnishing the reader with a conversation regarding the matter of who precisely are talented understudies. The tripartite model of skill is introduced as one valuable conceptualization of talent, which gives a basis to various approaches to plan instructive projects for the gifted student, including humanities educational programs. The part additionally talks about essential standards of skilled instruction and finishes up with an assessment of a couple of humanities programs intended for the talented understudy. This approach makes it possible to have a comprehensive understanding of the concept of youth leadership development.
Understanding Youth-Leadership Development
The concept of youth leadership development has attracted the attention of many scholars over the past years. There has been an attempt to find ways of addressing some of the major weaknesses associated with youth to ensure that they can develop skills and experience that can make them to be trusted with leadership. Yahaya (2016) notes that there is a perception that youth tend to be irrational and, in a rush, when making critical decisions, which makes them less desirable when it comes to holding some senior positions in an organization.
Such traits mean that they can make decisions, which may have devastating consequences on a firm. Sherif (2018) emphasizes that when defining leadership, it is critical to take into it is necessary to ensure that it revolves around three main dimensions. The three dimensions are critical reflection, positive engagement in community activities, and interpersonal skills and interaction (Cascio & Boudreau, 2016).
As Gardner (1993, p.1) asserts, “Leaders come in many varieties, with many different styles and values. There are silent leaders and leaders that one can recognize.” The scholar further argues that some leaders find strength in their eloquence, others in judgment, while others in courage. The YELL study that was headed by Gardner (1993) has shown that young leaders have a lot in common with adult leaders: despite variations in their style and focus. The study indicated that they undertake their chosen activities with great strength and passion. This study summarizes findings made by these scholars on dimensions of youth leadership development.
The study primarily utilizes qualitative research to explain the phenomenon under investigation. This will be done in the form of conducting field observations and online interviews. The study also includes findings made from survey analyses as discussed in the next chapter of this document. The analysis of data draws on information obtained from YELL that includes their annual reports, especially foundation reports and funding proposals (Strobel & Nelson, 2007).
The Adult and Youth Leadership Development Perspective
MacNeil (2006) argues that youth leadership in the youth development literature and adult leadership in the leadership literature take opposite directions. While youth leadership literature focuses on leadership ability (such as skills, talents, and knowledge), the central concern of adult leadership literature is the authority (such as decision-making). From the perspective of adult leadership literature, leaders learn and acquire the skills and knowledge of leadership by practicing them in a real-life context. In reality, young people do not create policies or make decisions that have any real impact or consequences, either in schools or within community organizations (Chau & Liu, 2019).
While adult leadership literature engages with a combination of authority and ability, as considerations for successful leadership, youth leadership literature is lacking the part concerning authority. There are significant differences and similarities between adult leadership and youth leadership.
Youth Leadership Development
Youth leadership development, as mentioned above, focuses on skills, talents, and knowledge of an individual, as opposed to authority that is expected of adult leaders. It means that young leaders are expected to have unique capabilities that make them stand out from the rest. The Gifted Rating Scale-School Form (GRS) is a multidimensional model that enables a teacher to rate a student based on a given scale to determine their growth and development (Worthington & Bodie, 2017).
Empirical studies have supported the accuracy of GRS in measuring leadership potentials among youth. Some of the major components of youth leadership that can be measured using this model include exposure that a youth has to various leadership opportunities within the community, the leadership curriculum, and interactions that they have with experienced adult leaders (Cimatti, 2016). Others include exposure to challenging learning projects and self-reflection assignments. These forces help youth to gain critical knowledge and experience that may help them become leaders at a tender age. They will gain the ability to coordinate others and to make important decisions that can enhance success of their organizations.
When using this model, it is apparent that not every young person has the capacity to become a leader. In fact, in most of the cases only a small fraction of young leaders demonstrate that they have the capacity to take leadership even when faced with major challenges in life. However, Sherif (2018) argues that most of the young people can acquire relevant skills, refine their leadership capabilities, and gain the right values if they get the right motivation from people around them and offered opportunities to sharpen these skills. It should start at a tender age to ensure that one grows understanding the value of being responsible. A child should the significance of social judgment, knowing that their actions have consequences. They must learn to read feelings of people around them and act appropriately (Shamira & Eilam-Shamir, 2017).
As they grow up, their temperament, aptitude, personality, passion towards helping others, and motivations towards developmental issues should be natured. This way, they grow up knowing that leadership is about taking responsibilities, not issuing instructions. They must know that they have to lead from front, by being the role model to followers and offering them the right support (Worthington & Bodie, 2017). It helps in promoting servant leadership among the youth.
Ricketts and Rudd (2002) published a study entitled “A Comprehensive Leadership Education Model to Train, Teach, and Develop Leadership in Youth”. The researchers conducted a meta-analysis case study on youth leadership development and the youth models of developing leadership, training, and teaching were successfully built. Saving the education of leadership with suffering in the availability of data on youth leadership development, the model was successfully changed to be a framework to teach students leadership (Ricketts & Rudd, 2002). The identified dimensions of the model were:
- leadership information and knowledge,
- the attitude of leadership, their will, and desire,
- their capacity of making decisions, critical thinking capabilities, and reasoning,
- written and oral skills of communication,
- inter and intrapersonal relations (Deb et al., 2019).
There were many suggestions and recommendation related to consider this model the first step in designing a teaching curriculum to empower students and youth with leadership genes in a formal setting.
Turkaya and Tirthalia (2010) conducted a study entitled “Youth leadership development in virtual worlds.” The primary goal of the study was to investigate the impact of ‘The Dream It’ concept and The Do It Initiative, which is an informal implemented learning program in Teen Second Life (TSL), on developing leadership attitudes. The TSL Avenue was enhanced and supported in leadership exploring. Through this program, the volunteers had awareness with issues in the community as they started to gain leadership skills such as; responsibility, determination, leadership; and learned the best use of mistakes in projects improvement. The researchers conclude that virtual worlds, as places for engagement, can indeed be used as platforms to help youth in exploring their leadership potential with support from parents and educators.
Shaikh et al. (2019) conducted a study titled “Youth Leadership Development in the Start to Finish Running & Reading Club”. The researchers of the study have attested that offering purposeful influential leadership positions to youth can assist them with developing fundamental abilities (e.g., correspondence, essential leadership). In their study, they contend that not only a few physical movements-based affirmative youth improvement programs offer youth purposeful influential positions. Not many studies have investigated the impact of these opportunities on young individuals who take advantage of them. The reason for this examination was to comprehend the formative encounters of youth pioneers in a physical-movement based positive youth improvement program. Sixteen youth pioneers (Mage= 13.37, SD = 1.36) from 4 destinations of the Start to Finish Running and Reading Club took part in semi-organized meetings to talk about their encounters as junior mentors.
The model of youth initiative advancement developed by Fertman and Linden (1999) was used to manage information assortment and examination. Through deductive-inductive topical investigation, three subjects were built:
- mindfulness: forming into pioneers began with seeing potential through good examples,
- cooperation: learning through communication with others enabled youth to sharpen their administration skills,
- dominance: assuming on more noteworthy liability took into consideration chances to refine authority capacities and build up an assortment of fundamental abilities.
These topics assisted with carrying a comprehension to the procedures in question in authority and significant ability advancement. Pragmatic and research suggestions are examined in regards to utilizing youth administration openings in youth programming.
Ngai et al. (2012) conducted a study titled “Youth leadership training in Hong Kong: current developments and the way ahead.” The study explains the intercession objectives, spaces, and methodologies of youth leadership preparing programs in Hong Kong utilizing information gathered on the Internet. The outcomes show that adolescent administration preparing plans in Hong Kong are structured and sorted out to accomplish five objectives:
- helping youngsters to achieve positive advancement also, develop their initiative potential,
- upgrading the capacity of youngsters to frame relational connections and participate in group building,
- empowering youngsters to take an interest in network undertakings and social administrations,
- cultivating a national character and a more profound comprehension of the motherland and
- preparing youngsters with a universal viewpoint.
These objectives are accomplished through five related preparing areas, including the individual, relational, network, national and global regions. The intercession procedures, as of now utilized in these projects, include experiential learning, experience-based preparing, administration learning, non-neighborhood presentation, and task-based challenge procedures. The attributes of the administration preparing programs and their suggestions for the future advancement of approach and practice in Hong Kong are additionally discussed.
The current findings from Ngai et al. (2012) have important practical implications for leadership program implementation related to supporting basic needs of youth. First, the study identified the importance of delivering a program that promotes youth leadership and also outlines the importance of future training for administrators and leaders. Such training should include strategies outlining how to intentionally shape programs and activities that support all three of youth’s basic needs to maximize youth development. The explicit strategies outlined by leaders in the current study help further explain how basic needs can be fostered in a leadership program context and provide strategies on how to create similar environments. Second, the study emphasizes the significance youth getting their voice to ensure that they can express themselves in the right way (Guèvremont et al., 2014).
One of the biggest challenges that youth often face is the inability to communicate clearly, especially when faced with a major challenge. As such, the program encouraged institutions of learning to ensure that their students get involved in extra-curriculum activities on a regular basis as a way of empowering them. Such programs will help in improving strategies and skills that necessary for them to meet psychological needs. Walker (2007) argues that it should often start by these young aspiring leaders understanding their environment and then relating it with their psychological needs. They have to balance between meeting these needs and remaining ethical and respectful and responsible.
Adult Leadership Development
This study focused on youth leadership that is based on core competencies. However, it is necessary to have a brief review of adult leadership to understand the difference. According to Devi (2017), the concept of leadership is often associated with adults, mostly those who are over 35 years. Studies have indicated that an overwhelming majority of people in senior public leadership positions are over 40 years in almost every country in the world (Sherif, 2018).
A few youths in leadership positions in government entities are often meant to achieve affirmative action that focus on youth empowerment. The same is the case in leading private corporations. Most of the youths who are in management in the private sectors are owners of such businesses or are related to the owner (Worthington & Bodie, 2017). There is a perception that youths are more irrational, inexperienced, and more likely to take major risks, traits that many major organizations do not expect of their top leaders.
Adult leadership differs significantly from youth leadership in terms of the source of authority. While youths will have the authority they need to lead only if they demonstrate unique traits such as accountability, creativity, respect, unique capacity to make correct decision, and perseverance, adult leaders draw their authority from their experience and age (Eisend, Kuss, & Eisend, 2019). As one gets older, there is a general belief that they get more experience.
Their age automatically earns them respect, which brings with it the authority they need to lead. Their decisions can easily be trusted and it is less likely that they can be irrational when making crucial decision. They understand the relevance of consultation with various stakeholders before identifying a specific path they need to take to achieve success. As such, adults may not need to struggle as much as youths to get into senior managerial positions (Yahaya, 2016). Even when they lack some of the unique skills expected of a youth leader, they can still ascend to positions of power primarily based on their experience and ability to coordinate colleagues towards a common goal.
Leadership Characteristics and Competency
It is important to start by defining the word competency in order to understand the concept of competency based leadership. According to Elliott and Earl (2018), the word ‘competency’ originated from a Latin word, ‘competentia’, which refers to ‘that which has the right to speak’ or ‘that which is authorized to judge’. It is important to note the emphasis on ‘the right to’ and ‘authorized to’ in that definition. It means that competency is associated with authority. One can only have the authority over others if he has a unique skill or power that others lack. Sherif (2018) simply defines competency as being in a state of sufficiency or fitness.
