Metasynthesis of Leadership Skills Development Requirements Using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
Keywords:
Leadership skills, Developing leadership skills, Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), MetasynthesisAbstract
The purpose of this study is to develop a comprehensive framework for leadership skills development requirements using neuro-linguistic programming techniques. This qualitative and developmental study employed a meta-synthesis approach supported by qualitative content analysis. The research population consisted of all internal and international studies related to leadership skills development and NLP published between 2000 and 2025. A systematic search was conducted across major scientific databases, yielding 1,727 initial documents. Through multi-stage screening, based on relevance, methodological rigor, and quality assessment criteria, 66 high-quality studies were selected. Data were analyzed using the seven-step Sandelowski and Barroso method to extract conceptual patterns and synthesize findings. The inferential results revealed that leadership skills development requirements grounded in NLP can be categorized into three main themes comprising nine subthemes and sixty descriptive codes. The first theme focuses on intrapersonal and personality-based leadership skills, emphasizing self-leadership, authenticity, and personal capability. The second theme addresses interpersonal and group-related skills, including communication effectiveness, influence, persuasion, and developmental competencies. The third theme encompasses strategic and organizational requirements, reflecting social and organizational intelligence, cognitive and analytical capacities, executive and managerial competence, adaptability and agility, and value-creation capabilities. Overall, the analysis demonstrates that NLP facilitates deeper cognitive, communicative, and strategic development in leaders by reshaping mental models and enhancing behavioral flexibility. The study concludes that neuro-linguistic programming provides a multidimensional and integrative framework for strengthening leadership skills. By enabling leaders to modify internal patterns, improve communication, and enhance strategic awareness, NLP serves as a transformational tool for leadership development, organizational capacity building, and human capital enhancement.
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Copyright (c) -1 Alireza Nikmaram (Author); Nour mohammad Yaqhoubi; Habibollah Salarzehi, Esmaeel Asadi, Abdolsamad khodami (Author)
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