Research Shares Insights on an Array of Topics
Researchers from the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)® presented several sessions at this year’s annual conference of the Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SIOP). The conference was held April 3–6, in Denver, Colorado.
SIOP is the premier professional association for the science and practice of Industrial-Organizational (I-O) psychology, which focuses on the scientific study of human behavior in organizations and in the workplace. This specialty focuses on principles of individual, group, and organizational behavior and applying this knowledge to solving problems leaders experience in the workplace.
CCL researchers presented and lead discussions on several topics at the conference, ranging from wellbeing to coaching and more.
Listed below are the sessions researchers presented along with descriptions for each:
Does Team Virtuality Affect Perceptions of a Leader’s Power and Influence? A Natural Experiment from the COVID Pandemic
CCL Presenters: Dr. Andy Loignon and Dr. Diane Bergeron
This session featured a study that leveraged data from 485 senior leadership teams, collected around the COVID pandemic, to explore how virtual work impacts a leader’s power and influence. By using a network-based approach, it examined how virtuality affects a leader’s role as a source of influence and their reliance on others. By addressing endogeneity bias, the study offers causal insights from a natural experiment driven by pandemic-related shifts in team virtuality.
Capturing the Complexities of Leadership Coaching: A Test of AI-Assisted Evaluation
CCL Presenter: Katelyn McCoy
Coaching can be a highly effective method of leadership development, but evaluating its impact has traditionally been a difficult task. Evaluators often find participant reflections most insightful for understanding how and why coaching works well for leaders. To better understand the process and impact of coaching provided as part of leadership development programs, we engaged OpenAI’s GPT-4 model and a group of human coders in identifying and tagging themes to 1,500 participant comments from program evaluations. In this session, researchers shared their methods, lessons learned, and results.
Should’ve Learned That in Grad School: Gaps & Solutions in I-O Practitioner Curricula
CCL Presenter: Katelyn McCoy
Although most I-Os end up in nonacademic roles, graduate students often receive limited insight into the activities and competencies needed for applied careers. This session invited the audience to join breakouts to discuss the KSAOs that are lacking in I-O curricula and brainstorm practical solutions. A diverse range of professionals representing various stakeholders (e.g., professors, students, administration, managers of new grads) facilitated the breakouts which identified what is missing in I-O curricula, barriers to improving it, and concrete steps to bolster I-O education.
The Working Wounded: The Effect of Bereavement Grief and Workplace Practices on Employee Outcomes
CCL Presenters: Dr. Diane Bergeron
This symposium on bereavement (i.e., the death of someone significant), examined relationships among bereavement grief, bereavement leave, other organizational policies and practices, and work-related outcomes (job behaviors, work engagement, perceived organizational support). The insights shared showed concrete implications for people leaders and organizational decision makers.
The Bereavement Burden and Employee Leave Policies
CCL Presenters: Dr. Diane Bergeron and Dr. Andy Loignon
The study featured in this session provided concrete evidence for managers, organizational leaders and policy makers to reference when making decisions about bereavement leave. In a survey of 1,535 bereaved employees, researchers investigated the prevalence and impact of various types of bereavement leave policies. Regardless of policy, 53% of participants reported their manager told them to “take as much time as you need.” They found that more generous bereavement leave policies predicted greater employee fairness perceptions, satisfaction with bereavement leave, and more favorable perceptions of the organization as supportive. Supportive leader behaviors also predicted these outcomes, but leader support does not substitute for flexible and generous bereavement policy.
Good Grief: Rethinking Workplace Policies and Practices Support Bereaved Employees
CCL Presenter: Dr. Diane Bergeron
Bereavement has a significant impact on employee well-being, and yet, surprisingly, it is a seldom-explored topic in the organizational sciences. This symposium covered the prevalence of bereavement in the workplace, the impact of bereavement, bereavement leave, and workplace practices on employee outcomes (e.g., work engagement, fairness perceptions, organizational commitment). It also focused on how organizations can better support bereaved employees.
Leading Wellbeing at Work: Creating Environments Where Humans Thrive
CCL Presenters: Sol Bulkin and Dr. Paige Graham
Leadership is pivotal in fostering workplace wellbeing. This session explored the integration of wellbeing into leadership development programs, the importance of recovery-friendly leadership, sleep leadership, and the impact of leadership on mental health. Presenters also shared practical communication, connection, and belonging tips. Following presentations from each panelist, participants also engaged in guided discussions in small groups, allowing for more in-depth exploration of the topics.
Practical Solutions to Common Challenges in Impact Measurement
CCL Presenters: Dr. Heather Champion and Dr. Jeff Kosovich
Drawing on the collective knowledge and experience of practitioners and researchers in impact measurement, this session explored common challenges in measuring the impact of learning and development initiatives. It introduced three practical, undervalued solutions to help address these challenges and demonstrated the application of the solutions with data and tools. Panelists also shared insights to demonstrate the value of learning and development through impact measurement.
Navigating the Labyrinth: Diverse Pathways to Success in I-O Psychology
CCL Presenter: Dr. Stephen Jeong
This panel discussion explored the diverse and often unexpected career paths in I-O psychology and featured four professionals sharing their unique journeys from aspiring students to successful practitioners and academicians. Designed for both aspiring and early-career I-O psychologists, the session illuminated the challenges, opportunities, and pivotal moments that shape careers in the field, demonstrating that success often comes through adaptability and embracing the unpredictable nature of professional growth.
Coaches Gone Wild? Executive Coaching in an Unregulated Environment
CCL Presenter: Patricia Overland
In this session, experienced practitioners from diverse backgrounds shared their insights regarding the self-regulated field of executive coaching. Panelists discussed ethical considerations surrounding navigating the coaching industry and used prompts to share how they would respond to specific ethical dilemmas.
Is Nature the Best Leadership Teacher? Outdoor Adventure for Leader Development
CCL Presenter: Trevor Rosenberg
Drawing on the collective expertise of practitioners and researchers in experiential leadership development, learning agility, and nature contact, this session examined current practices in outdoor adventure leadership development. Panelists identified key elements in program design and execution and discussed potential challenges and opportunities. Panelists also shared insights to the benefits of outdoor adventure leadership development for individuals and organizations.
As a pioneer in the leadership development space with over 50 years of experience in leadership research, CCL’s presence at the SIOP conference allows us to amplify vital insights that help shape the field across leader levels, industries and sectors. It also provides an opportunity to integrate differing approaches and perspectives, further strengthening our dedication to our mission of advancing the understanding and practice of leadership for the benefit of society worldwide.
About SIOP
SIOP is the premier professional association for the science and practice of I-O psychology. While an independent organization with its own governance, SIOP also represents Division 14 of the American Psychological Association and is an organizational affiliate of the Association for Psychological Science. Learn more about SIOP.
At the Center for Creative Leadership, our drive to create a ripple effect of positive change underpins everything we do. For 50+ years, we’ve pioneered leadership development solutions for leaders at every level, from community leaders to CEOs. Consistently ranked among the top global providers of executive education, our research-based programs and solutions inspire individuals at every level in organizations across the world — including 2/3 of the Fortune 1000 — to ignite remarkable transformations.
At the Center for Creative Leadership, our drive to create a ripple effect of positive change underpins everything we do. For 50+ years, we’ve pioneered leadership development solutions for leaders at every level, from community leaders to CEOs. Consistently ranked among the top global providers of executive education, our research-based programs and solutions inspire individuals at every level in organizations across the world — including 2/3 of the Fortune 1000 — to ignite remarkable transformations.
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