It means that when an individual is considered competent, they must have the capacity to undertake a given task with ease based on their unique skills and capabilities. It must be seen that they not only have the desire to undertake that responsibility but they also need to show that they have the needed skills and some form of experience. Yahaya (2016) argues that there are always some controversies when defining the concept of leadership because of the different perspectives that different scholars have. However, most of these definitions tend to associate competency with the capacity, proficiency, and ability of an individual to undertake specific responsibilities as expected of them.
The above definition means that competency-based leadership focuses on unique skills that a youth may have to make them qualified to lead. It is often common to find cases where an individual is awarded a leadership position because of their relationship with the top executives in the firm. The company may belong to the parent, and as such, one is assigned a senior managerial position because of the family ties (Cooper, 2000; Dalton, 1997). Competency-based leadership emphasizes the need for one to demonstrate that they have the capacity to offer leadership. The relationship that the youth has with the top managers notwithstanding, they have to show that they qualify to hold these positions. In the definition above, it was noted that competency mean having the right to speak or the authority to judge.
One will only have the right to speak if the audience feels they have what it takes to create a positive difference. Having the authority to judge means that such an individual has the capacity to differentiate right from wrong. When making the judgment, a leader is expected to be fair and capable of making decisions that everyone would consider satisfactory. According to Eva et al. (2019), authority often comes with a sense of respect.
Naturally, it is often expected that young people should respect their elders, which explains why an older person is more likely to be granted the position of leadership. When trying to promote youth leadership, it is important to ensure that these young employees have unique capabilities that can enable them to attract the respect of their peers and elders (Caupin et al., 2006; Byham & Moyer, 2000; Cooper, 2000; Mirabile, 1997). As such, they need specific traits that may not only earn them respect but admiration among colleagues at work. These traits will help them gain the authority they need to make critical decisions at work. It will enable them have the capacity to mobilize and guide them effectively towards specific goals. The following are some of the main areas that youths are expected to demonstrate unique capabilities to be considered competency-based youth leaders.
Accountability
Accountability is a rational attitude that adopts the internal instincts towards having the responsibility to assess one’s actions and behavior for the benefit of both individuals and the organization (Elechi & Maraizu, 2019). Therefore, to preserve ethical leadership demeanor in business and management, organizations need to limit and eliminate the tendency that a leader might participate in any inappropriate behavior by implementing accountability (Ghanemet al., 2019).
Williams and Reyes (2006) defined accountability as “the assumption and acknowledgment of a responsibility for actions, decisions, products, and policies, which includes governance, administration, and implementation within the scope of the role or employment position, and encompassing the duty to report, explain and be fully answerable for resulting consequences.” Based on that definition, individuals who take a leadership role will always be held fully accountable for actions that they take.
As Paolini, Crisp, and McLntyre (2009) observe in their study, when people are informed that they will be fully accountable for their decisions and actions regarding aspects of an organization, their level of attention and commitment towards those actions and decisions heightened. They realize that they cannot afford to make mistakes or fail because of the knowledge of the possible consequences.
The idea of leaders being under the daily spotlight creates immense pressure. Therefore, when leaders feel they are scrutinized by employees and other stakeholders within an organization, their diligence increases and they show more responsibility. Demonstrating accountability in an organization helps teams to trust the leader as biased decisions will be eliminated. As such, the junior workers will feel the need to embrace constructive behaviors because of the belief that those in authority have been and will always be good and fair to everyone, especially when making decisions that may have major impact on the stakeholders. It means that when accountability of those in position of management is high, the subordinates are more likely to embrace accountability themselves when undertaking their respective assignments (Castelli & Patricia, 2019).
Innovation/ creativity
Innovativeness was identified as another major factor that defines competency-based leadership among the youth. According to Rosing et al. (2011), the definition of innovation is “the deliberate introduction and subsequent application within a role, group or any entity of ideas, processes, products or procedures, new to the relevant unit of adoption, designed to significantly benefit the person, a group, organization or wider society” (p. 21). In other articles, other descriptions of innovation are a representation of a change in the status quo and also defined as the involvement of discovering new things and commercializing the discoveries (Walumbwa, 2009).
Furthermore, according to Tahsildari et al. (2014), innovation was described as “the degree to which new and useful ideas (products, services, processes, and concepts) are developed with time and budget constraints.” Transformational leadership was hypothesized by Rosing et al. (2011) to be a positive influence towards innovation and creativity by encouraging followers beyond their self-interest through power, inspiration, intellectual stimulation or individual consideration.
On the other hand, transactional leadership does not share the same relationship with innovation as it is an exchange based relationship, therefore, does not motivate any experimentation and is only based on clarifying goals and rewarding achieved goals thus, creativity and innovation aren’t positively affected (Rosing et al., 2011). An innovative leader must have the capacity and a desire to bring changes within an organization. In the current society where emerging technologies are proving critical in improving efficiency and productivity while reducing costs, innovative leaders will always focus on finding and promoting new practices. They will create an environment where employees can try new technologies that can help improve their performance.
Open to New Ideas and Experiences
Openness is critical when focusing on competency-based leadership. According to Yahaya (2016), openness in leadership is the ability of an individual to communicate freely with others without secrecy, restrictions, or any form of concealment. Some leaders often create a barrier that makes it difficult for the junior officers to communicate with them freely. In the current competitive business environment where it is crucial for leaders to maintain a smooth flow of information among all stakeholders, open communication is a critical aspect of management (Fernández-Aráoz et al., 2017).
A leader should ensure that subordinates can engage them with ease on issues that have major implications on the success of the firm. Sherif (2018) explains that intellectual curiosity and active imagination are critical dimensions of open communication. When a leader creates an environment where information can flow freely, people tend to be more imaginative in their decision-making. They also get to embrace intellectual intelligence also become more evident in actions that these employees take. Openness in leadership often requires attentiveness to inner feelings (Worthington & Bodie, 2017). A leader is expected to be an active listener when handling subordinates. They should be considerate and when possible, provide an immediate feedback to help guide the junior officers.
Respect
A competency-based leader must demonstrate respect both to the superior and subordinate officers. Respect is defined by Yahaya (2016) as due regard to someone’s feelings, rights, and wishes. In the current diversified workplace environment, a leader must understand the fact that different people may have varying views and practices based on their background. One’s religion, age, gender, social class, or any other demographical factor should not be the reason why they are not respected within an organization.
According to Yahaya (2016), this is one of the areas where young leaders often fail. They take advantage of the positions granted to them to despise their subordinates, wrongly believing that in so doing, they are demonstrating their power. When a leader shows respect to the subordinates, they will earn admiration and esteem from the junior officers. Instead of attractive hatred, they will gain authority to guide the subordinates.
Team Work / collaboration
Teamwork is another aspect of competency-based leadership. A competent leader must understand the significance of all stakeholders working as a unit. Garst et al. (2019) note that it is often not easy to bring together people with different views and ideas to work as a team towards a common goal. Teamwork starts by developing a goal that is in line with the vision of the organization. When setting the goal, one should define in clear teams the time and resources needed to realize it. The most challenging stage is to ensure that the vision is shared by all the stakeholders. It requires an articulate explanation of the goal to the team members, explaining why it is necessary, the role that each stakeholder will play, possible consequences that may emerge if it is ignored, and benefits that it will have to the team and individual members. Worthington and Bodie (2017) believe that one should be a good communicator to become an effective team leader.
Country/Community Driven
The need to be country or community driven was identified as another major factor that is part of competency-based leadership. The world has become a global village and it is possible that what affects one country may easily affect another because of the interconnectivity (Yahaya, 2016). Currently, the global community is battling the COVID-19 pandemic and almost every country in the world is affected. It is easy for one to assume, therefore, that one solution used to address a specific problem in one country can be used in its exact form to solve problems in another country. However, Sherif (2018) warns that there are always some cases where one has to focus on solutions that are country or community-centric. A leader may have a global idea on how a problem should be solved, but it is crucial for them to understand how to local forces will affect or be affected by the solution.
Decision Making Using Data / Data driven decision making
When analyzing the concept of competency-based leadership, Girma (2016) argues that one of the major issues that should always be taken into consideration is one’s ability to make the right decisions. A leader is almost always expected to make decisions, which often define the ability of the firm to achieve success. When an organization faces serious challenges such as those associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic, making mistakes may have serious financial implication (McKibbin & Fernando, 2020). As such, organizations are moving towards the use of data-based systems of making decisions.
This involves using the past and present information to make a projection of the possible future outcome. When an appropriate model is used, a leader may have the possible outcomes when various decisions are made (Worthington & Bodie, 2017). This approach helps in ensuring that leaders do not make decisions based on their emotions but on valid facts. This approach may be particularly crucial for young inexperienced leaders. The model takes away the burden of making accurate predictions and places it on scientific analysis.
Agility
Agility is the ability of an individual to think and act quickly, sometimes in under strenuous environment (Devi, 2017). Youths are often more agile than their older colleagues. They can easily move from one place to another within a short time, making them effective operational managers, as Cherry and Aloisi (2016) observe. It is common to find cases where an organization is faced with a situation where an immediate decision and action are required. Although sometimes youths are considered irrational, when faced with such an emergency, it is more likely that youths will outperform managers who are advanced in age because of their agility.
Life-long learning/ growth mindset
Learning is a continuous process and it is often not defined by one’s age or any other demographical factors. It is through learning that one is able to acquire experience needed to become a leader. Sherif (2018) explains that youths learn more quickly and they often have the growth mindset. They tend to be more competitive because of the desire to prove that they have the capacity to hold managerial position. A leader should acknowledge the need to embrace new ideas and concepts that can help promote performance. In this context, young workers who are offered any position of leadership should focus on gaining new skills as the only way of getting empowered to assume greater responsibilities.
Emotional intelligence includes Empathy
One of the most important and desirable attributes that a leader should have is emotional intelligence. The ability of one to manage their own emotions in the workplace and of those around them is critical in enhancing teamwork and unity (Hunt & Fedynich, 2019). Various forces may influence one’s mood, but a good leader will know how to ensure that their bad mood and negative energy is not transferred to people around them. They will also know how to deal with those who are having negative energy and are unable to control it (Akhras, 2019). They will always remain calm even when dealing with an irrational colleague who is undergoing emotional challenges. Such a leader should also know when and how to show empathy to the workmates.
Resilience & Adaptability
Resilience and adaptability are two closely related traits that a leader would require, especially when managing a diversified workforce. According to Cherry and Aloisi (2016), a resilient leader will have the capacity to withstand various challenges such as ridicule, insubordination, and disrespect and still emerge successful in achieving specific goals. The more subordinates learn about a leader’s resilience, the more they will show them respect.
Leuenberger (2006) argues that successful leaders must understand the current market trends and how they may influence future operations of the firm. Adaptability is another trait that young leaders need to demonstrate. They should be keen to understand the changing forces within the workplace such as the emergence of a new technology, a popular culture, or a trend, and then device ways of embracing them to limit resistance among subordinates (Hunt & Fedynich, 2019). They should learn to act in a timely manner when responding to these forces. Madsen (2010b) believe that true adaptation requires one to build and maintain both psychological and physical stability to overcome the numerous challenges that one is likely to face.
