The paper seeks to identify patterns of leadership development in different organization contexts with the aim of contributing to improved understanding of how the context shapes the leadership development system (LDS).

Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on the initial phase of a 4-year collaborative research project on LDSs. Data was collected in the five collaborative partner organizations and based on four data sources: 1) company visits; 2) internal documentation; 3) external information (websites); and 4) company presentations at an on-line workshop.

Findings: The results show a strong focus on individual leader development, and at least partly, confirms the under-use of developmental assignments and relationships as shown in previous studies. All organizations outsource leadership development to different degrees. However, leadership development is not only structured through different methods, it is also dependent on the organization context in the form of leader forums and meetings. An identified pattern is that the smaller organizations are more dependent on external resources, and the larger organizations tailor company-wide programs for their unique needs together with external consultants. Furthermore, the LDS is believed to be an effective change agent in the adaptive process of transforming.

Originality: This study contributes to the research on leadership development by advancing the current understanding of how leadership development interacts with the context of the organization.

Practical implications: This study highlights the need for leaders and HR professionals to acknowledge contextual issues when choosing practices used for developing the leadership in the organization.