Leadership Book Summary - Leadership Book explained in key points

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Leadership summary

Name: Leadership
Rating: 4.4 (143 reviews)
Author: Peter Guy Northouse

Peter Guy Northouse

Theory and Practice

4.4 (143 ratings)

19 mins

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Leadership
summarized in 9 key ideas

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Explore what it takes to be a leader and discover which leadership styles are best suited to you.

Leadership is sexy. Leaders are glorified and lionized, emulated and beloved. They often chart the course of human progress, dominate the pages of history, and enrich themselves in the currency of public affection. Leadership is the common thread that’s shared among the most influential figures of human history.

And yet, there is another kind of leadership that remains possible for each of us. It’s the more modest variety practiced by regular people who, through minor but purposeful actions, help make the world a better place. Perhaps it’s the teacher who inspires her pupils to broaden their horizons. Or maybe it’s a community organizer who helps collect food for the hungry. Leadership changes the world, no matter the scale.

Because leadership is both so important and so possible, it is crucial to understand it better. In this blink, we’ll discuss a set of theories of where leadership comes from. We’ll also explore a host of leadership styles, explaining what makes them unique, and how you can implement them to become the leader you’d like to be.

There are various theories of leadership that explain what makes a proper leader.

Before delving into leadership types, it’s worth considering what leadership is, and where it comes from. As you might guess, there are many ways to define leadership. But the common thread is this: leadership is the act of a person influencing a group for a common purpose. So, what makes someone a leader? Let’s consider a few common theories about successful leadership.

The trait approach to leadership posits that leaders possess a set of qualities that separates them from followers. According to this theory, leaders are born, not built. Some of the traits commonly associated with leadership are intelligence and extraversion, as well as inborn qualities like height and charisma.

Transformational leadership is about changing people for the better, not just meeting goals.

Simply put, transformative leaders change people. They don’t just achieve goals through their own knowledge, talent, or competence. They change the world by motivating their followers to be better people.

Most leadership styles are transactional: the leader asks something of the follower, and the follower gets something in return. For example, a CEO asks his employees to meet a sales benchmark, and they get a bonus if they do. Transformational leadership is different. It’s about elevating people’s morals in order to achieve goals.

Authentic leadership derives from the transparency of the leader.

For authentic leadership, transparency is crucial. Followers have to trust the leader is genuine in their intentions. This sense of authenticity can come from three places: within the person, from their interactions with others, or from a major event that affords authenticity to a leader.

The intrapersonal approach suggests a leader is authentic because of who they are: their knowledge, convictions, and life experiences.

Servant leadership prioritizes the best interests of the followers.

Servant leadership flips the typical leadership model on its head. It’s about putting the interests of the followers above those of the leader. According to this view, the best way to lead is to help followers reach their potential.

In addition to this follower-first approach, servant leaders accept social responsibility. They care about marginalized people and do their best to combat injustice.

Adaptive leadership is about helping followers respond to changing environments.

Now, let’s consider adaptive leadership, which is about focusing on adjusting people’s actions in response to new environments. In other words, adaptive leaders help followers deal with change.

Adaptive leadership differs from other leadership types because the focus isn’t on the leader or even the followers, it’s on the right way to respond to shifting circumstances. Practicing adaptive leadership requires addressing a trio of situational challenges.

Inclusive leadership prioritizes the belonging and uniqueness of followers.

In recent years, there has been an emerging body of scholarship devoted to the benefits of inclusion in an array of settings. But what, exactly, does it mean to be “inclusive?” Well, it turns out inclusion is all about satisfying two needs: belongingness and uniqueness.

Belongingness refers to the desire to be included, while uniqueness refers to the desire to keep one’s own identity. Balancing these two priorities is the delicate notion of inclusion.

Ethical principles separate good leaders from bad ones.

As we’ve previously discussed, leadership is about exerting influence over a group of people for a specific goal. The goal in question, however, can be positive or negative. Because history is rife with examples of leaders leveraging their influence to harm others, it’s vital to be able to recognize when it happens.

This kind of malign influence is called psuedo-transformational leadership. So, what makes this kind of leader? Look out for the toxic triangle, as it’s called: the behavior of these destructive leaders, the kinds of followers they attract, and the environments in which they arise.

Final Summary

There are a host of theories about what leadership is, where it comes from, and how to exercise it effectively. We’ve also delineated five types of leadership styles, exploring how they are distinct, highlighting examples of their use, and providing tips for how you can adopt them. Finally, we discussed how to identify a destructive leader, and touched on the ways ethics promotes quality leadership.

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What is Leadership about?

Leadership: Theory and Practice (2015) is a popular textbook exploring the topic of leadership. It discusses the main theories of leadership, explains the popular types of leadership style, and offers practical advice on improving your own leadership characteristics.

Who should read Leadership?

Anyone interested in what makes a leader
Business-owners, teacher, coaches, or anyone involved in leading groups
Anyone wishing to be a leader

About the Author

Peter G. Northouse is Professor Emeritus of Communication at Western Michigan University and has taught courses on leadership and communication. for more than 30 years. His other works include Introduction To Leadership, Leadership Case Studies in Education, and Health Communication: Strategies for Health Professionals.

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