Critical thinking/ problem solving
Critical thinking and problem solving skills are obviously critical for any leader irrespective of their age. Cherry and Aloisi (2016) observe that there is a general perception that because of their experience, older managers tend to be superior to youth in terms of critical thinking. However, it is possible for a young leader to be critical in their thinking based on their knowledge and their ability to understand emerging market forces better than the older managers. One’s ability to think critically defines their capacity to solve problems (Akhras, 2019). It is often expected of a leader to solve various problems that an organization or a department faces. They have to draw upon their experience and knowledge when solving these problems. Youths should learn to consult widely when faced with a major problem before making a binding decision on how to solve the problem.
Futuristic/ Future scenarios
Scholars have emphasized the need for leaders to be futuristic in their decision-making processes and actions that they take. This is another area of leadership where youths tend to underperform when compared with more mature managers (Hunt & Fedynich, 2019). When making a decision, it may be possible that the primary goal may be to solve a current problem. However, the approach that is used to address the current problem or to achieving current goals should not compromise the ability of the firm to achieve future goals. They should understand the impact that current practices will have on the future of the firm (Akhras, 2019). Such futuristic decisions and actions help in enhancing sustainability of the firm.
Digital fluency
Digital influence was considered another area of leadership competency that gives youths an edge over their more mature colleagues. Cherry and Aloisi (2016) explain that youth people tend to be more techno savvy and more willing to try new trends than older managers. In an environment where the need to make decisions based on actual data, youths are gaining an upper hand because of their high digital literacy. They understand emerging technologies and how they can be used to manage workers. Elliott and Earl (2018) believe that it is becoming apparent that the social media platforms have become more effective communication platforms than the traditional platforms.
Historically, the concept of leadership has been changing based on the various changes in the society (Hunt & Fedynich, 2019). A good leader should understand how to adapt to these changes, such as the emergence of digital data management platforms. They ensure that messages are delivered to a wide range of people within the shortest period possible. Their superiority over older managers in digital fluency increases their potential of becoming successful leaders.
Future Youth Leaders Competency
The changing forces in the external and internal environment create new leadership needs and expectations. What is expected of a young leader today may not be the same as what they are expected of in future. As Akhras (2019) observes, it is necessary to embrace continuous learning to ensure they adapt to the changing forces in their immediate environment. Most of the traits discussed above will still remain relevant to future leaders for several decades or even centuries to come. Boudreau (2016) admits that the changing forces in the external environment will redefine specific attributes expected of a leader.
Effective communication is one of the most important competencies that youths should learn if they expect to be leaders. They should understand the significance of passing clear and timely information. Boyd (2001) believes that experience is a factor that cannot be ignored. Knowing how to undertake a given responsibility based on one’s experience will still remain crucial. Brown and Treviño (2006) also note that ethics in leadership is becoming critical factor that define successful leaders. One can only gain the respect of the subordinate if they are ethical in their behavior.
Theoretical Framework and Hypothesis Development
The current subsection is very significant because it focuses on the various important traditional youth leadership theories, and to summarize their applications which may fit with leadership development for young people. The leadership theories background offer a platform for a scientific method of establishing a program designed for youth leadership. To identify these theories relevant and significance to youth focus, the researcher will conduct a leadership theories survey, thereby achieving an integrated approach in describing youth leadership. Theorists have made various references to leadership.
There were different referred backgrounds about leadership in multiple methods. Galton, (1869), James (1880), Stogdill & Coons (1951), and Judge, et al. (2002) formulated youth leadership as personal traits. It was referred to as situational approaches by Reddin (1967), Hersey and Blanchard (1988) and Vroom and Yetton (1973). On the other hand, McGregor (1960), Blake and Mouton (1994), Likert, (1967) defined it as behavior approaches. It was also referred to as poor charismatic leadership (Weber, 1997; House, 1971, Shamir et al., 1993). Furthermore, Burns (1978), Bass (1985), Bennis (1989), Bass and Avolio (1990) shared the same view. Other scholars feel that it is some combination of the above (Fiedler, 1967; Yulk, 1994; Northouse, 2010; and Covey, 2004.
Individual Development
Previous entrepreneurship research has frequently explored isolated causes of venture performance, including individual differences, strategic management concepts, and theory concepts of organization. More recent studies suggest that individual, organizational, and environmental dimensions are combined in isolation to provide a more comprehensive prediction of the development and growth of businesses than any single aspect. Intensive developments in scientific work can be said to mean that there will be a growing need for leaders with the right skills in the future. A company’s traditional responsibility for stabilizing a situation and maintaining a permanent balance has been altered by the need for leaders to initiate change and foster innovation. Successful activity development no longer relies solely on personal intuition or business presentiment, as leadership makes it possible to perform management functions successfully.
It is useful here to distinguish some essential leadership competencies. According to Savanevičiene et al. (2009), inspiring motivational competence requires a leader’s ability to demand the desired result by convincing others to achieve success, by firing and inspiring, by presenting the goals attractively, and through the ability to gain the approval of others by inciting interest, as well as by enabling and encouraging. The ability to inspire others includes the ability of the leader to achieve his goals, which is based on faith and enthusiasm. Managers need to develop the mental capacity to believe in their strength and the idea of achieving their goal.
Strong beliefs can typically have a significant impact on others. This means passion when leaders strive to achieve their goals; they prefer to compromise, take risks, and take care of the well-being of their followers rather than their own. The leader who loses his substantive influence on the standing of the company, its management or its membership makes the most significant impact on a person who possesses this ability achieves the desired result, convinces others of their achievement, promotes, activates and inspires others, generates a vision of potential gain, appealingly presents goals, receives acceptance, stimulates interest in the idea and the desire to engage in its implementation, and helps others by giving.
Organizational Development
Leadership competencies discussed above also have a direct impact on organizational development. As a youth develops as an individual through acquisition of new skills and knowledge, they also help in the development of their organization. According to Akhras(2019), the overall performance of an organization is often defined by the performance of every single employee. In the past, top managers would place pressure on the entire department, and it was the responsibility of the head of that department to coordinate all the employees to ensure that departmental goals are realized (Verhezen, 2019).
However, that trend is changing and many organizations are now embracing performance appraisal approach. In this new strategy, organizations are focusing on individuals’ performance and rewarding it accordingly. This strategy is based on an understanding that organizational development is based on the output of every employee. Using the above skills, a young leader will register impressive individual performance, help their department to register improved output, which in turn will have positive impact on their overall organization’s development.
Leadership Theories and Youth Development
Scholars have identified various leadership theories that can be used to help in explaining how youth can ascend to positions of power when they are still at a tender age. Houwer (2016) argues that there are numerous theories of leadership, but four of them have remained prominent in modern organizations seeking to achieve excellence in the current competitive business environment. The three theories, which will form the basis of the theoretical background of this chapter, include transformational leadership theory, transactional leadership theory, the path-goal theory, and the contingency theory (Worthington & Bodie, 2017).
Transformational leadership theory has been seen as one of the most important leadership concepts that a young individual should embrace. That does not mean the others are not relevant. Understanding each of these theoretical concepts will make it easy to know how institutions can promote youth leadership development. It can help in shaping the behavior of these learners at a tender age when they are still in school.
Learning institutions are currently encouraged to promote leadership among young learners. According to Verhezen (2019), family factors often play a role in defining the ability of an individual to develop leadership skills. Some scholars have argued that the potential of one to become a leader is greatest among the youngest siblings within a family (Yahaya, 2016). That is partly attributed to the fact that they learn to receive and follow instruction. As the person with the lowest authority in the family, they have to learn to be good listeners and know how to put instructions into practice. They know of both positive and negative ways that one can use to issue instructions.
The long period of practicing followership makes them effective leaders (Darbyshire et al., 2005; Shaikh et al., 2019). They learn how to be empathetic when handling followers because they have been in their positions for a long time. They know what they need to avoid, ensuring that they have a team of highly motivated workers ready to follow instructions. That does not mean other children cannot learn to be effective leaders as well.
Hunt and Fedynich (2019) believe that parents have a major role to play in ensuring that children are motivated to become effective leaders. Providing a stimulating environment at home where a child may feel respected is one of the ways that a parent can promote leadership in a child. They should regularly be grated opportunities where they make critical decisions in the family. As an adolescent, one can tell whether the child will become an effective leader based on specific behavioral patterns that they portray. A parent can ensure that the child develops some of the traits in these theoretical concepts.
For centuries, researchers have been interested in understanding what defines a true leader. Although this scholarly research into the concept of leadership began in earnest in the nineteenth century, the idea was expressed much earlier, in ancient Sanskrit, Greek, and Chinese texts (Allio, 2013; Cherry & Aloisi, 2016). Therefore, the research is initiated by examining these ideas through focusing on some of the most famous and remarkable rulers throughout history, including Napoleon, Caesar, Mao Zedong, and many others (Hunt & Fedynich, 2019). While the governing styles of these individuals differed drastically, the role of these characters in other people’s lives was in some way related to this sphere of knowledge. Thus, the early academic studies exploration focused on these individuals, presented theories based on separate and inherent qualities. It is important to review some of the major theories of leadership that have emerged over the years.
The Great Man Theory
One of the most popular theories that have been used over the years to explain why some people have the unique power to lead is the great man theory. Boyd et al. (1992) argues that the primary goal of youth development initiatives is to ensure that they are prepared for adulthood. The majority realizes that youth are in a dire need to learn and experience leadership; they consider youth should make the best use of offered leadership roles in the community opportunities surrounding them.
The principles of this theory, introduced in the nineteenth century, relied on available knowledge about “great men”; that is to say, heroes and conquerors that led people or changed the course of history in a meaningful way (Antonakis, Day, & Schyns, 2012). As this viewpoint only considered a limited number of people and focused on specific achievements, this theory concludes that the identity of a leader is inherent and unique, rather than universal and able to be acquired (Hunt & Fedynich, 2019).
One of the major philosophical underpinnings of this theory is that leadership traits are inherited. DeRoche and Lahman (2008) note that those who embrace this theory believe that leaders are born not made. It is common to find a young child who has leaned very little in life showing courage and compassion towards people around them. These are unique traits of leadership that one is born with. On the other hand, an adult who has learned and known the importance of being compassionate may not demonstrate the same. The theory holds that while learning makes one a better leader, some of these traits comes naturally among great people.
People like Alexander the Great learned unique skills on how to organize, coordinate, and lead people. However, they also had inherited traits such as courage and determination that made them successful (Gould, Voelker, & Griffes, 2013).
When faced with serious challenges, an individual with leaned traits will be willing to make compromises to take the easier route. On the other hand, one who inherited such traits will remain committed to their course and ready to face the numerous hurdles along the way. They are those who are described as great because of their ability to persevere. These traits often defy age, and as such, when a youth demonstrate that they have what it takes to guide a team, they will be granted opportunities. These qualities and traits will earn them respect and a sense of authority within the group, their age notwithstanding.
For centuries, researchers have been interested in understanding what defines a true leader. Although this scholarly investigation into the concept of leadership began in earnest in the nineteenth century, the idea was expressed much earlier, in ancient Sanskrit, Greek, and Chinese texts (Allio, 2013; Cherry & Aloisi, 2016). Therefore, the research for this thesis was initiated by examining these ideas, by focusing on some of the most recognizable rulers throughout history, including Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Caesar, Mao Zedong, and many others (Hunt & Fedynich, 2019). While the governing styles of these individuals differed drastically, the role of these persons in other people’s lives was, in some way, related to this sphere of knowledge. Thus, this exploration of early academic studies, which focused on these individuals, presented theories based on separate and inherent qualities.
