The Dark Side Of Transformational Leadership

Most research into leadership has presented leaders as heroic, charismatic and transformational 'visionaries'. The leader, whether in business, politics or any other field, is the most important factor in determining whether organizations succeed or fail. Indeed, despite the fundamental mistakes which have, arguably, directly led to global economic recession, it is often still taken for granted that transformational leadership is a good thing, and that leaders should have much more power than followers to decide what needs to be done. The Dark Side of Transformational Leadership confronts this orthodoxy by illustrating how such approaches can encourage narcissism, megalomania and poor decision-making on the part of leaders, at great expense to those organizations they are there to serve. Written in a lively and engaging style, the book uses a number of case studies to illustrate the perils of transformational leadership, from the Jonestown tragedy in 1978 when over 900 people were either murdered or committed suicide at the urging of their leader, to an analysis of how banking executives tried to explain away their role in the 2008 financial crisis This provocative and hugely important book offers a rare critical perspective in the field of leadership studies. Concluding with a new approach that offers an alternative to the dominant transformational model, The Dark Side of Transformational Leadership will be an invaluable text for academics interested in leadership, students on leadership courses requiring a more critical perspective, and anyone concerned with how people lead people, and the lessons we can learn.

Most research into leadership has presented leaders as heroic, charismatic and transformational ‘visionaries’. The leader, whether in business, politics or any other field, is the most important factor in determining whether organizations succeed or fail. Indeed, despite the fundamental mistakes which have, arguably, directly led to global economic recession, it is often still taken for granted that transformational leadership is a good thing, and that leaders should have much more power than followers to decide what needs to be done. The Dark Side of Transformational Leadership confronts this orthodoxy by illustrating how such approaches can encourage narcissism, megalomania and poor decision-making on the part of leaders, at great expense to those organizations they are there to serve. Written in a lively and engaging style, the book uses a number of case studies to illustrate the perils of transformational leadership, from the Jonestown tragedy in 1978 when over 900 people were either murdered or committed suicide at the urging of their leader, to an analysis of how banking executives tried to explain away their role in the 2008 financial crisis This provocative and hugely important book offers a rare critical perspective in the field of leadership studies. Concluding with a new approach that offers an alternative to the dominant transformational model, The Dark Side of Transformational Leadership will be an invaluable text for academics interested in leadership, students on leadership courses requiring a more critical perspective, and anyone concerned with how people lead people, and the lessons we can learn.

Through incisive critical argument and illustrative case studies this book offers a rare critical perspective on transformational leadership theory and presents an alternative approach.

The Christian world has been rocked by the number of prominent leaders, in both church and parachurch organizations, who have been compromised by moral, ethical, and theological failures. This pace-setting volume addresses this alarming problem and offers Christian leaders valuable guidance in dealing with the inherent risks of their work. Using biblical and current examples, the authors describe the characteristics of five types of leaders and the problems that are most likely to develop if their particular dysfunctions develop unrestrained. McIntosh and Rima offer a series of steps for leaders to consider so they can take control of their dark side and learn to harness its creative powers. This edition includes a new introduction, updated information throughout, a self-assessment tool, and other additional material. Includes endorsements from John Maxwell, Leighton Ford, Leith Anderson, and Rob Angel.

Leadership, Work, and the Dark Side of Personality uses an interpersonal psychological perspective to unite general theories of both personality and leadership. By focusing in on the interpersonal, the book characterizes social behaviors by their agency (how dominant they are) and by their communion (how relational and nurturing they are). It argues that these interpersonal dimensions align closely with the traditional structure of leader behaviors—both task-related and relationship oriented behaviors—and uses those frameworks to orient trait theory for both normal-range personality traits and subclinical (dark side) traits. After overviewing the history of leadership theory, reviewing normal range personality traits (Extraversion, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness and Openness) and subclinical traits, such as the Dark Triad (Narcissism, Machiavellianism and Psychopathy), the book moves on to thoroughly bring the perspective of interpersonal psychology to bear on questions of personality and leadership, and ends by narrowing in on how the dark side of personality affects the leadership process—for better and for worse. Discusses the role of personality in job performance and satisfaction Critiques both historical and contemporary leadership approaches Includes lesser known approaches to leadership, such as paternalism and empowerment Narrows in on the dark side of personality and the role it plays in the leadership process Distinguishes between effective leaders and successful leaders

Volume 14 examines critical topics at the intersection of leadership, stress, and well being including: leaders’ networks, personality and development, workaholism, followership, the role of leaders in helping promote employees’ mental well being and taking a holistic view of a leader’s life at and away from work.

How do some people bounce back with vigor from daily setbacks, professional crises, or even intense personal trauma? This book reveals the key traits of those who emerge stronger from challenges, helps you train your brain to withstand the stresses of daily life, and presents an approach to an effective career reboot. This volume includes the work of: Daniel Goleman Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld Shawn Achor This collection of articles includes “How Resilience Works,” by Diane Coutu; “Resilience for the Rest of Us,” by Daniel Goleman; “How to Evaluate, Manage, and Strengthen Your Resilience,” by David Kopans; “Find the Coaching in Criticism,” by Sheila Heen and Douglas Stone; “Firing Back: How Great Leaders Rebound After Career Disasters,” by Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld and Andrew J. Ward; and “Resilience Is About How You Recharge, Not How You Endure,” by Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan. How to be human at work. The HBR Emotional Intelligence Series features smart, essential reading on the human side of professional life from the pages of Harvard Business Review. Each book in the series offers proven research showing how our emotions impact our work lives, practical advice for managing difficult people and situations, and inspiring essays on what it means to tend to our emotional well-being at work. Uplifting and practical, these books describe the social skills that are critical for ambitious professionals to master.

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview and evaluation of the variety of organizational leadership issues within the Asian region. It highlights the relationship between leaders and their followers, and the complexity of leadership research and practices in Asian transformational economies. Covering a wide range of contexts and perspectives, the chapters are based on empirical studies with evidence-based findings that can be used as case studies for academics and practitioners. The handbook makes significant contributions to leadership theory including practice and assists international researchers, practitioners and students in understanding the influence of the Asian culture and its impact on leadership.