Leadership – the five big ideas

Abstract

Purpose There are five ideas at the center of the endlessly debated and recycled findings and insights on leaders and leadership that produce a stream of leadership books. The paper aims to help practitioners separate the hype from the proven. Design/methodology/approach The paper assesses the five big leadership ideas, proposes four research challenges and offers five prescriptions for leadership improvement. Findings The five big ideas are as follows. Character – competent (get the right job done) and ethical (act with integrity) are at the essence of character. No best way to lead – no single model fits all situations. Today, the favored model for leadership is the self‐effacing, humanistic individual; co‐creation of unique customer value is today's mantra for enlightened leaders. Leaders must collaborate – good leaders design and manage a collaborative process of decision making and conflict resolution to which all the stakeholders subscribe. In the absence of such a process, implementation of strategy falters or fails. Adaptability is key to longevity – helping organizations adapt to change is perhaps the single most important leadership competency. Leaders are self‐made – although leadership theory and principles can be taught, effective leadership behavior must be learned. Practical implications Managers can use the paper's insights to discount the hype used to promote many leadership books and training. Originality/value The paper offers a broad, long‐term perspective on leadership theory and practice.

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