Introducing Leadership

Introduces the principles and practice of leadership, from theory through to the development of the reader's own leadership ability. This book analyses the different sources of leadership and management theory.

The subject of leadership raises many questions: What is it? How does it differ from management and command? Are leaders born or bred? Who are the leaders? Do we actually need leaders? Inevitably, the answers are provocative and partial; leadership is a hugely important topic of debate. There are constant calls for 'greater' or 'stronger' leadership, but what this actually means, how we can evaluate it, and why it's important are not very clear. In this Very Short Introduction Keith Grint prompts the reader to rethink their understanding of what leadership is. He examines the way leadership has evolved from its earliest manifestations in ancient societies, highlighting the beginnings of leadership writings through Plato, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli and others, to consider the role of the social, economic, and political context undermining particular modes of leadership. Exploring the idea that leaders cannot exist without followers, and recognising that we all have diverse experiences and assumptions of leadership, Grint looks at the practice of management, its history, future, and influence on all aspects of society. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Leadership: A Practical Guide is packed with examples of famous leaders who achieved brilliant things against all odds. You'll discover their ideas, strategies and tried and tested winning solutions, which can be applied to the opportunities and challenges that you face. So whether you're starting from scratch as a new leader, needing to raise your game, or aiming to do what great leaders do and aim even higher, this practical yet inspirational guide will help you to perform at your very best.

This book is a philosophical exploration of the relationship between leadership and organization. Each chapter in the book sheds light on this relationship by exploring leadership with respect to a particular theme: charisma, authority, religion, language, authenticity, image and followership. These themes are linked to popular notions of leadership, such as transformational leadership, authentic leadership and servant leadership. Offering insight into the ways in which leadership is understood in contemporary culture, the main thesis of Leadership and Organization is that understandings of leadership today are still shaped by the figure of the charismatic leader, even though charismatic leadership itself has lost much of its appeal. The clearest expression of this paradigm is the leadership-management distinction, where the leader is someone who transcends the organization and the manager someone who resides within the organization. Drawing on a broad variety of sources in continental philosophy, the author explores the central philosophical question of how leadership can be understood in relation to organization This book provides new perspectives on leadership that will be of interest to all students, academics and practitioners who are interested in challenging their thinking about leadership. It will particularly appeal to those considering leadership studies from a critical or philosophical angle.

Leadership is crucial to the success of any organisation. But how can one seek to most effectively develop the leadership ability of both themselves, and others? How should one define leadership? Are great leaders born or made? This text addresses such fundamental questions via a comprehensive and critical approach to the discussion of key leadership theories. The text encourages the reader to consider the role of both follower and leader in the leadership process, and to recognise the emergence of both effective, and destructive, leadership. Each chapter features 'Expert Insights' on leadership, written by leaders in their respective fields. These insights offer the reader a valuable real-world perspective of leadership that enriches the abstract theory covered in each chapter. The provision of case studies, examples and supplementary online material provide the effective delivery of both undergraduate and postgraduate lectures and workshops, and self-guided study. A concluding chapter that focuses on the development of one’s self-leadership ultimately facilitates a comprehensive introduction to what is at once a seductive, complex, transformative and alluring topic.

"A military science & leadership development program."--Amazon.com.

Are leaders morally special? Is there something ethically distinctive about the relationship between leaders and followers? Should leaders do whatever it takes to achieve group goals? Leadership Ethics uses moral theory, as well as empirical research in psychology, to evaluate the reasons everyday leaders give to justify breaking the rules. Written for people without a background in philosophy, it introduces readers to the moral theories that are relevant to leadership ethics: relativism, amoralism, egoism, virtue ethics, social contract theory, situation ethics, communitarianism, and cosmopolitan theories such as utilitarianism and transformational leadership. Unlike many introductory texts, the book does more than simply acquaint readers with different approaches to leadership ethics. It defends the Kantian view that everyday leaders are not justified in breaking the moral rules.

Introducing Leadership is a highly practical textbook which draws on robust research to present a clear picture of what leadership actually involves. It explores why leadership has become so important in recent years; the role leadership plays in achieving organisational success; the skills that effective leaders need; and the steps that anyone can take to become an effective leader. This second edition expands its coverage into ethical practice and emotional intelligence, and looks at the impact that our increasing understanding of the brain is having on leadership behaviour and performance. It also considers the importance of trust for effective leadership. Throughout the book there are boxes providing detailed exploration of key concepts, and case studies and review questions appear at the end of each chapter to stimulate critical thinking. Introducing Leadership is for people at all levels in organisations, particularly those aspiring to their first leadership role or studying for leadership qualifications at ILM or CMI Levels 3 to 5.