The authors of this study aim to test a possible turn toward relational, as opposed to agentic, management development program (MDP) content.
The authors performed a content analysis of the literature and qualitative interviews of management coaches/consultants from South Africa and the USA.
In both studies, the authors found more relational than agentic content comprising MDP content. Interviews revealed a predominance of relational strategies and that agentic and relational skills are often interwoven in development efforts.
This work may guide management coaches and consultants to offer clients management development (MD) with a greater focus on relational skills.
Future studies should build on our findings to explore whether leadership may now require more relational as opposed to agentic skills.
