After reviewing the six data-collection methods on leadership practices, identify any trends in the development of organizational leadership theory and practice, and document them with findings from recent leadership research literature.

Six data-collection methods on leadership practices

Interviews  

• Interviews can be performed in person or by telephone.
• Interviews can be performed formally (structured), semi structured or informally.
• In interviews, information is gathered via the inquiry and recorded by the enumerators. Structured interviews are conducted using survey formats, while open interviews are recorded while talking to respondents.

Questionnaire and surveys

• In comparison to interviews, where the enumerator asks questions explicitly, questionnaires apply to forms filled in by the respondents themselves. Questionnaires may be handed out or submitted by mail and subsequently collected or returned by stamped envelope.
• The questionnaire allows respondents to fill out the form themselves, thus requiring a high degree of literacy.

Observations

• A good source for providing additional information about a specific community may use video to provide documentation.
• Can generate quantitative and qualitative data

Focus Group

• It's a group of people who have something in common.
• Helps to collect information on the combined viewpoint and response

Ethnographies, Oral History, and Case Studies 

• It investigates people in this natural setting and includes the study of a particular phenomenon
• Uses a mixture of methods such as observation, questioning and surveying.

Documents and records

• These are historical in nature, and they may not be so reliable often.
• Consists of analyzing current data in the form of databases, minutes of meetings, surveys, attendance lists, financial records, newsletters, etc.
• This may be an inexpensive way to collect information, but may be an incomplete data source.

Trends

• Corporate culture - companies are now focused more on teamwork and the office environment than on individual emphasis.
• Mentoring - Mentoring is a relationship in which a more experienced or knowledgeable person helps to direct a less experienced or less knowledgeable person.
• Social Collaboration and Social Media —Involvement of social media and the business world has grown. Social collaboration allows staff and teams connect and exchange knowledge to accomplish shared goals. These include Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and WhatsApp.
• Goal Setting - The goal setting process has often been complicated and static. The conventional SMART approach has been around for over 50 years and generates more of a challenge rather than support, so one must have personal and team goals rather than Comany goals.