Human Resource Development International

Willocks, Katie

2024 Human Resource Development International

doi: 10.1080/13678868.2024.2421147

Today’s business leaders face an unprecedented number of organisational challenges in their daily practice. It is undeniable that good leadership is challenging and when faced with the complex reality of day-to-day leadership complexities many leaders struggle to perform effectively. Leadership development programmes typically focus on developing leadership skills and competencies, neglecting important issues of ‘leader character’. In this paper, the author makes a case for the development of leader character as a way of enhancing leadership potential and wider organisational effectiveness. Subsequently, a range of human resource development practices that can support the development of leader character are discussed. This article will benefit organisations and HRD practitioners that seek to develop leader character as part of leadership development.

Thibedeau Boyd, Jolene M.

2024 Human Resource Development International

doi: 10.1080/13678868.2024.2430023

The purpose of this article is to challenge human resource development (HRD) professionals to acknowledge and accept their role in supporting the employment of people with disabilities and to commit to research and practice to this end, framing the discussion with the well-known question asked by the late civil rights activist and former US Representative, John Lewis: ‘If not us, then who? If not now, then when?’ After providing background on disability prevalence, its effects on employment, and the impact of disability employment policies, the article describes ways that HRD can better support such initiatives, based on existing cross-disciplinary literature. The article underscores the value of embracing a critical disability perspective and striving towards transformative approaches that go beyond basic inclusion practices to facilitate truly inclusive workplaces.