Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations

Abstract

Attacks in the U.S. on Asian American professionals during COVID-19, the #MeToo anti-sexual harassment movement, and the Black Lives Matter protests have led more U.S. cybersecurity organizations to realize the importance of diversity and inclusion training and leadership coaching for their managers. This analysis applies an action research and action learning technique of a multicultural leadership development program leveraging ZOOM. Specifically, this approach was chosen because it fits well for real-world organizational interventions. The relevance of this real-world case study lies in the fact that it could serve as a model for other cybersecurity firms that, due to their limited resources, need help determining how to get started with diversity and inclusion initiatives. This research has significance as cybersecurity firms and departments are attempting to recruit diverse employees to compensate for workforce shortages.

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Chapter 12
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-7207-1.ch012
ABSTRACT
Attacks in the U.S. on Asian American professionals during COVID-19, the #MeToo anti-sexual harass-
ment movement, and the Black Lives Matter protests have led more U.S. cybersecurity organizations to
realize the importance of diversity and inclusion training and leadership coaching for their managers.
This analysis applies an action research and action learning technique of a multicultural leadership
development program leveraging ZOOM. Specifically, this approach was chosen because it fits well for
real-world organizational interventions. The relevance of this real-world case study lies in the fact that
it could serve as a model for other cybersecurity firms that, due to their limited resources, need help
determining how to get started with diversity and inclusion initiatives. This research has significance
as cybersecurity firms and departments are attempting to recruit diverse employees to compensate for
workforce shortages.
Diversity Leadership
Development for
Cybersecurity Managers in
Healthcare Organizations
Darrell Norman Burrell
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4675-9544
Marymount University, USA & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
Amalisha Sabie Aridi
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7869-5530
Capitol Technology University, USA
Calvin Nobles
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4002-1108
Illinois Institute of Technology, USA

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
INTRODUCTION
In 2020, the worldwide cybersecurity workforce had over 1.5 million open jobs. In order to close this
widening gap, companies are looking for candidates with various educational histories, professional ex-
periences, and career trajectories (Burrell & Nobles, 2018). In order to meet the demand, it is necessary
to implement talent management and recruitment strategies that can source potential employees from
various nations and cultures (Burrell, 2021). Organizations must be more inclusive to do this effectively,
and managers must be more culturally competent (Burrell, 2021). As job tasks grow more virtual and
technology-driven to incorporate more cross-functional engagement on teams, collaborative activities
have become a key element in the design of modern workspaces (Burrell, 2019). As a consequence of
this, the cultures of healthy and productive workplaces will continue to be those that become more in-
clusive and varied on the religious and cultural fronts. This transformation in talent management calls
for new abilities to be had by managers and further training for all staff (Burrell, 2019=).
A striking phenomenon is that cybersecurity supervisors and hiring managers are counterbalancing
two competing quandaries, a technical one and a people one (Burrell, 2018, 2019, 2021). Many organiza-
tions promote technical personnel into management positions believing that technical expertise transfers
directly into leadership competencies (Burrell, 2018). However, the professional capacities required of
high-performing technical experts might be different from the skills required in leadership roles (Burrell,
2018, 2019, 2021). Technical competence does not transfer into managerial competence as technical
skills involve analytical and design, whereas the managerial role requires people skills, decision-making,
and teambuilding competencies (Burrell, 2018; Hladio & Edwards, 2017; Burrell, 2019; Burrell, 2021).
Organizations frequently hire computer scientists, information technology professionals, and cy-
bersecurity experts for their technical expertise; however, a current trend is that when personnel, as
mentioned above, are promoted, most lack the leadership training and background required to motivate
staff, manage performance, and direct and drive change (Burrell, 2018, 2019). Most organizations are
only willing to invest in information technology-related training, often focusing on developing manage-
rial and leadership skills for information technology and cybersecurity professionals (Burrell, 2018).
Given that performance is a vital feature of a successful organization, leadership development pro-
grams can aid in improving the leadership skills that drive performance. Effective leadership develop-
ment programs can serve as tools to strengthen the abilities and skills of leaders (Hladio & Edwards,
2017). Leadership development should not be left to chance because effective leadership is critical in
implementing organizational transformation (Hladio & Edwards, 2017; Burrell, 2018, 2019, 2021).
The return on investment for leadership development programs is incalculable, given that cybersecu-
rity and information security professionals work tirelessly to prevent cyber-attacks, data breaches, and
ransomware attacks from occurring (Burrell, 2018). The average cost of a cyber incident is from 4-6
million dollars, and lack of consumer trust, defaming, and shareholders’ loss of confidence; therefore,
the actual cost is damaging (Burrell, 2018).
Current research asserts that the current organizational leadership landscape is continually evolving
(Hladio & Edwards, 2017; Burrell, 2018, 2019, 2021). It is more complicated, volatile, unpredictable,
and challenging for organizations and leaders today (Burrell, 2018, 2019, 2021; Hladio & Edwards,
2017). The skills needed to be an effective organizational leader continue to evolve, requiring strong
collaborative thinking, thought leadership, and problem-solving skills that are more innovative and more
adaptive; yet, leadership development curriculums and strategies continue to lag behind the advancing
business environment (Hladio & Edwards, 2017; Burrell, 2019).

