Understanding Leadership

An arts and humanities perspective

Robert M McManus author Gama Perruci author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:27th Apr '15

Should be back in stock very soon

Understanding Leadership cover

Lao Tzu, Marx, the Buddha, Ibsen, Machiavelli — these are just a few of the world’s great thinkers who have weighed in on the subject of leadership over the centuries. Yet, the contemporary student of leadership often overlooks many of these names in favour of more recent theorists hailing from the social sciences. Understanding Leadership: An Arts and Humanities Perspective takes a different angle, employing the works of the great philosophers, authors and artists found in world civilization and presenting an arts and humanities perspective on the study of leadership.

The authors build their conceptual framework using The Five Components of Leadership Model, which recognizes the leader, the followers, the goal, the environmental context, and the cultural values and norms that make up the leadership process.

Supporting the text are a wealth of case studies which reflect on works such as Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem, Eugène Delacroix’s painting Liberty Leading the People, Charlie Chaplin’s film Modern Times, Athol Fugard’s play "Master Harold" . . . and the Boys, Lao Tzu’s poetic work Tao Te Ching, and Antonín Dvořák’s New World Symphony. The authors also introduce studies from various world cultures to particularly illustrate the role cultural values and norms play in leadership. This illuminating framework promotes the multidimensional thinking that is necessary for understanding and problem solving in a complex world.

Understanding Leadership: An Arts and Humanities Perspective will be a valuable textbook for both undergraduate and postgraduate leadership students, while leadership professionals will also appreciate the book’s unique liberal arts and cultural approach.

‘There are thousands of books on leadership that answer some of the critical leadership questions. This is the only leadership book that addresses ALL of them. McManus and Perruci tackle the complexity of leadership, including the role of followers and context. They examine leadership from cultures ranging from West to East and from all continents, and they deal in depth with the critical question of "Leadership for what?" This is a must read for any true scholar of leadership.’ - Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D., Associate Dean of the Faculty, Kravis Leadership Institute, Claremont McKenna College, USA.

‘This book opens the door to understanding leadership for students, scholars, and practitioners alike. The authors present a wide array of theories and ideas that challenge us to gain our own insights on how these can work together, and help us to become effective leaders and followers in our complex world.’ - Sadhana Hall, Deputy Director, The Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences, Dartmouth College, USA

‘In this much needed text McManus and Perruci extend the injunction to 'know thyself' by inviting us to know our wider world more fully. Readers will be informed, challenged and inspired through an artful examination of 'I'/'We' leadership paradoxes.’ - Dr Ralph Bathurst, Massey University, New Zealand

ISBN: 9780415728720

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 544g

274 pages