Social Learning Theory and Ethical Leadership
Social learning theory is one of the major leadership models that have been used to promote the argument that leadership is learned process as opposed to being a naturally inherited trait. As such, this theory challenges the great man theory discussed above. According to Yahaya (2016), social learning theory holds that one can acquire new behavior through observation and imitation. Proponents of this theory believe that learning should be and is a cognitive process, which often occur in social settings through direct instructions and observation (Worthington & Bodie, 2017). In some cases, it may require some form of reinforcement (punishments and rewards), especially when the learner lacks the motivation to learn.
When one realizes that their actions have consequences, they will strive to avoid doing that which is associated with punishment. Instead, one would focus on what they have learned is associated with rewards. The more one does something regularly, the more they embrace it. The consistency leads to a gradual change of behavior. As long as they are convinced that specific actions are associated with various consequences, they will focus more on doing the right thing to get the reward and avoid punishment. The theory has been effective in training young people to embrace leadership traits (Husain & Uddin, 2019). It reminds them that they can achieve anything in life as long as they remain committed to pursuing their goals using socially acceptable approaches.
Social learning theory identifies four behavioral and cognitive processes (steps) that one takes to learn something new. The first step is the attention. A learner must pay close attention to the events in the immediate environment. Verhezen (2019) argues that for one to have the right attention there must be the desire to learn something new. They must demonstrate that they want to achieve something from the entire process.
They should have some mental arousal and commitment to acquire the new knowledge. In a school setting, young learners will have the attention when they realize that the new knowledge will have some consequences. The majority of the learners often pay attention in their academics because they want to top their class. Others are motivated by the desire not to be at the bottom of their class. As they progress to higher institution of learning, the attention changes from the desire to top the class to the need to have a better life (Worthington & Bodie, 2017). Without the attention it may be challenging for one to acquire new skills and behaviors in life.
The second step of behavioral learning is the retention. As Sherif (2018) observes, the attention helps in acquiring new knowledge, but it does not guarantee that the new knowledge will be retained for long. The ability of a learner to retain new knowledge depends on two characteristics, cognitive rehearsals and cognitive capabilities. Once one gains a new knowledge or embraces a new behavior, they need to rehearse them regularly.
The regular practice helps in ensuring that the concept is synchronized in their mind and it becomes part of them (Karagianni & Montgomery, 2018). When they fail to practice, then the concept of use and disuse sets in and they will soon forget about it. It explains why teachers often encourage learners to practice the new skills. The second factor that defines the retention ability is cognitive capabilities. Some people are brilliant naturally, and when they learn something new, it remains imprinted in their mind. They may not necessarily need to practice to retain the knowledge.
The third step is the reproduction of the newly acquired knowledge. In this case, reproduction refers to the process of implementing the learned concept (Worthington & Bodie, 2017). Bandura (1997) believes that the only way that one can prove that they have learned something is when they reproduce it in the right way. In sports, when one is taught a new skill, they are expected to reproduce it in a match. In class work, learners are often expected to reproduce their newly acquired skills during the examination period. The goal of reproduction is to ensure that what one has embraced is the exact thing that was taught to them (Verhezen, 2019).
It is common to find cases where a learner misunderstood a concept. It is only at this stage of reproduction that the teacher will realize that the student failed to understand the concept in a proper way. Regular reproduction promotes practice of a new trait. One gets to embrace it as it becomes part of their behavior.
The fourth step of social learning theory is the motivation. When one has learned a new behavior, there will be a constant motivation to reproduce it or not to reproduce it depending on the perceived consequences (Brown & Treviño, 2006). Some of the new traits that one learns may not be the productive or desirable. They may involve achieving self-interest at the expense of others or organization, such as the new skill on stealing money.
Learning of these traits does not mean one will implement them. They will always weigh the possible consequences of their action and settle on doing that which they believe will not bring them harm (Bandura, 1986). In the same vein, the good traits that one learns can only be implemented if they believe that the impact will be positive. They will refrain from reproduction when they realize that their effort will not be cherished or there is the potential of others misinterpreting their true intention. As such, it is necessary to ensure that these learners are offered the opportunity to practice their new skills.
Ethical leadership is closely related to the social learning theory. As discussed above, one can learn both positive and negative virtues. It is important to ensure that young learners embrace ethical virtues so that they can become effective leaders. According to Kaurani (2020), ethical leadership is that which is based on respect for others, value for dignity, and the desire to uphold the rights of everyone. Ethical leaders do not use their power to frustrate people around them. Instead, they ensure that they help everyone and that they promote an environment where all feel respected at all times. Such a leader embraces honesty, charisma, consideration, trust, and fairness as some of the fundamental principles.
One of the primary principles of ethical leadership is the desire to build community. An ethical leader must have the desire to work closely with others to ensure that they promote common interests within a given community or group (Kumar, 2019). They are always willing to sacrifice personal interest to ensure that they work closely with others to achieve specific objectives. The second principle is the need for these leaders to serve others. Sherif (2018) argues that leaders should learn to be servants as opposed to being dictators who issue commands and expect everyone to follow. As servants, ethical leaders will try to understand challenges that their people go through. They will then find effective ways of overcoming these challenges for the betterment of the society.
The need to manifest honesty is another important principle of ethical leadership. People tend to hide their true identity and way of life from others, especially when they are in positions of leadership. They use lies and propaganda to attain and retain leadership positions (Verhezen, 2019). Whatever they say in public does not reflect their true intention and what they do privately. For an ethical leader, they need to ensure that they remain honest in their speech and actions. Respect is another major principle of this approach of leadership. One may be tempted to be arrogant and abrasive when dealing with junior officers just as a demonstration of their power.
For an ethical leader however, they need to take advantage of their position to demonstrate love and respect for everyone, irrespective of their position within the firm (Worthington & Bodie, 2017). They must learn to listen and then act based on factual information.
The last principle, as shown in the model above, is justice. According to Mayfield et al. (2016), one of the critical traits that are expected of a leader is the need to be just. In most of the cases, a leader will find themselves in positions where they have to make decisions with significant consequences. Sometimes these decisions may involve punishing or rewarding an individual within the organization based on their performance or actions. In such cases, it is expected of these leaders to be just. Sherif (2018) observes that justice is often one of the main challenges that youth leaders face when granted such opportunities.
They are more likely to use their positions to punish those who they feel are opposed to their views or ways of management. They can also misuse their positions to demand for favors from their colleagues against their wishes. A just leader should be capable of forgetting their personal interests, biases, or any other factor that may have negative impact on their decision-making processes (Mishra et al., 2016). Instead, they should focus on what is in the interest of the organization and all stakeholders based on written and unwritten rules and laws.
Social learning theory and ethical leadership is the most relevant theory to this research, although the others discussed also have their significance too. This theory is considered significant because of its emphasis on continuous learning as a way of gaining new skills. As Yahaya(2016) observe, every young person has a potential to become a leader. However, not all of them become leaders, even those who have unique traits discussed in the great man theory above. It all depends on how they are trained and individual effort they put to acquire new skills that can help them become successful leaders (Worthington & Bodie, 2017). This theory explains that youths can sharpen their skills in leadership by embracing specific traits and remaining committed to continuous learning.
Transformational leadership
Transformational leadership is one of the concepts of leadership that has gained massive popularity in the last century. Unlike transactional leadership, this approach of leadership seeks to introduce change within an organization in the long term (Wattsa et al., 2019). Transformational leadership makes a radical shift from autocratic form of leadership. According to Verhezen (2019), several studies have indicated that ruling through fear may work for some time, but when followers get the opportunity to revolt, the outcome is always devastating. These studies have also suggested that when people are subjected to constant oppression, their creativity and innovativeness will be suppressed by the constant fear. Some of them will pretend to be working effectively just to ensure that they avoid punishment. Such approaches are often based on McGregor’s theory X which posits that people are often lazy and unless they are pushed and closely monitored, they cannot deliver the expected results.
Transformational leadership looks at the positive aspect of managing people. It is based on McGregor’s theory Y, which holds that people can be self-motivated and deliver excellent results with limited supervision and coercion when they are offered the right environment (Strielkowski & Chigisheva, 2018). Instead of using fear and constant threats, a transformational leader will emphasize on inspiration. Such leaders often help their subordinate to understand their current capabilities, and make them believe that they can register even greater performance if they remain committed and focused on their work. These leaders value constant change (improvement) based on the emerging external forces.
Intellectual stimulation is one of the major principles of this approach to leadership. According to Singh (2018), transformational leaders often help their subordinates to understand the power of their intellectual capabilities. They help their team members to understand that they have what it takes to achieve the current goals in the best way possible. Pretorius et al. (2018) believe that intellectual stimulation involves pointing out to an individual their personal successes they have registered in the past. This way, they are reminded that they have what it takes to succeed, and that they only need to remain focused and trust their capacity. When outlining the past successes of an individual, the leader must ensure that the subordinate feels challenges and motivated to achieve better results.
Individualized consideration is one of the unique principles of transformational leadership. Such a leader must have a close and personal relationship with the followers. It has been explained above that transformational leaders are sometimes expected to point out strengths of their subordinate and remind them of the greater success they can register (Tu & Lu, 2016). One can only do that if they have a personal relationship with these followers.
Such leaders must know the name of every subordinate, their position within the firm, and their performance. They are expected to embrace the concept of open-door policy where junior officers can engage them directly when they feel that they have an issue affecting them. The concept of individualized consideration also emphasizes the need for the leader to understand that each worker has varying capabilities. As such, goals should be set based on each of the subordinate’s capability.
Idealized influence is the third principle that defined a transformational leader. According to Zhu and Kindarto (2016), these leaders do not use fear and coercion to ensure that subordinates register good performance. Instead, they have to influence them positively using various strategies. The leader must embrace behaviors, which will instill a sense of pride in subordinates (Irop & Kryvovyazyuk, 2018). The team members should feel proud for being associated with that leader (Skorková, 2016). Such a person should be willing and able to go beyond personal interests to ensure that they help team members. The leader should remember that they are the role model to the team members and that their actions and decisions will be judged and will influence the team.
Inspirational motivation is the fourth principle of transformational leadership, as identified. This principle emphasizes the need to inspire confidence among subordinates (Yang et al., 2016). There are cases where a leader cannot interact with every employee at a personal level because of the large size of the organization. In such cases, the leader will be expected to become a source of inspiration to everyone. They should always find ways of motivating followers through speeches they make or at every time that there is any form of engagement (Lindell & Rosenqvist 1992b). These leaders should have the capacity to articulate their vision and help the subordinate to understand and embrace it (Stariņeca, 2016). It explains why this form of leadership requires an individual to be an effective communicator.
Hypotheses Development
The review of literature has demonstrated that competency-based leadership is an important concept that youths in the United Arab Emirates must understand and embrace for them to ascend to positions of power. Relying on affirmative action for them to be awarded public leadership position may not help in the modern society where both public and private entities are keen on lowering their operational costs while at the same time improving productivity. The following are the hypotheses developed based on the review of the existing literature. The table below outlines the hypotheses based on the detailed review of the literature.
- Hypothesis 1: There is a significant relationship between accountability and individual development.