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
Employees’ development and level of involvement are undergoing radical changes (Kelly, 2021).
The COVID-19 epidemic and the employment trend known as “the great resignation” have contributed
to a heightened feeling of urgency regarding the need for leadership development training that focuses
on developing exceptional leaders because of the critical role they play in recruiting, employee selec-
tion, employee retention, and employee job satisfaction (Kelly, 2021). COVID-19 has also compelled
businesses to adopt novel, non-traditional, and online ways of learning and developing their employees
(Kelly, 2021). By 2060, women of color will make up 51.7% of the working population, which will
cause substantial shifts in the structure of workplaces and the pool of candidates for employment (Pace,
2018). According to the study conducted by Hunt, Prince, Dixon-Fyle, and Yee (2018), businesses with
leadership teams and employee cultures that are more diverse from gender and racial perspectives also
have greater levels of productivity and performance. Companies with more varied senior leadership
compositions and pipelines are 33% more lucrative than industry competitors that are not diverse. As a
result, successful firms must cultivate more inclusive organizational cultures (Hunt et al., 2018).
In the aftermath of the #MeToo movement’s disclosures about sexual harassment and the Black Lives
Matter protests, many companies are looking into providing training for their managers on diversity and
inclusion issues. Consequently, diversity leadership coaching training was provided to ten cybersecurity
managers for one year. As part of the program, managers must read the same book in a month and a
series of books over several months. They were also provided with diary suggestions for a journal to
help them record their ideas and achievements in their study. The participants were also provided with
case studies based on the concepts presented in each book. The purpose of these case studies was to
enable the participants to apply the knowledge they gained from the books to real-life industry-based
scenarios, which added an experiential component to learning.
These ten participants were also divided into smaller groups of four participants, with each of these
groups meeting twice a month to discuss the books and express their thoughts on them. Every month,
all eight got together for a book debriefing session, which the leadership development coach led. These
sessions were held through the use of ZOOM in order to accommodate COVID-19. This strategy provided
an efficient and cost-effective means of educating and training managers on issues pertaining to diversity
and inclusion. The leadership development intervention was more effective because it was more protracted
and impactful than the one-off, day-long, classroom, or lecture-driven training that is typically ineffec-
tive in changing behaviors and paradigms. The direct interactions, conversations, and stories made the
training more influential. Conversations in both a small group of four people and a large group of eight
people allowed the opportunity to share and exchange ideas, promoting fresh ways of tackling an issue
and fostering thinking outside the box. The book’s choice helped steer the conversations on diversity
in positive directions while also providing the managers with the information and frame of mind they
required to comprehend the significance and value of diversity. All of the participants expanded their
knowledge and capacities for understanding and empathy with the aid of the technique.
Books that were used included the following:
1. Everyday Bias: Identifying and Navigating Unconscious Judgments in Our Daily Lives by
Howard Ross. The book allows readers to explore the nature of their biases and prejudices and how
they manifest themselves in their social interactions.
2. Why Everyone (Else) Is a Hypocrite: Evolution and the Modular Mind by Robert Kurzban, the
book explains how our perceptions, thinking, and judgment flaws can be inconsistent with factual
information about scenarios.

