Name Participant profile Peter Senior partner in a legal practice of solicitors from his late twenties. No other organizational (early forties) experience than The practice employs over 35 people and he has recently solicitors’ office. opened a further office to become one of the major legal practices in the district. James Founder of a specialist recruitment consultancy specialising in engineering in the nuclear (early fifties) industry. Very limited employment experience with no leadership roles. Established his business in his mid-twenties and has been the only context relevant to leadership experience. Tom Co-founder, with his brother, of a maintenance surveying service of high rise structures with (mid-forties) approximately 20 full-time employees and a substantial number of consultant associates. Only one previous short term employer before establishing the business at the age of twenty-four. Michael Acquired a telecommunications market research company currently employing over 25 people, (mid forties) as well as being a director of a number of other business investments. Seeking to step away from his core business. Corporate consulting career before the business acquisition. Bob Founder of a window manufacture and installation company employed approximately 70 people (late thirties) but has retrenched to 40 employees. Has only been self-employed and has run two consecutive businesses both of which have been successful. Alan Recently retired director, who joined a family business specialising in engineering services to the (mid sixties) nuclear industry. The business grew in excess of 200 employees and was sold to a USA corporation. Now chairman of a local development agency. Ian Acquired a specialist training college employing approximately 40 people. Sold this business (mid forties) and now an executive director of a construction company. Limited organizational experience prior to the college acquisition in his late twenties. Nigel A graphic designer who founded his business partnership in 1998. He acquired another company (mid forties) that now extends to 10 employees. Limited organizational experience that was at junior levels of leadership responsibility. All his experience has been in the graphic design sector. Patrick Took over his father's business which now employs approximately 12 people. He had numerous (early forties) organizational experiences but never in one organisation more than two years and never in a position of responsibility. An aspiration to lead and grow his business but little experience of leadership. Table 1: Profile of the participants
Name Participant profile Peter (early forties) James (early fifties) Tom (mid-forties) Michael (mid forties) Bob (late thirties) Alan (mid sixties) Ian (mid forties) Nigel (mid forties) Patrick (early forties) Senior partner in a legal practice of solicitors from his late twenties. No other organizational experience than solicitors’ office. The practice employs over 35 people and he has recently opened a further office to become one of the major legal practices in the district. Founder of a specialist recruitment consultancy specialising in engineering in the nuclear industry. Very limited employment experience with no leadership roles. Established his business in his mid-twenties and has been the only context relevant to leadership experience. Co-founder, with his brother, of a maintenance surveying service of high rise structures with approximately 20 full-time employees and a substantial number of consultant associates. Only one previous short term employer before establishing the business at the age of twenty-four. Acquired a telecommunications market research company currently employing over 25 people, as well as being a director of a number of other business investments. Seeking to step away from his core business. Corporate consulting career before the business acquisition. Founder of a window manufacture and installation company employed approximately 70 people but has retrenched to 40 employees. Has only been self-employed and has run two consecutive businesses both of which have been successful. Recently retired director, who joined a family business specialising in engineering services to the nuclear industry. The business grew in excess of 200 employees and was sold to a USA corporation. Now chairman of a local development agency. Acquired a specialist training college employing approximately 40 people. Sold this business and now an executive director of a construction company. Limited organizational experience prior to the college acquisition in his late twenties. A graphic designer who founded his business partnership in 1998. He acquired another company that now extends to 10 employees. Limited organizational experience that was at junior levels of leadership responsibility. All his experience has been in the graphic design sector. Took over his father's business which now employs approximately 12 people. He had numerous organizational experiences but never in one organisation more than two years and never in a position of responsibility. An aspiration to lead and grow his business but little experience of leadership. Table 1: Profile of the participants