Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Jorge Gaytan

Abstract

Developing employees to assume leadership positions has never been more critical for organizational leaders given the competitive climate and the shortage of executive leaders. Organizations must develop future leaders at unprecedented rates to assume roles and responsibilities of the current executive leaders who will leave the organization due to retirement and other forms of attrition. Using mentorship theory, the purpose of this multicase study was to explore strategies that business leaders use to successfully improve their mentoring programs for employee leadership development. The target population consisted of 3 business leaders located in central Florida with successful experience in improving their mentoring programs for employee leadership development. Data were collected via semistructured interviews and review of organizational documents. Data were analyzed using methodological triangulation through inductive coding of phrases and words. Three themes emerged from the thematic analysis, which are: mentoring functions are critical for leadership development, multiple modes of mentoring are effective for leadership development, and a mentor's motivation is critical for a successful mentoring relationship with mentee. Business leaders must understand the processes and functions of mentoring to make informed decisions when considering integrating mentorship programs into the organizational processes and initiatives aimed at leadership development. The implications for positive social change include the development of leaders empowered to make significant contributions to their local communities, allowing leaders to effectively respond to challenges associated with lack of proper health, homelessness, environmental sustainability, and violent acts.

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