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
3. How to be an inclusive Leader by Jennifer Brown- The book outlines what is required to be an
inclusive leader in the workplace.
4. Microaggressions and Marginality: Manifestation, Dynamics, and Impact by Derald Sue.
The book explains how microinsults and acts of bias in social interactions can harm, offend, and
devalue groups.
5. Interfaith Leadership: A Primer by Eboo Patel. The book explains the importance of interfaith
leadership and why it matters so much to different faiths.
6. Don’t Label Me: An Incredible Conversation for Divided Times by Irshad Manji. The book
explores the dynamics around diversity, bigotry, and our common humanity in ways that attempt
to build common ground.
7. The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather
McGee. The book explores racism, inequality, and the costly and painful lesson that generations
of Americans have failed to learn. The book explores how racism costs everyone, not just people
of color.
8. It could happen here by Jonathan Greenblatt. The book explores the dynamics of race, conflict,
racism, and hate in ways that caution us to consider the impact of our behaviors and actions in
creating a society intolerant of diversity.
9. Conflict Mastery: Questions to Guide You by Cinnie Noble. The book attempts to give leaders
the conflict management skills required to navigate conflicts related to differences.
10. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. The book
outlines the complex nature of organizational change and the dynamics of moving change forward.
11. Diversity Beyond Lip Service by LaWanna Harris. The book outlines the steps required to
engage in diversity and inclusion fully.
12. 5 Levels of Appreciation at work- by Paul White- Provides a framework for appreciating, engag-
ing, and valuing employees of all levels at work.
Executive coaching has become an increasingly common kind of integrated intervention, aiming to
improve organizational effectiveness and foster leadership development (Libian, 2011). Emerging as a
tool to foster more vital organizational sustainability and self-awareness regarding organizational trans-
formation related to diversity, the practice of leadership diversity leadership coaching in companies is a
relatively recent phenomenon that has gained popularity in recent years (Frodsham, 2020).
Problem Statement
Managers must be trained, coached, and developed to understand how to appreciate diversity is a criti-
cal challenge faced by all businesses. As of right now, seventy percent of businesses provide leadership
coaching (Kelly, 2021). From the year 2020 to the year 2021, more than forty percent of these companies
raised the amount of money they spent on coaching. Kelly, 2021). Executive coaching is used by 55 per-
cent of companies to grow their leaders, and it is one of the top three delivery modalities that companies
utilize for learning and development (Kelly, 2021). Today’s overarching challenge facing businesses
is to research and investigate the most effective methods of diversity leadership coaching found in the
relevant literature and action learning training methodologies. This action research project investigates
a vacuum in the cybersecurity leadership development research about diversity leadership coaching and

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
the profitability of the practice since the development of COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter movement,
and the employment trend known as “The Great resignation.”
METHOD
This study aims to investigate the usefulness of diversity leadership coaching for training managers on
diversity and inclusion using an applied intervention-based action research approach. To do so, we will
use the best practices, frameworks, and theories from the existing body of research and combine these
with action learning and an action research methodology. The data collection approach included training
interventions with ten cybersecurity supervisor professionals in healthcare organizations. All participants
had over ten years of cybersecurity experience and five years of cybersecurity management experience.
All participants were Caucasian Americans, with seven males and three females. The Kirkpatrick Model
of training evaluation was used to measure the impact of the training intervention.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The contexts in which organizations operate are constantly shifting, and they function on a global scale.
As a result, many companies must adapt successfully to changing situations and cultivate empowered and
motivated personnel (Berg & Karlsen, 2011). It has been established that coaching techniques are a form
of training that promotes increased levels of self-confidence in executive management (Berg & Karlsen,
2011). This study will relate the conceptual framework of diversity leadership coaching and organizational
success to two famous leadership and employee empowerment theories. The purpose of this study is to
investigate the relationship between the two. Because of their continued relevance to ongoing research
on the topic, the theories of transformational leadership and constructive-developmental personality
will be chosen as the focus of this study. In addition, they will be selected because they will assist in
explaining the mediating function that psychological empowerment plays in leadership and employee
development (Lan & Chong, 2015). Transformational leadership is not just motivated by concerns over
efficacy; instead, this type of leadership focuses on maintaining value, distributing power, and bringing
about change via vision (Lan & Chong, 2015). Theories of transformational leadership imply that there
is a requirement for businesses to discover innovative ways of enabling personnel to learn and adapt in
response to quickly shifting business contexts (Rosha, 2013). As a result of their capacity to take into
account variations in leader performance, constructive-developmental theories are destined to become
valuable additions to transformational theories. They can also explain possible variations in how dif-
ferent people build or arrange their experiences in their respective settings (Strang & Kuhnert, 2010).
This developmental theory is distinct from other conventional leadership theories in that the focus
is on the individual’s mentality rather than their personality qualities (Hunter, Lewis, & Ritter-Gooder,
2011). The theoretical framework utilized for this investigation will be something other than trait driven.
It will focus on transformational and developmental theory to identify the stages of leadership growth
and the coaching elements that promote good mobility (Hunter, Lewis, & Ritter-Gooder, 2011). This
intervention will be significant for examining executive coaching since a fundamental assumption will
be that people getting coaching must stay self-aware of their progress through growth phases (Hunter,
Lewis, & Ritter-Gooder, 2011).

