Hardback
Rethinking Leadership
A New Look at Old Questions, Second Edition
2nd edition
9781788119313 Edward Elgar Publishing
This thoroughly revised and extended second edition of Rethinking Leadership offers an entirely new approach to understanding leadership as a lived experience rather than a checklist of traits or behaviors. Alongside selected expert contributors, Donna Ladkin makes complex ideas accessible by illustrating them with practical examples drawn from a broad experience of both academic leadership and management across a range of commercial, political and not-for-profit organizations.
More Information
Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
This thoroughly revised and extended second edition of the groundbreaking Rethinking Leadership builds on Donna Ladkin’s entirely new approach to understanding leadership as a lived experience rather than a checklist of traits or behaviors. Alongside selected expert contributors, the author makes complex ideas accessible by illustrating them with practical examples drawn from a broad experience of both academic leadership and management across a range of commercial, political and not-for-profit organizations.
New chapters explore the lived experience of women leaders, how leaders might make responsible judgments, how power works within leadership relations, how business leadership differs from political leadership, and the need for leaders to be more ‘human’. Featuring up-to-date examples of how its ideas can be applied, the book offers a way to engage with the complexity and unpredictability of leadership as a phenomenon, at a time when effective, wise leadership is needed more than ever.
Leadership scholars and doctoral level students will benefit from this book’s novel philosophical perspective on leadership theorizing. Its discussion of a variety of accessible case studies that illustrate key ideas will also prove useful to all postgraduate leadership students.
New chapters explore the lived experience of women leaders, how leaders might make responsible judgments, how power works within leadership relations, how business leadership differs from political leadership, and the need for leaders to be more ‘human’. Featuring up-to-date examples of how its ideas can be applied, the book offers a way to engage with the complexity and unpredictability of leadership as a phenomenon, at a time when effective, wise leadership is needed more than ever.
Leadership scholars and doctoral level students will benefit from this book’s novel philosophical perspective on leadership theorizing. Its discussion of a variety of accessible case studies that illustrate key ideas will also prove useful to all postgraduate leadership students.
Critical Acclaim
‘I once met a man who had travelled halfway around the world with a small bag and one book: Rethinking Leadership. This is a book that takes you to new places in yourself and in the world. Key features of this latest edition include: a refined leadership model that emphasises context; current case studies and compelling contributions from leadership experts. Beautifully written in a warm, relatable way, with complex philosophies made accessible, you will rediscover the thrill of learning, reflecting and practicing leadership.’
– Chellie Spiller, University of Waikato Management School, New Zealand
‘This book will be highly beneficial to any reader. Most notably, it provides an understanding of the philosophical foundation of ethics and morality in leadership to practitioners, who rarely have the time to dig into journals or papers that provide insights into that groundwork. The book fills this void as it covers the underpinning of ethical decision-making and thus helps a leader to confront and manage the 21st century''s increasing challenges and disruptions.’
– Roland Bardy, BardyConsult Management Training and former director at BASF SE, Germany
‘With many of us deeply disillusioned, asking do we need leadership at all and how have we got so captive of its corrupted forms, more than ever we need the rethinking posed in this book. Ladkin and her colleagues take us on a radically different journey around leadership, drawing on continental philosophy and especially phenomenology to ask deeper questions about what leadership is, why it matters, and how to imbue our understandings with less hype, more moral integrity and humanity.’
– Amanda Sinclair, Melbourne Business School, Australia
‘Ladkin presents a compelling case for why leadership studies cannot live without philosophy. In this edition, she has made a great book even better by adding authors who expand its range of philosophical perspectives. The book absolutely sparkles with critical insight, wit, and wisdom. Leadership scholars and students of leadership take note – this book delivers on the promise in its title.’
– Joanne Ciulla, Rutgers Business School, US
‘An excellent book. Each chapter addresses a key question about leadership that has always puzzled us. I particularly admire the way it looks at leadership from the different perspectives of those who play many roles in organizations. It is a welcome antidote to the view that only the actions of those at the top really matter. This wise and elegantly written book takes often neglected topics, such as gender, power and followership, and gives them their due. Invaluable reading.’
– Dennis Tourish, University of Sussex Business School, UK
– Chellie Spiller, University of Waikato Management School, New Zealand
‘This book will be highly beneficial to any reader. Most notably, it provides an understanding of the philosophical foundation of ethics and morality in leadership to practitioners, who rarely have the time to dig into journals or papers that provide insights into that groundwork. The book fills this void as it covers the underpinning of ethical decision-making and thus helps a leader to confront and manage the 21st century''s increasing challenges and disruptions.’
– Roland Bardy, BardyConsult Management Training and former director at BASF SE, Germany
‘With many of us deeply disillusioned, asking do we need leadership at all and how have we got so captive of its corrupted forms, more than ever we need the rethinking posed in this book. Ladkin and her colleagues take us on a radically different journey around leadership, drawing on continental philosophy and especially phenomenology to ask deeper questions about what leadership is, why it matters, and how to imbue our understandings with less hype, more moral integrity and humanity.’
– Amanda Sinclair, Melbourne Business School, Australia
‘Ladkin presents a compelling case for why leadership studies cannot live without philosophy. In this edition, she has made a great book even better by adding authors who expand its range of philosophical perspectives. The book absolutely sparkles with critical insight, wit, and wisdom. Leadership scholars and students of leadership take note – this book delivers on the promise in its title.’
– Joanne Ciulla, Rutgers Business School, US
‘An excellent book. Each chapter addresses a key question about leadership that has always puzzled us. I particularly admire the way it looks at leadership from the different perspectives of those who play many roles in organizations. It is a welcome antidote to the view that only the actions of those at the top really matter. This wise and elegantly written book takes often neglected topics, such as gender, power and followership, and gives them their due. Invaluable reading.’
– Dennis Tourish, University of Sussex Business School, UK
Contributors
Contributors: R.A. Gardiner, D. Ladkin, C. O’Neill, P. Salovaara, T. Switzer
Contents
Contents:
Preface
1. Why study leadership from a philosophical perspective?
Donna Ladkin
2. Why are there so many different theories of leadership?
Donna Ladkin
3. Why is it so difficult to study leadership?
Donna Ladkin
4. What goes on in the relationship between leaders and followers?
Donna Ladkin
5. Why is gender so important in leadership?
Claire O’Neill
6. What is different about leadership in business organizations?
Tayo Switzer
7. How does power work within leadership relations?
Donna Ladkin
8. How do leaders judge what is a responsible course of action?
Rita A. Gardiner
9. How can individuals take up the leader role wisely?
Donna Ladkin
10. Why can’t leaders be human?
Perttu Salovaara
11. What has it meant to rethink leadership?
Donna Ladkin
Bibliography
Index
Preface
1. Why study leadership from a philosophical perspective?
Donna Ladkin
2. Why are there so many different theories of leadership?
Donna Ladkin
3. Why is it so difficult to study leadership?
Donna Ladkin
4. What goes on in the relationship between leaders and followers?
Donna Ladkin
5. Why is gender so important in leadership?
Claire O’Neill
6. What is different about leadership in business organizations?
Tayo Switzer
7. How does power work within leadership relations?
Donna Ladkin
8. How do leaders judge what is a responsible course of action?
Rita A. Gardiner
9. How can individuals take up the leader role wisely?
Donna Ladkin
10. Why can’t leaders be human?
Perttu Salovaara
11. What has it meant to rethink leadership?
Donna Ladkin
Bibliography
Index