- Hypothesis 2: There is a significant relationship between accountability and organization development.
- Hypotheses 3: There is a significant relationship between innovations and individual development.
- Hypotheses 4: There is a significant relationship between innovations and organization development.
- Hypotheses 5: There is a significant relationship between openness and individual development.
- Hypotheses 6: There is a significant relationship between openness and organization development.
- Hypotheses 7: There is a significant relationship between respect and individual development.
- Hypotheses 8: There is a significant relationship between respect and organization development.
- Hypotheses 9: There is a significant relationship between teamwork and individual development.
- Hypotheses 10: There is a significant relationship between teamwork and organization development.
- Hypotheses 11: There is a significant relationship between country driven and individual development.
- Hypotheses 12: There is a significant relationship between country driven and organization development.
- Hypotheses 13: There is a significant relationship between agility and individual development.
- Hypotheses 14: There is a significant relationship between agility and organization development.
- Hypotheses 15: There is a significant relationship between life-long learning and individual development.
- Hypotheses 16: There is a significant relationship between life-long learning and organization development.
- Hypotheses 17: There is a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and individual development.
- Hypotheses 18: There is a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and organization development.
- Hypotheses 19: There is a significant relationship between Resilience & Adaptability and individual development.
- Hypotheses 20: There is a significant relationship between Resilience & Adaptability and organization development.
- Hypotheses 21: There is a significant relationship between Critical thinking/problem solving and individual development.
- Hypotheses 22: There is a significant relationship between Critical thinking/problem solving and organization development.
- Hypotheses 23: There is a significant relationship between Futuristic/Future scenarios and individual development.
- Hypotheses 24: There is a significant relationship between Futuristic/ Future scenarios and organization development.
- Hypotheses 25: There is a significant relationship between Digital fluency and individual development.
- Hypotheses 26: There is a significant relationship between Digital fluency and organization development.
- Hypotheses 27: The individual development significantly mediates the relationships between the leadership capabilities and Future Youth Leader.
- Hypotheses 28: The organization development significantly mediates the relationships between the leadership capabilities and Future Youth Leader.
Related Studies in Literature
There are a lot of studies that shed intense light on the creation of youth into leadership. A study by Baum, Locke, and Smith (2001) titled ‘A Multi-Dimensional Model of Venture Growth’ explores the concept strategic leadership theory, organizational behavior theory, organization theory, and entrepreneurship models. The study included 307 chief executive officers from different companies to help explain the concept of leadership. The findings showed that direct predictors of venture growth were the CEO’s specific competencies and motivation and competitive strategies. Besides, the CEO’s qualities and public skills, and the environment had had a substantial indirect impact.
Brown and Trevio (2006) conducted also a study titled ‘Ethical leadership: A review and future directions.’ The primary purpose of the study was to investigate ethical leadership construction and compare it with concepts that have close relationships and share the common interests for a dimensional moral leadership. The study also explored the ethical leadership and ethical consequences and antecedents. Furthermore, the study focused on the challenges, issues, and questions that may be asked in the future to discuss the mechanism of carrying out research and practice. It was evident that ethical leadership is critical in modern organizations
A study by Liu (2007) titled ‘Transactional, Transformational, Transcendental Leadership: Motivation Effectiveness and Measurement of Transcendental Leadership’ sheds light on some leadership theories, such as transactional and transformational leadership. The theories were built upon certainty and stability assumptions. In other words, employees cannot effectively change their performance environment. The current study recommends some moral and ethical issues such as spiritual survival, meanings, selfless love and practices to be the motives guiding leaders. The study also clarified the role of extrinsic and intrinsic performance of employees and motivation, which is more important than transactional leadership. Also, the research explored the spiritual sides of leadership domain and created a new intellectual leadership scale.
Davila et al. (2013) conducted a study titled ‘Global leadership, citizenship and stakeholder management’ which focused on globalization and followed issues such as trade, market liberalization, and commercial and labor international agreements. The study identified harmful impacts on countries and industries exposed to globalization. Furthermore, there were some issues of globalization that have implications for the whole world and individuals.
Scholars and activists have tried to raise awareness about such topics as unfair trade and the use of subhuman labor standards, child labor. These influences would follow from a growing global demand for goods and services which neglects the conditions of their production due to mere ignorance or sheer greed, usually with the connivance of corrupt local governments. These issues point to challenges beyond a single institution or business to overcome the challenges imposed by globalization.
Another article titled ‘Leadership Ethics’ by Ciulla and Forsyth (2011) revolves around ethics in leadership. It discusses whether ethical leadership is effective or ineffective. There are many ethical, practical actions in leadership, but how they can be applied and make the best use of them in leadership is still an issue. The study raises many questions about leaders and managers who are keen on achieving personal interests but yet desire to remain ethical leadership.
The report shows the importance of the self-evaluation in the person’s life development cycle. This cycle starts with authenticity, which means serving the organization a fairly and as role model. Secondly, coaching, which means supporting the employee’s growth, is important. Thirdly, the insight which means sharing the vision with colleagues inside the organization is also important. Finally, the innovative leader who spurts the employees’ innovation and genius capacities is also critical.
Eva and Sendjaya (2013) conducted a study titled, “Creating future leaders: an examination of youth leadership development in Australia.” The aim of the study was to measure the youth leadership development effectiveness in Australia, which is built upon the holistic and multidimensional servant leadership umbrella (Eva & Sendjaya, 2013). The researcher conducted 33 interviews with samples (student leaders-secondary college teachers–principals-youth leadership facilitators).
The researcher also collected 97 survey responses from recent secondary college graduates. The results showed a remarkable gap between the teachers as facilitators and students perceptions about the necessities that should be saved for the programs of youth leadership progress. The findings of the study showed that students face little ethical awareness during leadership training programs. However, this kind of app includes the holistic framework of servant leadership in youth leadership development programmed is recommended and suggested with discussion.
Alowais (2017) from Dubai Public Policy Research Center published a paper titled ‘Youth Inclusion in Public Policy’. The goal of this paper was to study the UAE youth policy impact on the youth community engagement through revealing the initiatives carried out by the Emirates Youth Council (Alowais, 2017). The committee started its work in April 2017 with a concentration on the initiatives of youth circles. The paper considers the advancement of youth policy in the UAE against the backdrop of the growing focus on youth participation as a response to many youth-related regional challenges and the recalibration of GCC economies to further independence from oil revenues.
The researcher in this study relied much on the information saved by the office of the Minister of Youth or Youth Councils. He also depended on information from the official websites and documents shared publicly related to the leading initiatives of youth leadership, their structure, scope, and objectives, and expected output. The study had fruitful results as it reviewed the UAE youth Policy and declared the youth initiatives in the UAE, which were launched in 2016. The study also focused on the importance of youth circles as a witness for the UAE youth engagement. The paper analyzed 27 youth circles that were held within the first 11 months of the program.
Ricketts and Rudd (2002) from the University of Florida published a study entitled “A Comprehensive Leadership Education Model to Train, Teach, and Develop Leadership in Youth”. The researchers were able to conduct a meta-analysis case study on the development of youth leadership. Youth models of developing leadership, training, and teaching were successfully built. Saving the education of leadership with suffering in the data availability related to leadership development for young people, the model was successfully changed to be a framework to teach students leadership.
The dimensions developed from this model are oral and written communication skills, will and desire, reasoning and critical thinking, information and knowledge of leadership, decision making, intra and interpersonal relations, and attitude of leadership. There were many suggestions and recommendation related to consider this model the first step in designing a teaching curriculum to empower students and youth with leadership genes in a formal setting.
“Youth Leadership Development in the Start to Finish Running & Reading Club” is a study that was conducted by Shaikh et al. (2019). The researchers of the study have attested that offering purposeful influential leadership positions to youth can assist them with developing fundamental abilities (such as correspondence, essential leadership); in any case, not many physical-movements based affirmative youth improvement programs give youth these purposeful influential positions, and little research has investigated the effect of these open doors on youth who take them up. The reason for this examination was to comprehend the formative encounters of youth pioneers in a physical-movement based positive youth improvement program. Sixteen youth pioneers (Mage= 13.37, SD = 1.36) from 4 destinations of the Start to Finish Running and Reading Club took part in semi-organized meetings to talk about their encounters as junior mentors.
Fertman and Linden (1999) model of youth initiative advancement were utilized to manage the information assortment and examination. Through deductive-inductive topical investigation, three subjects were built:
- mindfulness: forming into pioneers began with seeing potential through good examples,
- cooperation: learning by doing and communicating with others helped youth to rehearse administration capacities,
- dominance: assuming on more noteworthy liability took into consideration chances to refine authority capacities and build up an assortment of fundamental abilities.
These topics assisted with carrying a comprehension to the procedures in question in authority and significant ability advancement. Pragmatic and research suggestions are examined in regards to utilizing youth administration openings in youth programming.
Edelman et al. (2004) conducted a study entitled “Youth Development & Youth Leadership”. The purpose of the study showed that all viable youth programs have youth advancement at their centre. Successful youth administration programs expand on strong youth improvement standards, with an accentuation on those zones of improvement and program segments that help youth authority. This paper has been made by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) to help youth administration experts, directors, and approach producers in characterizing, separating, and giving youth advancement and youth authority projects and exercises, which are significant parts of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).
“Youth leadership training in Hong Kong: current developments and the way ahead” was another study conducted by Ngai, Cheung, Ngai, and To (2012). The study explains the intercession objectives, spaces, and methodologies of youth leadership preparing programs in Hong Kong utilizing information gathered on the Internet. The outcomes show that adolescent administration preparing plans in Hong Kong are structured and sorted out to accomplish five objectives:
- helping youngsters to achieve positive advancement also, develop their initiative potential,
- upgrading the capacity of youngsters to frame relational connections and participate in group building,
- empowering youngsters to take an interest in network undertakings and social administrations,
- cultivating a national character and a more profound comprehension of the motherland and
- preparing youngsters with a universal viewpoint.
These objectives are accomplished through five related preparing areas, including the individual, relational, network, national and global regions. The intercession procedures, as of now utilized in these projects, include experiential learning, experience-based preparing, administration learning, non-neighborhood presentation, and task-based challenge procedures. The attributes of the administration preparing programs and their suggestions for the future advancement of approach and practice in Hong Kong are additionally discussed.
By moving forward to an information-based economy, the UAE has differentiated its economy. What’s more, it situated itself as a critical player in the land, sustainable power source, and flying; it has likewise gotten a worldwide a centre point for exchange and co-ordinations, money related administrations, and the travel industry. It has done this by enhancing and seeking to game-evolving advancements.
The UAE is home to the world’s tallest pinnacle and the most manageable eco-city, one of the world’s biggest carriers, and best in the class foundation and keen taxpayer-supported organizations, all helping it to move away from substantially confining outer advancement to creating its protected innovation and innovative yields. The nation’s authority tries. The results show that country creation and innovation infrastructure. The government at the current era presents and displays unique benefits and advantages, especially for investors, leaders, and people in the business. Great efforts among all sectors are exerted in the country, which leads the innovative system. Not only the public system but also the private network is parallel to the public one is playing a critical role in supporting the government’s agenda and promoting the national innovation ecosystem.