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
The diagram that follows illustrates some of the primary conceptual connections within the trans-
formational leadership paradigm and are connected to knowing managers about diversity and inclusion.
It demonstrates how particular goals of interest and growth can be applied to the process of executive
coaching.
Contributions to the Workings of Cybersecurity
Organizations and Departments
This study may contribute to the research on the efficacy of diversity leadership coaching for fostering
organizational and societal transformation by offering new insights and perspectives. Recent studies
have pointed to the necessity of developing new frameworks and conducting a more exhaustive study
(Rosha, 2013). It will be essential to emphasize coaching since doing so leads to increased knowledge
regarding developing diverse business leaders (Frodsham, 2020). The procedures now used will alter due
to this study to establish more comprehensive diversity leadership coaching platforms. It will promote
managerial involvement with how various organizational leadership strategies develop over time. One
of the benefits will be that smaller and medium-sized businesses will have a better chance of restarting
their diversity leadership coaching programs for senior leadership. They might also modify the training
programs they offer to employees to boost their motivation and overall job satisfaction. Understanding
employee empowerment will impact human resource strategies and employee retention (Cox, 2013).
The findings of this study will provide novel approaches to developing diversity leadership coaching
techniques that are amenable to adaptation in various organizational contexts.
Figure 1. The conceptual model in the transformational leadership paradigm. Adapted from Hunter,
Lewis, and Ritter-Gooder (2011).

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
As a result, the research may significantly contribute to management and corporate practices by
providing practical techniques for diversity leadership coaching. The current culture of businesses em-
phasizes cultivating leaders and workers who are encouraged to be innovative and socially responsible
(Frodsham, 2020). A culture of motivated leadership and responsibility toward creating inclusive and
equitable organizations can flourish inside a company employing effective and efficient coaching (Frod-
sham, 2020). This research will produce results that, depending on their interpretation, point to novel
paradigms for leadership involvement and organizational growth.
Implications for more Inclusive Workplace Cultures
The positive social change that may be brought about as a consequence of some of these results goes
beyond the organization’s operations (Silva & Cooray, 2014). This change is evident in how workers and
managers can be trained on personal growth and social responsibility topics. In addition, robust corporate
cultures depend on the company’s employees sharing a common understanding of the value and neces-
sity of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Additionally, they must establish a constructive culture
that attracts and retains individuals who think critically (Frodsham, 2020). From both a business and a
social point of view, it is essential for firms to work toward cultivating inclusive cultures and diversified
human resources (Frodsham, 2020).
COACHING FOR CYBERSECURITY EXECUTIVES: A
CONCEPTUALIZATION AND DEFINITION OF THE FIELD
The practice of executive coaching has been described in terms of a wide variety of psychodynamic,
cognitive, and pragmatic approaches that are solution-based (Grant, 2013). As a result of an increase
in academic literature, there started to be more interest in defining the field as a subject of study, and
various theories of executive coaching emerged quickly throughout the 2000s. This increased interest
in defining the field as a subject of study contributed to the rise in academic literature. These defini-
tions tended to take a more holistic, psychological approach and focused on an individual’s capacity for
growth (Silsbee, 2010).
As the study of this topic has progressed, various theoretical frameworks and problem-oriented diag-
nostics have been applied to comprehend the evolution of the executive coaching relationship (Bresser,
2010). Nevertheless, a few consistent ideas have surfaced throughout all of the research. These include
working together, being accountable, spreading awareness, taking responsibility, being committed, mak-
ing plans, and taking action (Grant, 2013). The process of coaching is goal-oriented and methodical,
and it assists clients in reaching their objectives, both in their professional and personal life (Theeboom,
Beersma, & van Vianen, 2013). One definition of the coaching relationship is one in which the coach
and coachee work together to develop a shared knowledge of their goals and a plan of action to achieve
them (Bresser, 2010). The concepts of executive diversity leadership coaching and its evolution through
time now encompass cognitive and behavioral factors as part of the coaching process (Frodsham, 2020).
The following table lists some of the main underlying mechanisms of executive coaching found in
the literature and their presumed results.

