OBAIR Research Seminar Explores New Approaches to Leadership Development

The OBAIR Research Seminar Series at DCU Business School welcomed Professor Robert (Bob) Wood of Macquarie University, Australia, this week for a seminar entitled Rethinking Leadership Development.

Professor Wood examined the effectiveness of current leadership training approaches and proposed a new framework for understanding and developing leadership behaviour. Drawing on research into behavioural change and recent advances in personality theory, he outlined the Whole of Leadership approach, developed with colleague Nadin Beckmann. The framework incorporates socio-cognitive mechanisms to explain both consistency and variability in leadership behaviours and has the potential to inform future leadership training and development programmes.

An internationally recognised scholar, Professor Wood is Professor of Behavioural Decision Theory at Macquarie University, Visiting Professor at DCU, and Director of the CommBank Diaries 2026 project. His research spans leadership, motivation, problem-solving, personality, ethical decision-making, and human adaptability.

The seminar generated engaging discussion among attendees and provided valuable insights into the future of leadership research and practice. OBAIR extends its thanks to Professor Wood for sharing his expertise and to all who attended.