Watkins, Fehr, and Heb (2019) conducted a study titled “Whatever it takes: Leaders’ perceptions of abusive supervision instrumentality”. Right now, looking at how pioneers’ view of the instrumental advantages of oppressive supervision shapes their propensities to mishandle their representatives. Setting that pioneers who accept misuse positively affects worker execution that will take part in more damaging guidance of their friends, with downstream ramifications for workers’ counterproductive work practices. Moreover, the positioning of pioneer worries as a limiting factor, a case where empathic concerns eases the impacts of pioneers’ view of harmful supervision’s instrumentality (Watkins, Fehr, & Heb 2019).
Information from two examinations utilizing both exploratory and field review structures offer joined support for our theories. Generally speaking, our discoveries challenge the overarching view that damaging supervision is principally spurred by a craving to aggress, instead of exhibiting that pioneers now and again misuse their workers in the quest for all the more expert authoritative objectives.
There is another study under the title “Voices that Matter: Rural Youth on Leadership” by Sherif (2018) from the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. Although significant research has investigated being a pioneer from a grown-up point of view, little has been directed from the students’ points of view as a vital segment of authority instruction, necessary leadership, or instructive change.
The results from a longitudinal subjective contextual analysis introduced right now how youth see the initiative as an intricate build coordinating various aptitudes, capacities, learning, and change openings, just as a group and the board forms, used to improve the world and individuals in it. Youth view of initiative additionally incorporate duty, dynamic and intentional self -direction, motivation, want and readiness to have any kind of effect, moral character, and cooperative organizations with school and locale pioneers. This article, therefore, overcomes any issues in examine including country youth and advises secondary school principals and administration teachers about approaches to start and cultivate a positive instructive change and feeling of network among youth, system, school, and are pioneers.
“An Exploration of Youth Leadership Models in Fiji” is a study was conducted by Vakaoti and Mishra (1998). This study gives the consequences of a survey of youth administration, explicitly youth authority models, a critical yet frequently made light of part of Fijian culture. It offers the scene of existing authority models in both casual and formal settings and features productive activities that are essential to tending to administration issues looked by youngsters in Fiji. The investigation was led in an environment where the capability of youngsters as pioneers at the neighborhood, network and national levels is generally undermined. The initiative is a sign of Fijian culture. It is the measure by which a system and its people groups are evaluated.
Over the most recent two decades in addition to other things, Fijian initiative has gone under investigation in light of the disappointment of pioneers to convey and keep up request and steadiness. These are established elements in the accompanying aspects such as; dependence on the generative essentially administration framework that is feeling the squeeze right now besides on a culture that minimizes the job and commitment of youngsters in financial and political undertakings. At last, the issue lies in the disappointment of the legislature to perceive, create and bolster youth authority activities. At present, a lot of this obligation is left to networks, religious and non-government associations.
Research Gap
The extensive review of literature conducted in this chapter has provided a detailed understanding of the concept of leadership. Various theories have been reviewed, which explains what it takes to be a great leader, whether in public or private entities. It is also clear challenges that many youths face around the world that limits their capacity to be leaders in organizations where they are working, as Houwer (2016) observes. It is necessary to mention some of the international studies about youth leadership competencies to help in outlining the knowledge gap in the local context. Karagianni and Montgomery (2018) focused on how leadership skills are developed among adolescents and young adults in the United Kingdom.
In their study, the researchers found out that learning institutions have a major role in helping youths to understand their unique skills and how they can build on them to become successful leaders. Eva and Sendjaya (2012) conducted a similar study in Australia to investigate effectiveness of youth development initiatives in the country. Their study found out that the biggest challenge in the country was that the perception of students as to what is required of youth development significantly varies from that of teachers and facilitators. The difference in the perception causes differences in expectation, a problem that should be addressed to enhance youth leadership in the country.
Singh (2018) conducted a study on the sixth generation leadership in China. The study discussed important leadership trends that have been witnessed in the country over the past six generations and forces that have motivated change. It is clear the role that youths have played and what is expected of them in the future. Ghemawat (2012) report focused on development of global leaders who can achieve success in the current competitive business environment. Their study focused on the United States and Canada. The study addressed common myths about leadership and their impact on youth development in the two countries. Ghemawat (2012) emphasized the role of individual companies in cultivating leaders capable of providing guidance and effective coordination in the global market.
It is apparent that only a few studies have been conducted on youth leadership in the context of the United Arab Emirates. Most of these Emirati-based studies do not identify primary issues of concern in the study. One of the few studies based on the UAE highlighted the lack of literature based on local environment (Leuenberger, 2006). For instance, it was necessary to understand the current state of youth leadership in the country. However, that information is missing in most of the studies that were reviewed. Other than mentioning the fact that the Ruler of Dubai has appointed a youth as a minister, it is not yet clear about the specific number of young people who are holding senior managerial positions in various governmental organizations across the country.
It is also not clear why youths in the country still find it challenging to gain top leadership positions. Studies based on other countries, such as Lindell and Rosenqvist (1992a) have identified potential factors that may limit having a high number of youths represented in top managerial positions. However, it is necessary to collect facts from the locals to understand their views on this issue. First, it will be necessary to collect information from youths themselves to understand their view towards the issue.
It will be necessary to allow them to explain why they feel that have not been effectively represented in the country’s leadership. They will have the opportunity to explain what they feel are their strengths and weaknesses as potential leaders. It will also be necessary to engage policy makers and other senior members of the government to understand why they are reluctant to promote youth to positions of power. Local experts in the field of leadership may also help in providing further information on the issue under investigation, as (Louis & Murphy, 2017) suggest. The primary data that will be collected from these participants will help in addressing the gap identified through the review of literature.
Summary
To summarize the current literature review, it is very evident that youth are involved in the United Arab Emirates organizations intensively, and this has the maximum effects on the governmental organizations and the youth themselves. They have been playing different roles in the overall growth and development of these organizations. Their effort has become more evident to the country’s leadership, and as such, some of them have been promoted to senior leadership positions in governmental organizations. The country’s leadership is keen on embracing emerging technologies in these organizations and they believe involving the youth in decision-making processes will promote creativity and innovation.
However, it is evident from the review of literature that it is more challenging for youths to get into senior managerial positions than it is for the older workers. A youth will need to demonstrate unique capabilities, as discussed in the great man theory, for them to be considered for top management positions. They have to prove that their age may not impede their capacity to make right decisions and take rational actions for the benefit of the organization and all stakeholders involved.
Methodology
Overview
The previous chapter has provided a detailed review of literature on youth leadership, its relevance and effectiveness in organizations, its growing popularity, and various models that can help in its promotion. It offered a detailed insight into what other scholars have found out in this field. In this chapter, the researcher will focus on providing a detailed explanation of the methodology that will be used to collect, process, and present primary data. Kaurani (2020) explains that the goal of every researcher is to fill existing research gaps, address possible contradictions on the current knowledge, and to add value to a given field of study.
When reviewing literature, research gaps were identified, which are worth addressing through collection and analysis of primary data (Ahmed, Opoku & Aziz, 2016). This chapter will start by explaining the research philosophy that will inform major assumptions and beliefs in the study. Under this section, the researcher will also discuss research approach and strategies that will be used. The chapter also discusses the variables used in the study, methods used to collect and analyze data, and the analysis approach. Research constraints and ethical considerations are also addressed in this methodology chapter.
Research Philosophy
The concept of youth leadership is gaining rapid popularity in the global community, and the United Arab Emirates is no exemption. In this study, the researcher focuses on a competency-based model for youth leadership development in various governmental organizations in the United Arab Emirates. In this section, the researcher will provide a detailed analysis of the research philosophy that can help in collecting, analyzing, and presenting primary data. Husain and Uddin (2019) define research philosophy as “the belief about the ways in which data about a phenomenon should be collected, analyzed and used” (p. 78).
It defines the assumptions that a researcher makes when collecting and analyzing data. It is the first item that a researcher should define before selecting an appropriate approach and the desirable strategies. A researcher can choose to use positivism, realism, interpretivism, or pragmatism as the preferred research philosophy based on the research aim and research questions. The researcher chose positivism as the most appropriate philosophy in this study. It is necessary to discuss this philosophy in details to understand why it was chosen to guide the study.
Positivism is one of the popular research philosophies when conducting a study. According to Eisend, Kuss, and Eisend (2019), positivism holds that a view can only be taken to be a factual knowledge if it is a quantifiable observation that can be supported by statistical analysis. It emphasizes the need for a researcher to observe and measure various variables without interfering with the way they interact. As such, the role of the researcher is limited to that of data collection, analysis, and interpretation. In this case, the researcher must be independent from the study and as such, personal interests should not influence the outcome of the investigation. One should only report what is observed and analyze data based on it without allowing personal opinions or emotions to influence the outcome (Phakiti et al., 2018).
The philosophy stems from empiricist view that factual knowledge must be based on human experience (Napitupulu et al., 2019). This philosophy is always popular when one is conducting a purely quantitative research. Its emphasis on the need for a researcher to use statistical methods of analyzing data makes it appropriate for this study (Kumar, 2019). As such, it was considered suitable to guide all the principles that will help in collecting and analyzing data.
As such, a researcher should be open-minded and understand that it may be necessary to employ different methods of analyzing data. Allowing two or more approaches of interpreting data makes it possible to have a thorough understanding of an issue from different perspective. The flexibility of this philosophy made it the most appropriate one for the study (Politano et al., 2018). It would allow the researcher to employ quantitative research methods as discussed in subsequent sections.
Research Approach
When an appropriate research philosophy has been selected, the next step is to identify an appropriate research approach, as shown in the research onion above. Devi (2017) defines research approach as a plan and that consisting of the steps involved in the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting data. It helps in outlining the procedure that one seeks to take to develop new knowledge through a given study.
One should select a research approach based on the selected philosophy and the aim of the study. The approach should be in line with the research problem. Deductive approach or reasoning holds the view that knowledge development should always start with a theory. It is often referred to as an approach that involves moving from the known to the unknown. In this case, a researcher will identify a theory relevant to the area of study. As Pruzan (2016) notes, the moment a theory is selected, the focus of the researcher will be to investigate whether it holds true based on the current forces in the environment. The researcher will then embark on observation. Primary data will be collected using questions directly linked to all the hypotheses set.
Data will then be analyzed to test whether the hypotheses is true or not. In most of the cases, this research approaches uses statistical analysis in testing the hypotheses. During the statistical analysis, one will be able to confirm or reject the hypotheses. When the hypotheses are rejected, it will mean that the underlying theory does not hold true based on the current factors. The statistical nature of this research approach made it undesirable for the investigation (Deb et al., 2019). In this research, which focused on competency-based model for youth leadership in the United Arab Emirates’ government organizations, there were various theories that were used to support arguments made in the study, but the focus was not to accept or reject them.
Research Design
When the research philosophy and research design for the study has been selected, the next step is to identify the research design that will be used in the process of collecting primary data. As Kumar (2019) advises, the design for the study should be identified after knowing the appropriate assumptions. It becomes easy to know for the researcher to know the right path that should be taken to gather the desired data. In this study, the mixed method research would be the most appropriate design that is in line with pragmatism philosophy and deductive reasoning approach. It involves the use of both qualitative and quantitative research design. It is necessary to discuss each of these designs to understand why they both had to be used in this study.