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
Diversity leadership executive coaching and its processes are distinguished by its intervention tactics,
which were intended to promote abilities, possibilities for growth, and reflective thinking (Frodsham,
2020). According to Jowett, O’Broin, and Palmer (2010), coaching is primarily concerned with providing
guidance, supervising, and teaching, as well as encouraging the development of leadership skills, learn-
ing methodologies, and enhanced performance. In the context of management, Jowett, Kanakoglou, and
Passmore (2012) described coaching as correcting deficiencies and building confidence, assertiveness,
and relationship skills. In the end, coaching is a process of forming relationships to generate coordination
between an experienced professional and an aspiring one (Jowett, Kanakoglou, & Passmore, 2012). In
Grant’s (2013) analysis of the function of the executive coach, the concept of the positive psychology
coach emerges as a significant component of the position’s basic definitions.
According to Silsbee (2010), an executive coach fosters a constructive connection based on contrib-
uting to the growth and self-generation of the individual they are working with. The executive coach
contributes to the formation of psychological shifts that pave the way for transformation (Silsbee, 2010).
The positive psychological flourishing hypothesis developed by Seligman (2007) has been used as a
general definition of the executive coach because it leads to happy emotions and thoughts, more en-
gagement, improved relationships, and increased success. This term has been widely used throughout
the topic’s history, primarily because of its emphasis on psychological and practical outcomes (Grant,
2013). On the other hand, there have been significant difficulties in identifying the topic, particularly
coaching based on positive psychology. As a topic of inquiry among academics concerned with the for-
mation of influential leaders, executive coaching methods have gradually enjoyed rising popularity levels
(Lebihan, 2011). Companies have mandated that their senior management get coaching, and they now
demand that managers provide coaching to the individuals under their supervision (McCarthy & Milner,
2012; Frodsham, 2020). According to the findings of several studies, there is a favorable association
between coaching and employee happiness (Hagen, 2010). Two aspects suggested as essential to good
leadership are the development of excellent listening skills and the establishment of clear expectations
for performance (Larsson & Vinberg, 2010). The coaching process might take the shape of an official
meeting, or it can be done in a less structured manner on an ongoing basis (McCarthy & Milner, 2012).
The researchers’ attempts to characterize and make sense of the phenomena are complicated by the fact
that this is the case.
Table 1. The main mechanisms and results of executive coaching. Adapted from Grant (2013).
Coaching Mechanisms Results
Establishing confidentiality Building trust
Creating an open, communicative space Relieving stress and anxiety
Setting personally-valued goals Enhancing self-efficacy and well-being
Developing a pragmatic and collaborative relationship Bolstering solution-focused thinking
Creating a support system for setbacks Enhancing self-regulation
Modeling self-reflexivity Encouraging greater self-awareness, self-development, and readiness
for change
Using positive psychology Creating changes in thoughts and emotions

