Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify attributes and practices that are salient for effectiveness in middle- and senior-level service leadership positions.
Design/methodology/approach: Critical incident interviews were conducted with 17 key informants, who were service leaders in various service sectors in Hong Kong, and with ten stakeholders.
Findings: Grounded theory analysis generated a 7 Cs model with seven categories of service leadership attributes and practices: character, choreography, care, creativity, charisma, collaborating and competence self-improvement, and 24 constituent concepts. There was concordance between pairs of key informants and stakeholders. Research limitations/implications: Further research could investigate the impact on frontline service leaders’ performance if one or more of the 7 Cs are perceived to be absent or deficient among leaders at more senior levels, and whether there are acceptable substitutes for particular Cs.
Practical implications: The 7 Cs model identifies service leadership attributes and practices across diverse sectors.
Originality/value: The 7 Cs model provides a map for orienting the developmental preparation of individuals, who are aspiring to become middle- and senior-level leaders in economies that have become highly dependent on service.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 745-761 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Leadership and Organization Development Journal |
Volume | 39 |
Issue number | 6 |
Early online date | 4 Jul 2018 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 24 Jul 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited.
Funding
The authors would like to express their deepest gratitude to Victor and William Fung Foundation for funding this study.
Keywords
- Care
- Character
- Competences
- Empowerment
- Service leadership practices