Quantitative research design is a method that focuses more on measuring the level of occurrence of a phenomenon or an issue based on statistics. Using numbers and calculations, one can understand the prevalence of the issue of interest. This method uses structured questions to ensure that there is a standard format of response. This is necessary to ensure that data can be coded for the purpose of statistical analysis.
Using a Likert scale, responses are assigned numerical values to facilitate this approach of analysis. Worthington and Bodie (2017) explain that quantitative data analysis seeks to answer questions such as ‘how often’ and ‘how many’ in a study. In this research, this design will be essential in providing answers that can be generalized to the entire population. For instance, the researcher will be able to explain the significance of various variables. For instance, when it is noted that technology can help enhance youth leadership development, this design will help determine the degree to which this factor is promoting the concept.
Respondents will be asked to state the degree to which they feel technology drives youth leadership. The frequency table will help to demonstrate those who believe it is a highly powerful tool and those that feel it is a less significant tool. Quantitative research design will start by identifying all the independent variables that affect the dependent variable (youth leadership development). It will then rank these variables depending on their level of relevance in promoting youth leadership. The same approach will be taken when analyzing factors that impede youth leadership. With that information, it will be easy to provide a detailed recommendation to the policy-makers on how youth leadership can be promoted in the country.
Data Collection Method
The primary goal of every researcher is to develop a document that will improve the current body of knowledge in a given field. The goal can only be realized if the researcher identifies reach source of data that can help inform the study. In this dissertation, data was obtained from two main sources. Secondary data formed one of the main sources of information in the study. The researcher reviewed books, journal articles, and reliable online sources to understand the concept of youth leadership development. Information from secondary sources provided background information for the research and it formed the basis of literature review provided in chapter two of this document.
Reviewing of the literature made it possible for the researcher to identify possible gaps in the current research that had to be addressed through collection and analysis of primary data. Books and journal articles were available in the school library. Online databases such as Jstor, Science Open, Education Resources Information Center, and Google Scholar were instrumental in this investigation. Using key words and phrases such as leadership, youth leadership, and youth development, the researcher was able to access these secondary data sources.
The second source of information in this dissertation was primary data obtained from a sample of respondents. When reviewing the literature, it became apparent that most of the books and journal articles talking about youth leadership development were published in North American and European countries. As such, it was necessary to collect local data to help answer research questions more effectively.
As Pruzan (2016) suggests, collecting primary data from a sample of respondents helps in answering specific questions that cannot be answered by secondary data sources. They also provide the most current information regarding the issue under investigation. The researcher collected primary data from a sample of 300 young employees between the ages of 22 and 35 over four months. Using pre- and post-surveys, action plans will be formulated and documented. Surveys will include the Likert Scale and open-ended questions.
Sampling and Sample Size
Youth leadership development is an issue that has attracted the attention of many stakeholders within the United Arab Emirates, including the current leadership of the country. However, this study was interested in collecting data from a specific sample of the entire population. It was necessary to collect data from youths in this country. That meant having a specific inclusion criterion that had to be observed when identifying the participants. One of the conditions that participants had to meet is that they had to be aged between 22 to 35 years to be considered youths.
It was preferable to have participants who are currently working in government organizations within the country so that they can help in providing information about factors that promote and those that impede their ability to be leaders in their respective organizations. The sample will include both men and women who meet the criterion set above. The researcher will use simple random sampling to identify participants for the study. This non-judgmental sampling method will be appropriate because the respondents will be selected without bias. A sample of 300 participants was considered appropriate for the study. The large sample will help in providing a detailed understanding of youth leadership development in public institutions within the country.
Procedure of Data Collection
After identifying the right sample from which data should be obtained, the next step is to conduct the actual data collection. The researcher intends to use pre and post surveys. The process will start by developing a standard questionnaire that will be used in both cases. The questionnaire will be developed using both structured and unstructured questions to help in conducting a thorough investigation on the issue of youth leadership development within the United Arab Emirates. The structured questions will be developed using the Likert Scale. In this online survey, the questionnaires will be emailed to the respondents.
The researcher plans to contact each of the participants before emailing the questionnaire to explain the significance of the study and reasons why they were chosen to take part in the data collection process. They will be given adequate time to answer all the questions in the questionnaire before sending it through the same channel. The respondents’ participation in this study will be voluntary. It means that participant may choose to withdraw from the study at any point for personal reasons. It is also understood that some of these participants may fail to send their questionnaire before the set deadline. When such eventualities occur, the researcher will have to find a replacement to ensure that the sample size remains 300 respondents.
Timing during Data Collection
When conducting an academic research, Devi (2017) explains that timing is one of the factors that have to be taken into consideration. One must ensure that the entire process of collecting data from various sources is completed within a specific period. Each task should be assigned specific period within which it should be completed. The simple Gantt chart in table 3.1 below outlines the proposed timeline within which various activities should be completed. The first part of this project was the development of a proposal. It helps in outlining the activities that should be completed in the project. This activity was started in early February and was scheduled to be completed by February 30. The second step was the approval of the proposal. The committee must be convinced that the proposed plan will help in collecting the needed data. The proposal is in the final stage of fine-tuning.
Review of the literature is a continuous process that starts in the initial stage of proposal development (Worthington & Bodie, 2017). The proposal must reflect what other scholars have done in this field. Secondary sources will be used continuously until the final stages of writing the dissertation. Collection of primary data from the respondents will be the most time-consuming activity in this project. As mentioned above, the researcher intends to collect data from a sample of 300 people aged between 22 and 35 years. It is estimated that the activity will take over five months to ensure that the needed information is obtained from them. The process of analyzing primary data will last for about 3 weeks. The last stage of writing and editing the entire document will take approximately one month. All the activities should be completed by the end of November 2020.
Measuring of Study Constructs
The researcher considered it appropriate to identify variables that will be investigated through primary data collection and analysis. Figure 3.1 below shows the suggested research model that will define the investigation. It identifies the relationship between the independent variables and the intermediate variables and how the intermediate variables influence the dependent variables. The independent variables are the capabilities that enable youth to become responsible and successful leaders in their respective organizations (Deb et al., 2019). They include factors such as accountability, innovativeness, openness, respect, teamwork, and country driven.
These capabilities (independent variables) affect a youth’s readiness (intermediate variables) to become a leader. The readiness is defined by an individual’s development and organizations’ development. These two factors define the ability to have a future leader. This model will help in explaining the approach through which youth in the United Arab Emirates can become leaders in government institutions. The model shows how the independent variables discussed in the literature review affect the intermediate variable and then the dependent variable.
Independent Variables
The suggested research model shown in figure 3.1 above identifies the main factors (variables) that have a direct impact on youth leadership development. Based on the detailed review of literature, it became evident that these factors directly influence the ability to be granted a leadership position within a firm. As Stariņeca (2016) says, a fair and democratic business environment, one can only be promoted to a position of management if they have the capacity to make a positive difference. The appointing authority are always keen on ensuring that one they trust with senior managerial position has the vision, knowledge, experience, and commitment to push the firm to the highest level of success. The independent variables, identified as capabilities, define an individual’s capacity to become a young leader. It is necessary to discuss each of these variables to understand how they influence one’s capacity to become a leader.
Accountability was identified as one of the most important factors that define youth leadership development. In the field of governance and ethics, accountability refers to blameworthiness, answerability, and liability of an individual (Elliott & Earl, 2018). It refers to the level of trustworthiness that an individual has when assigned a given responsibility. In leadership, accountability is one of the most important attributes that one is expected of at all times. The review of literature has identified this factor as one of the most important traits that often define one’s ability to be a leader. As Skorková (2016) observes, a leader must be accountable to all resources assigned to them, including the human resource.
They must ensure that financial resources assigned to them are spent appropriately and in an open manner. They have to avoid wastage and theft of these resources. In the same breath, one can only be trusted with leadership if he remains accountable for the employees assigned to them. Such a person should remain respectful, understanding, and capable of steering the workforce towards a path to success. Cases of any form of abuse and molestation should not be associated with them. According to Mishra et al. (2016), accountability is not a trait that is defined by one’s age. As such, a young person can choose to be accountable, making it possible for them to climb the career ladder.
- Hypothesis 1: There is a significant relationship between accountability and individual development.
- Hypothesis 2: There is a significant relationship between accountability and organization development.
Innovation in leadership was another critical variable that may enable an individual to become a leader. In the current competitive business environment, firms are under pressure to find innovative ways of undertaking various responsibilities. Singh (2018) explains that even in government institutions where competition may be non-existence, there is still a pressure from stakeholders to ensure there is efficiency in operations, elimination of unnecessary wastes, and reduction in the overall cost of delivering services or a product. Emerging technologies have proven to have a potential of transforming an organization’s operation.
Young employees tend to have a better capacity to embrace and effectively apply technology than the older workers. When a governmental organization is keen on promoting innovation, it will be forced to find a team that is techno savvy and willing to try new methods. Yang et al. (2016) believe that this is one area that youths have an advantage over the more experienced and older colleagues. They need to take advantage of such an opportunity to ensure that they climb to the C-suite to guide these governmental organizations through creative and innovative strategies.
- Hypotheses 3: There is a significant relationship between innovations and individual development.
- Hypotheses 4: There is a significant relationship between innovations and organization development.
Openness in leadership was another important independent variable that was considered to have a significant impact on youth’s ability to become leaders. According to Fernández-Aráoz et al. (2017), one of the most important attributes of a leader is to communicate openly and freely with all stakeholders. They have to be open in their communication to ensure that they are understood appropriately. A good leader should not hide important facts to employees within an organization.
They should avoid cases where they share critical information when it is already too late to act appropriately. Youth must understand the significance of openness if they want to become leaders. They have to know how to share their views with their colleagues and with their seniors. They have to be clear in their communication and firm but in a positive way. Openness also includes an individual’s ability to listen to others. They need to listen to the concerns of others and have the capacity to address them appropriately.
- Hypotheses 5: There is a significant relationship between openness and individual development.
- Hypotheses 6: There is a significant relationship between openness and organization development.
Respect in leadership is crucial for youths in the United Arab Emirates who seek to become leaders in their organizations. One of the greatest concerns that have emerged when trying to groom youths to become leaders is lack of respect. Houwer (2016) explains that cases often emerge where these youths feel they are superior to the rest of their colleagues and start misusing their power. They may start issuing commands in a way that seeks to reaffirm their position other than focusing on the need to help promote organizational growth. Some end up becoming rude to older and more experienced workers who may otherwise help them achieve success in specific departments.
Such leaders become self-destructive and counterproductive within the organization. They become a burden to the organization and a source of frustration to their colleagues instead of being an asset. It is one of the reasons why most of the government institutions in the United Arab Emirates are often slow to promote young employees because there is the fear that they might be counterproductive. Youths must learn to be respectful to their colleagues and seniors at all times if they intend to become leaders in their organizations.
- Hypotheses 7: There is a significant relationship between respect and individual development.
- Hypotheses 8: There is a significant relationship between respect and organization development.
Teamwork was also identified as another independent variable that has to be exhibited by youths for them to ascend to positions of leadership. As a leader, one is expected to work closely with others and guide them through the path to success. It means that such a person cannot afford to be a loner. They are expected to have team spirit. It means that they have to learn how to bring people of different backgrounds, gender, age, and other demographical classes together towards achieving a given goal. They have to be flexible enough to accommodate divergent opinion but still tuff enough to express their views and offer guidance.