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
Theories and Methods of Transformative Learning
Through the utilization of Kolb’s learning cycle, the activities for diverse leadership coaching are
centered on transformational learning, with the end goal of developing transformative leaders. Kolb’s
(1984) experiential learning cycle, which outlines the process of learning by action and comprises real
experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation, provides a
framework for this kind of education. The learner is the one who participates in the experience of concrete
experiences, such as working on an issue. The following step in reflective observation is a deliberate
reflection on the experience that was just had. When attempting to conceptualize something in an ab-
stract manner, the learner generates new ideas and concepts based on their contemplation. The learning
cycle continues when the learner uses new ideas or concepts through active exploration. According to
O’Neil and Marsick (2007), Kolb established this cycle to maximize and make more conscious learning
from experience. The cycle of gaining knowledge via experience can only function properly with the
component of reflection. According to O’Neil and Marsick (2007), learners can better comprehend or
reinterpret their experiences due to the interplay between experience and reflection. The quality of the
learner’s reflection on the problem or project serves as the program’s focal point, and it enables them to
reframe and apply new ideas and solutions gleaned from their experience (Sanyal, 2018; Fussell, 2019).
Individuals can become transformational leaders with the assistance of the critical reflection process
in action learning-based training (O’Neil & Marsick, 2007; Sanyal, 2018; Fussell, 2019). This process
allows individuals to investigate the assumptions that lie beneath their beliefs regarding a particular is-
sue or how the organization functions (O’Neil & Marsick, 2007; Sanyal, 2018; Fussell, 2019). In recent
years, transformational leadership ideas have been included in research on successful coaching and the
culture of learning inside organizations (Antonakis, 2012).
Having an understanding of how transformational leaders boost the performance of their staff members
may be successfully applied to the existing body of research on effective coaching. In an organization,
transformational leaders act as agents of change and significantly impact the beliefs, motivations, and
perspectives of the people they lead (Cavazotte, Moreno, & Bernardo, 2013). These leaders exhibit actions
that fall into four categories: idealized influence, intellectual stimulation, individualized concern, and
inspiring drive (Cavazotte, Moreno, & Bernardo, 2013). Such dimensions are not remarkably dissimilar
to the characteristics discovered in executive coaches via research, even though the effect of a coach
is typically more targeted (Rosha, 2014). Positive feedback is something that transformational leaders
provide to their people in order to encourage personal growth (Cavazotte, Moreno, & Bernardo, 2013).
The psychosocial aspects of these encounters are intended to encourage higher self-efficacy, which is
also an essential part of the process of executive coaching (Cavazotte, Moreno, & Bernardo, 2013). This
kind of empowerment is amplified when the transformational leader maintains his or her involvement
with the staff member (Zhang & Bartol, 2010). The transformational leader or coach takes into ac-
count the employee’s previous successes, as well as their learning contexts, emotional intelligence, and
ambitions (Zhang & Bartol, 2010). If one considers coaching to be a socio-cognitive activity, then the
promotion of self-efficacy is an essential component (Cavazotte, Moreno, & Bernardo, 2013). Accord-
ing to several studies, persons who are being mentored experience sentiments of higher empowerment
as a direct result of transformational leadership (Den Hartog & Belschak, 2012). The context of a leader
and a follower in this kind of connection does not involve a unidirectional flow of influence (Cavazotte,
Moreno, & Bernardo, 2013). Instead, it is dependent on either feedback or a reciprocal model of par-
ticipation, both of which are equally essential components of executive coaching tactics (Cavazotte,

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
Moreno, & Bernardo, 2013). Transformational leaders serve as examples for followers to emulate and
facilitate the identification process via the actions they exhibit in the workplace (Cavazotte, Moreno, &
Bernardo, 2013). This then evolves into a collaboration process that emphasizes the company’s culture
and mission (Zhang & Bartol, 2010).
The following theoretical model displays the direct and indirect effects of transformational leadership
on performance measures:
Similarly, the executive coach may perform the role of a transformative leader while simultaneously
pushing others to build their leadership skills. Coaching continues to be a transformative practice that
creates value by providing leaders with a method to think about their growth process (Harper, 2012).
Increasing one’s sense of self-efficacy includes much introspection on the part of the individual. How-
ever, one of the tenets of executive coaching is that it may be utilized regardless of a person’s personality
type. This contrasts with the stress that specific transformational theories place on the charisma of the
leader (Harper, 2012).
In contrast to transactional theories, transformational leadership does not begin from the premise that
interpersonal connections are founded on giving and receiving (Harper, 2012). This is very important
since executive coaching does not take an instrumentalist perspective of the workers (Good, Yeganeh,
& Yeganeh, 2010). Establishing openness and trust in the client connection is one of the primary goals
of transformational coaching leadership (Harper, 2012). However, coaches primarily concentrating on
transformational leadership are familiar with multi-disciplinary techniques that may be tailored to the
particular organizational culture being addressed (Harper, 2012).
Figure 2. A model of transformational leadership and performance. Adapted from Cavazotte, Moreno,
and Bernardo (2013).

