Understanding Leadership: Paradigms and Cases

Current concepts of leadership are appropriate for today's organizations, but tomorrow's leadership will need to be more diverse and inclusive. The book Understanding Leadership provides a framework for making sense of the field and includes 10 case studies from leading organizations across Europe, Australia, and the United States. The second part of the book provides specific questions to guide the reader in interpreting and analyzing the cases, connecting them to the leadership frameworks and theories in Part One.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 28 October 2021
Publisher: SAGE Publications Inc

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Current concepts of leadership are often debated and questioned, with many scholars and practitioners seeking to understand the best approach to leadership in today's organizations. The field of leadership has become increasingly complex, with a wide range of definitions and theories available. This text provides a framework for making sense of the field, integrating a fragmented field into four broad paradigms or forms of leadership. The first part of the text provides an overview of the field, while the second part provides 10 case studies from leading organizations across Europe, Australia, and the United States to illustrate how diverse leadership can be in successful organizations. At the end of each case, specific questions guide the reader in interpreting and analyzing the cases, connecting them to the leadership frameworks and theories in the first part.

Written in simple language, Understanding Leadership can be used by readers with no prior knowledge of leadership. With its overview of major theories in the field and presentation of a simple and effective framework for analyzing these theories, the book will be essential reading for advanced undergraduate and MBA students. Avery has devised a set of PowerPoint slides to accompany the book and support lecturers. They are available to view under Sample Materials and Chapters or under Links and Resources.

One of the key challenges in understanding leadership is the fact that it is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. Different scholars and practitioners have different perspectives on what leadership is and how it should be practiced. This can lead to confusion and disagreement among those who are trying to develop their leadership skills.

One of the most common approaches to leadership is the trait approach, which suggests that leaders are born with certain traits that make them more effective than others. This approach has been criticized for its lack of empirical evidence and its tendency to promote stereotypes.

Another approach to leadership is the behavioral approach, which focuses on the behaviors that leaders exhibit. This approach has been criticized for its focus on the individual rather than the organization and its tendency to promote a narrow range of behaviors.

A third approach to leadership is the situational approach, which suggests that leaders must adapt their behavior to the specific situation in which they are working. This approach has been criticized for its lack of predictability and its tendency to promote a reactive approach to leadership.

A fourth approach to leadership is the transformational approach, which suggests that leaders must inspire and motivate their followers to achieve their goals. This approach has been criticized for its focus on the individual rather than the organization and its tendency to promote a narrow range of behaviors.

Despite these challenges, there are several best approaches to leadership that have been identified. One of the most important is the transformational approach, which suggests that leaders must inspire and motivate their followers to achieve their goals. This approach has been shown to be effective in a wide range of organizations and has been adopted by many successful leaders.

Another important approach to leadership is the servant leadership approach, which suggests that leaders must serve their followers rather than seek to control them. This approach has been shown to be effective in a wide range of organizations and has been adopted by many successful leaders.

In addition to these approaches, there are several other factors that can impact leadership, including culture, values, and organizational structure. Culture can impact leadership by shaping the values and beliefs of employees, while values can impact leadership by shaping the behavior of employees. Organizational structure can impact leadership by shaping the decision-making process and the flow of information.

To develop effective leadership skills, it is important to understand the different approaches to leadership and to apply them in a way that is appropriate for the specific situation in which you are working. This can involve developing your own leadership style, learning from other leaders, and seeking feedback from your followers.

In conclusion, current concepts of leadership are often debated and questioned, with many scholars and practitioners seeking to understand the best approach to leadership in today's organizations. The field of leadership has become increasingly complex, with a wide range of definitions and theories available. This text provides a framework for making sense of the field, integrating a fragmented field into four broad paradigms or forms of leadership. The first part of the text provides an overview of the field, while the second part provides 10 case studies from leading organizations across Europe, Australia, and the United States to illustrate how diverse leadership can be in successful organizations. At the end of each case, specific questions guide the reader in interpreting and analyzing the cases, connecting them to the leadership frameworks and theories in the first part. Written in simple language, Understanding Leadership can be used by readers with no prior knowledge of leadership. With its overview of major theories in the field and presentation of a simple and effective framework for analyzing these theories, the book will be essential reading for advanced undergraduate and MBA students. Avery has devised a set of PowerPoint slides to accompany the book and support lecturers. They are available to view under Sample Materials and Chapters or under Links and Resources.

Weight: 596g
Dimension: 243 x 152 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780761942894