Reflections: Insomnia? Try counting leadership theories

Higgs, Malcolm (2022) Reflections: Insomnia? Try counting leadership theories. Journal of Change Management. ISSN 1469-7017

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Abstract

40 years ago, it was argued that despite years of research we still did not understand leadership. A similar argument was presented in this journal just last year. This article presents some reflections based on both my experience of researching leadership and of working with leaders. In doing this the myriad of theories of leadership are explored and key trends identified. Perhaps the most significant of these is the recognition of leadership as a dynamic relational process. This enables us to move from a leader centric focus in research to one that recognises the active participation of followers in the leadership process. In addition, the limitations of research to date, and its lack of relevance to practice is discussed, followed by proposed actions that could be taken to help develop a clearer understanding of the nature of leadership and improve relevance for practitioners.
The article concludes with a view that we do know a lot about leaders and their impact on a wide range of outcomes. However, we still know relatively little about leadership.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1080/14697017.2022.2139246
Dates:	Date Event 15 October 2022 Accepted 1 November 2022 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Leadership, Leaders, Research Methods, Leadership Theories, Research Relevance.
Subjects:	CAH17 - business and management > CAH17-01 - business and management > CAH17-01-09 - others in business and management
Divisions:	Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > College of Accountancy, Finance and Economics Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > College of Business, Digital Transformation & Entrepreneurship
Depositing User:	Malcolm Higgs
Date Deposited:	03 Nov 2022 12:52
Last Modified:	20 Jun 2024 12:05
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/13704

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