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
Several tenants make up the philosophy of transformational leadership: idealistic influence, motivation,
intellectual stimulation, and individual concern (Shadraconis, 2013). A high degree of social identifica-
tion is a prerequisite for idealized influence, and leaders instill this quality in their followers (Harper,
2012). Transformational leaders build trust inside their organizations and are willing to share risk in
their operations (Shadraconis, 2013). One objective of diversity leadership coaching is to assist leaders
in developing an actionable strategy to increase their impact by assisting them in better comprehending
the social dynamics unique to their particular business (Frodsham, 2020)
This facet of leadership development primarily emphasizes the acquisition of practical communica-
tion skills (Bass & Bass, 2010). Leaders interact with workers in a manner analogous to how a coach
interacts with a coachee, ensuring that effective communication is consistently demonstrated (Levine,
Muenchen, & Brooks, 2010). The process of diversity leadership coaching requires the utilization of
effective communication models since these models tend to foster improved employee interactions
(Shadraconis, 2013).
According to the findings of several studies, transformational leadership development is highly linked
to organizational change and employee satisfaction (Long, Madhia, Yusof, Kowang, & Heng, 2014). In this
regard, one of the primary goals of the transformational leader is to establish an environment characterized
by trust and open participation (Albion & Galiardi, 2011). Because of the risk of employee turnover and
burnout in many companies, topics about job satisfaction have been extensively discussed in the general
literature on leadership (Omar, 2011). However, research on workers has shown that employees choose
attributes of transformational leaders to maintain their motivation in the workplace (Risambessy, Swasto,
Thoyib, & Astuti, 2012). As a result of these factors, executive coaching has also centered its attention
on transformational theories and ideas of organizational trust (Risambessy et al., 2012).
Figure 3. A model for the relationship between transformational leadership, empowerment, and orga-
nizational identification. Adapted from Zhu et al. (2012).

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Diversity Leadership Development for Cybersecurity Managers in Healthcare Organizations
Transformational leaders have the potential to significantly boost the organizational identification of
their followers across all sectors (Zhu, Sosik, Riggio, & Yang, 2012). Transformational leadership needs
to have a philosophy of psychological empowerment, and this idea may be effectively used in executive
coaching geared at bringing about change (Zhu, Sosik, Riggio, & Yang, 2012). Recent research has
focused on how a sense of organizational identity is vital to the success of businesses. Organizational
identification is connected to a concept of oneness with a company (Jones & Volpe, 2010). Recent
studies have emphasized social identity and management ties’ role in the development of organizational
bonding (Jones & Volpe, 2010).
The fundamental concept that follows illustrates how coaching in diverse leadership and transforma-
tional leadership might produce more employee empowerment and more robust corporate identification:
CONCLUSION
The fact that just a limited number of people participated in the study is one of the areas for improve-
ment of the investigation. The collected information is helpful because it may serve as a guide for other
groups that wish to get involved in diversity work but need help determining where to begin. This is the
value that the information provides. In order to investigate the effects of the training, the action-learning
approach was utilized. The program had a successful overall impact, as evidenced by the fact that all
participants successfully applied what they had learned. This research has significance as cybersecurity
firms and departments attempt to recruit diverse employees to compensate for workforce shortages. The
value of this paper is to re-enforce the idea that the research in the field of cybersecurity has a variety of
critical domains worthy of study and exploration from real-world and applied research methods.
The training was deemed adequate based on high responses to Kirkpatrick Method for training evalu-
ation. This evaluation method has been employed and utilized by training and development organizations
for more than 50 years (Dewi & Kartowagiran, 2018).
Level 1. Reaction
This level measures training course participants’ immediate reaction to the training based on end-of-
course surveys. 10 out of 10 participants found significant value and benefit to the training.
Level 2. Learning
This level included pre-training and post-training knowledge tests to measure new knowledge. The average
increase from the pre-training test scores to the post-training test scores showed an 82% improvement
in knowledge.
Level 3. Behavior
This level included using a self-assessment questionnaire sent to course participants one month after
the training and a letter that participants wrote to themselves about their feelings, goals, and learning
breakthroughs. 10 out of 10 participants outlined that they used many of the concepts and practices they
learned in training.

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