Complexity and Leadership

This book challenges the conventional discourse on leadership and presents a way of thinking about leadership that pays closer attention to experience. The contributors resist easy solutions, new typologies, or unrealistic prescriptions and focus on understanding leadership as a practice within which communication, research, imagination, and ethical judgments are continuously improvised. It is written for academics and practitioners with an interest in the everyday challenges of individual and group practices of formal and informal leaders in different types of organizations and is an ideal resource for executives and students on leadership development programs.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 244 pages
Publication date: 12 September 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In the dynamic landscape of today's world, leading organizations face a myriad of challenges that demand adaptability, resilience, and continuous conflict resolution. The pace of change has accelerated, leaving leaders with the impossible task of meeting high expectations. The search for solutions has been inundated with countless recommendations, self-help books, and new concepts, often simplifying and idealizing leadership. However, this book challenges the conventional discourse on leadership and presents a fresh perspective that emphasizes the importance of experience.

The contributors to this book, all experienced senior managers or facilitators of leadership development, shun easy solutions, new typologies, or unrealistic prescriptions. Instead, they share their insights from their diverse experiences in Denmark, the UK, Israel, Ethiopia, South Africa, and beyond. They focus less on the traits that individuals can possess and learn and more on the socio-political process that unfolds through human interactions, giving rise to leadership as a theme.

At the core of this book lies the idea that leadership is a practice that is continuously improvised through communication, research, imagination, and ethical judgment. Rather than idealizing leadership or reducing it to mere tools and techniques, the authors suggest that leaders can enhance their political, emotional, and social acuity. By embracing this perspective, leaders can navigate the complexities of their environments and make meaningful contributions to their organizations and communities.

This book is designed for academics and practitioners who are passionate about understanding the everyday challenges faced by individual and group practices of formal and informal leaders across various types of organizations. It serves as an invaluable resource for executives and students enrolled in leadership development programs. The authors hope that this volume will inspire readers to expand their wisdom gained from their own experiences and discover their own unique leadership styles.

Weight: 416g
Dimension: 155 x 233 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367551599