4. Conclusion and Recommendations
The essence of workplace learning via informal mentoring, observation and reflection as well as challenging
assignments is thus well highlighted in this context of study. The research findings confirmed that there is no
best way to teach the art of leadership. Informal mentoring provided our successful leaders with opportunities to
learn various leadership principles, attitudes, skills, styles and behaviors from their seniors or supervisors. The
ability to observe and reflect on various events and experiences during their years of leadership development
appeared to be highly useful and even transformational. Such skills allowed them to assess, evaluate and adopt
important leadership qualities suited to their own contexts to ensure effective and efficient practice. Last but not
least, difficult but guided assignments challenged and ultimately helped them to maximize their leadership
potentials to their full capacity.
Based on the findings, although contextual and limited, the following recommendations are proposed: (1) Top
management of organizations could include the essence of the three identified themes within their corporate
values training programs. By incorporating a culture of informal mentoring, guided challenging assignments and
emphasis on observation and reflection and disseminating these values through various channels including
training, the development of future leaders might be more meaningful and impactful. (2) In relation to the first
recommendation, we also recommended for organizational management to conduct needs assessment case
studies within their organizations in order to identify the missing abovementioned elements within their
leadership development efforts and programs. Case studies allow for in-depth understanding of both the
outcomes and processes related to leadership development, and provide rich, contextual data that empirical
instruments alone often cannot capture. The results of such case studies can help to identify existing strengths
and weaknesses of leadership development programs and practices.