Problem‐based learning: a viable approach in leadership development?

Purpose – The aim of the paper is to investigate problem‐based learning (PBL) as a viable approach in leadership development. It identifies several key factors, strategies and possible outcomes associated with this new approach to training. Design/methodology/approach – Reflective inquiry through storytelling was employed as a research tool to gather rich qualitative data from two PBL trainers and 18 senior management personnel in a Singapore engineering firm. In‐depth interviewing was conducted four months after a structured three‐day leadership training using PBL. Findings – Through a content analysis, three important factors have been identified as contributing to the meaningfulness of leaders' learning process: problem definition; open communication; and utilization of resources. Also, appropriate handholding is required to facilitate participants' deeper understanding of PBL even after the training session. Research limitations/implications – The study has led to new theoretical perspectives of cognitive and behavioral learning. For instance, PBL has increased participants' capacity and propensity to learn through the interplay of adaptive and generative learning. Further, the dynamics of learning hinge on the notion of single‐ and double‐loop learning where acting (investigation), thinking (reflection) and learning (knowledge sharing) intersect. Practical implications – A matrix eliciting a guided approach to PBL in leadership development is presented to make explicit the subtle complexity of the learning process. Through both a structured training to an unstructured operational phase, PBL has led leaders to the discovery of new roles, attitudes and knowledge required to meet current changing times. Originality/value – PBL is traditionally an educational tool, but its wider application manifested in leadership training offers an original perspective in human resource development. Of value is the attempt to quantity qualitative data, yielding considerable clarity in the way complex information is managed.