Innovation Through Leader Development Across the Life Span

Leadership development is a vested interest of Extension, which provides a multitude of programs for individuals of all ages. To properly position each program and meet the needs of participants, we must understand the progression of leader development across a leader’s entire life experiences. With a foundation that builds on three established frameworks, the proposed model of leader development across the life span suggests that when a leader encounters triggers, resulting from interactions and engagement with society, they initiate an inward-focused, meaning-making process that results in action. With this, a leader exerts a greater influence within the environment as he or she develops. This session further explores the implications of a life span model of leader development for leadership programs in a variety of contexts and provides an overview of possible applications for Extension professionals.