The United Arab Emirates, especially major cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, are highly cosmopolitan (Karagianni & Montgomery, 2018). The country has been attracting businesspeople, skilled experts, semi-skilled workers, and tourists from all over the world. For one to become a successful leader in such a highly diversified environment, they need to have the capacity to listen to divergent opinions and find a way of making everyone move from their different opinions to a common view. They must have the capacity to sell their views to the rest of the population in an appealing and respectful way. A team leader must know when the followers are encountering challenges and should be willing to help when necessary to ensure that individual interests are aligned with organizational goals.
- Hypotheses 9: There is a significant relationship between teamwork and individual development.
- Hypotheses 10: There is a significant relationship between teamwork and organization development.
Another independent variable identified in the model above is country-driven leadership. Youths in the United Arab Emirates and many parts of the region have been significantly influenced by the western culture. Although they still hold dear and value their religion and culture, there is a sense of admiration of the western lifestyle (Hunt & Fedynich, 2019). Some of them have attended colleges in Europe and the United States and have embraced some of the practices popular in these countries.
However, Meleady and Crisp (2017) warn that challenges of the people in a given country can only be addressed by one’s ability to understand local challenges. They should be driven by the desire to use locally available means to address problems they face. Their ambition should be to make their country as great as any other in the world instead of continuing to admire what other nations have to offer. Youths who want to be leaders in United Arab Emirates governmental organizations must show that they have an understanding of realities within the country and have the desire to create sustained growth in these institutions.
- Hypotheses 11: There is a significant relationship between country driven and individual development.
- Hypotheses 12: There is a significant relationship between country driven and organization development.
The researcher also identified additional independent variables, besides the six shown in the model above, which have a direct impact on youth leadership development. One of them is agility. A good leader must have the ability to think and act quickly, especially when faced with an emergency (Eva et al., 2019). It is believed that youths tend to be more agile than the elderly workers. They need to use this advantage to demonstrate their capacity to make right decisions and take right actions when faced with serious challenges in the workplace. Life-long learning and having a growth mindset was another issue that defines youth development and leadership. They must understand the fact that they have a lot to learn and show willingness to grow in their career. They need to be open to positive criticism and have the capacity to change when they realize that the approach they had been taking may be counterproductive.
- Hypotheses 13: There is a significant relationship between agility and individual development.
- Hypotheses 14: There is a significant relationship between agility and organization development.
- Hypotheses 15: There is a significant relationship between life-long learning and individual development.
- Hypotheses 16: There is a significant relationship between life-long learning and organization development.
Emotional intelligence and empathy are critical traits that a leader must demonstrate. Strielkowski and Chigisheva (2018) argue that it is common to find cases where employees are facing unique challenges in the workplace because of professional or personal challenges. A good leader should be able to know when junior officers are going through emotional challenges and be willing to help them as much as possible.
They have to understand the fact that productivity of an employee will be compromised if they are emotionally unstable (Shamira & Eilam-Shamir, 2017). Improving their emotions and showing empathy is one of the best ways of improving individuals’ performance at work. It is also necessary for them to demonstrate emotional resilience and adaptability. As a leader, one may always face numerous challenges. However, they should not break down, especially before the employees. Instead, they have to demonstrate resilience and capacity to overcome challenges that may come their way. They have to adapt fast to changes in the environment and guide others effortlessly from one system to another.
- Hypotheses 17: There is a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and individual development.
- Hypotheses 18: There is a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and organization development.
- Hypotheses 19: There is a significant relationship between Resilience & Adaptability and individual development.
- Hypotheses 20: There is a significant relationship between Resilience & Adaptability and organization development.
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are invaluable for a young person who wants to be a leader. Being in a position of leadership means that the individual will have the capacity to make critical decisions, sometimes in highly distressing environment. As such, there is a need for one to have the capacity to think critically and develop solutions in cases where the organization faces challenges. They must be ready to stand by their decisions but flexible enough to embrace changes when they realize that they made a mistake or made a decision without having a complete picture of the issue of concern. Sherif (2018) observes that a leader should also have futuristic thoughts. Activities that one engages in today define their future. As a young leader, one must understand the possible future trends and come up with ways of ensuring that the organization will remain successful.
- Hypotheses 21: There is a significant relationship between Critical thinking/problem solving and individual development.
- Hypotheses 22: There is a significant relationship between Critical thinking/problem solving and organization development.
- Hypotheses 23: There is a significant relationship between Futuristic/Future scenarios and individual development.
- Hypotheses 24: There is a significant relationship between Futuristic/ Future scenarios and organization development.
Digital fluency was also added to the list of independent variables that defines youth leadership development. The United Arab Emirates, just like many other countries in the world, is embracing digital communication platforms. As the world moves from analogue to digital platforms, there is pressure in many organizations to have leaders who can work effectively under such new systems (Irop & Kryvovyazyuk, 2018).
Youths believed to be digitally more fluent that older workers stand a better position to get promoted to managerial positions. They have to understand the significance of data-driven decision making. Instead of relying on their experience and personal emotions, they have to rely on empirical data. Mumford et al. (2017) explain that the dynamism in the external environment makes it impossible to make a prediction of future outcomes and events. As such, organizations have come to embrace data-driven decision making to enhance precision in predictions. Youths have a better capacity to use such approaches to achieve specific goals in their places of work.
- Hypotheses 25: There is a significant relationship between Digital fluency and individual development.
- Hypotheses 26: There is a significant relationship between Digital fluency and organization development.
Sustainability in leadership is another major independent variable that was identified even though it was not part of the proposed research model. The concept of sustainability has gained massive popularity in the modern society. There is an increasing pressure for organizations to ensure that they remain sustainable despite the changing environmental forces and emerging challenges. Sustainability of an organization is significantly influenced by the sustainability of the decisions that a leader makes.
Wattsa et al. (2019) argue that a leader’s decision should always be in the best interest of the firm. It should take into consideration a firm’s financial capacity, capabilities of its workforce, and the vision in the market. The area of sustainability in leadership is an issue that many young leaders find challenging. They often make decisions based on the current forces and often ignore the long-term effect. As such, the firm may achieve short-term success, but in the long term, it may become evident that the decision that was made had devastating consequences on the firm’s future.
Table 1: Leadership Accountability and Innovation Leadership.
Table 2: Openness in Leadership and Respect in Leadership.
Table 3: Teamwork and Country-driven Leadership.
Dependent Variable
The above independent variables were identified as forces that directly define the dependent variable, which is youth leadership development in the United Arab Emirates governmental organizations. The government has come up with initiatives to promote youth and women leadership in various public institutions around the country. However, Cascio and Boudreau (2016) explain that leadership cannot just be handed over to an individual on the basis of their young age or gender.
They have to demonstrate that they have the skills and ability to deliver. They have to show their capacity to steer organizations assigned to them towards greater success. In a world where every country is in competition against others to become stronger economies, it has become apparent that governmental institutions have to register better performance even if they often operate as a monopoly.
In case the security sector lacks proper leadership, then insurgencies and criminals may take control of the country, crippling the business community (Girma, 2016). As such, these governmental organizations are in even stiffer competition because their failure may have devastating socio-economic and political consequences. In the current digital society, there is a feeling that bringing youths to top leadership position may help in promoting competitiveness and efficiency in these public institutions. These young individuals are more innovative, agile, and techno savvy than the older generation. They are more flexible, which means that they can adapt easily to emerging global trends (Cimatti, 2016).
However, they need to have specific traits that can make them pass as individuals who can be trusted with positions of power. When collecting and analyzing primary data, the researcher will be interested in determining the relationship that each of these independent variables has on the dependent variable.
In the proposed research model shown in figure 3.1 above, these independent variables are shown to influence the intermediate variables. Achieving success at each of these variables leads to individual development. As one becomes more accountable, innovative, reliable, open in communication, and respectful, they get to develop as individuals. They become better at decision making when they gain emotional intelligence. They get to become potential leaders when they learn the concept of team work and become resilient when faced with challenges (Patel et al., 2017). These young employees get to become good decision makers when they embrace predictions driven by data.
They also get to learn the value of thinking futuristically instead of just focusing on short term goals. Individual development also translates to organizational development. When these young employees make the right decisions and remain committed to the firm in their junior positions, the organizations get to develop. Remaining consistent in doing the right thing increases their chances of becoming leaders as their significance become more pronounced. These intermediate variables ultimately lead to youth leadership development.
- Hypotheses 27: The individual development significantly mediates the relationships between the leadership capabilities and Future Youth Leader.
- Hypotheses 28: The organization development significantly mediates the relationships between the leadership capabilities and Future Youth Leader.
Field Access
In this study, data will be obtained from two sources, primary and secondary sources, as was mentioned above. The researcher will collect information from journal articles and books to help in explaining a competency based model for youth leadership development in the United Arab Emirates governmental organizations. It means that some of the studies that will be used must focus on local youth leadership. The second source of data will be from sampled participants. Besides the 300 youth aged 22 to 35 years as discussed in the sampling section above, the researcher will also include some human resource coordinators and youth leaders to shed more light into the issue.
It would have been desirable for the researcher to visit the field and conduct a face-to-face interview with each of the sampled respondents (Ahmed et al., 2016). However, time was a major concern. The fact that the researcher had a large sample of over 300 participants meant that physical interview in the field would be time consuming. As such, it was more advisable to use online surveys. The information obtained from these participants will help to develop a representation of youths in the UAE and their leadership capabilities. The information can be used to help them overcome the identified challenges so that they can become effective leaders.
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Appendices
A Competency-Based Model for Youth Leadership Development in the United Arab Emirates Governmental Organizations
Dear Sir/Madam.
The aim of this research is to find out how to build strong youth leaders in the UAE governmental organizations. The research will through investigation identify the required capabilities to determine their readiness and openness amongst other qualities to be able to identify those youths who are able to take on federal government leadership positions in the upcoming 4th Industrial Revolution which is important for the future economic success of the country. This research will utilize the leadership competencies theory to locate the important competencies that are needed to create strong youth leaders.
We highly appreciate your corporation and assistance in obtaining information needed for this study.
With best wishes.
Yours Sincerely.
The Targeted Group for the Study
The study seeks to get response from adults currently working in various governmental institutions in the United Arab Emirates who can shed more light on the issue of youth leadership
Respondents’ Background Information
Kindly tick in the appropriate box
- Q1. Age
- Q2. Gender
- Q3. Academic Qualifications
- Q4. Monthly Income (in AED)
- Q5. Kindly state your nationality ……………….
Ethical leadership questionnaire (ELQ)
- Q6. Please indicate the level of agreement with each of the qualities in relevance to leadership. Do this by circling one of the five numbers after each statement according to the following scale:
Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) Form 6S
- Q7.This questionnaire provides a description of your leadership style. Descriptive statements are listed below. Judge how frequently each statement fits you.
Key: ‐ Not at all 1 ‐ Once in a while 2 = Sometimes 3 = Fairly often 4 = Frequently, if not always
High Quality Leadership Questionnaire (HQLQ)
- Q8. Using the scale provided below, indicate the level of agreement / disagreement with the statement that the new theory (High Quality Leadership) is relevant to competency based youth leadership.
Leadership Competency Inventory (LCI)
Thank you for your co-operation.
Footnotes
- Emirates Foundation. (2020). Chairman message. Web.
- Emirates Foundation. (2020). Chairman message. Web.