Abstract
There are not many things as ubiquitous as the sense that there exists a lack of true leadership in business organizations. One of these things is the appearance of another work addressing leadership in business organizations. Undoubtedly, an argument can be made that there exists some relationship between the two phenomena. With that said, when a new work on leadership appears, one may find oneself pondering the proverbial question posed by the Biblical Ecclesiastics: “Is there anything new under the sun?” That is to say, what added value does the work bring? When speaking of Doris Schedlitzki and Gareth Edwards’ work—Studying Leadership: Traditional and Critical Approaches—the answer to the above question is in the affirmative: the work in question provides the reader and the field “added value.”
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of Studying Leadership, addressing its stated aims and approach, and its content, and point out some strengths and shortcomings. Through the examination of the above, I hope to describe for whom and for what the work may be of particular benefit—as well as to suggest possible directions in possible future editions through which the authors may continue their contribution to the field.
Aims and approach
The authors open the work by clearly noting to their audience that “we aim to introduce you to a wide range of models, theories and topics of leadership and highlight the existence of wider debates in research and key developments within the field of leadership over time” (p. 1). Evident in this initial declaration of intent is not only the rather ambitious goal of the work but also its approach.
The aim is to provide a comprehensive (the word “exhaustive” will also come to mind, later, while advancing through the text) and critical approach to the already well-trodden path of leadership studies. The approach is personal and direct, speaking at an eye level with the potential reader; making them a full partner in the path on which they are about to embark. The role of the potential reader in this project is further articulated in the very next sentence, in which the authors note that their motivation for producing a text with such an expansive look at leadership is the result of their dissatisfaction with the ability of students to think about leadership in a thorough and nuanced manner.
Thus, this is not one’s typical college text, in that its main aim is not to condense and convey existing knowledge in easy to digest portions, but rather to refine and relay the true complexity of the study and practice of leadership. Certainly, any text that notes on the back cover (as does this text) that new material has been added to the current edition “to help with dissertations and research projects” seems to be cognizant that their product is one not suitable for the typical reader: the undergraduate business student. Indeed, the possible annoyance of the undergraduate student with the breadth and depth of the presentation of leadership will probably only be matched by the appreciation of that of the graduate student.
The authors actively—perhaps at times too actively—seek to engage the reader in the “discussion” of the possible antecedents, characteristics, concerns, and outcomes that can be associated with leaders and leadership. They do so via a variety of tools or “hooks” that punctuate the text, including the more standard vignettes, case studies, and chapter review questions, along with more distinctive features such as frequent “critical thinking boxes” and “reflective questions” through which the reader is challenged to contemplate the matters at hand via the prism of their own beliefs and experiences. These are important and useful tools, but perhaps should be employed a bit more sporadically, so as to not distract from the flow of the text and the ideas, themselves.
Content
The book is divided into three sections presenting (1) “Traditional Approaches to Leadership,” (2) “Current Issues in Leadership,” and (3) “Critical Approaches to Leadership.”
The “Traditional Approaches” section is comprised of four detailed chapters that present the expected look at the relationship between “management” and “leadership” as well as the approaches and arguments that have marked the growth and evolution of the field of leadership studies: personal competencies, contingency theories, and the charismatic and transformational literature. As noted, the authors intend to give a thorough and thoughtful (even thought-provoking) examination of the material—and are do so successfully.
Moving on from the well-tread past, the authors bring to bear in the “Current Issues” section more contemporary thoughts regarding some of the inner dynamics, mechanisms, and contexts related to leadership. Chapters 5 and 6 present matters related to psychological dynamics of leaders and followers. I believe that their presentation of the work on followership and the work presented in Chapter 10 on “Leadership and Culture” are of particular benefit at a time in which cross-cultural sensitivities and sensibilities are becoming ever more important. Other chapters address issues of power (Chapter 7), strategic leadership (Chapter 8), and learning and development (Chapter 11). Similar to the first section, here too, the authors are successful in making the material both thorough and thoughtful, presenting both the building blocks to the discussion and the opportunity for the reader to question and (re)arrange those blocks in their minds.
The third section of the book is dedicated to “Critical Issues” that have emerged in the study of leadership. Chapter 12 examined issues of gender and diversity, certainly central issues for anyone seeking to understand and/or undertake leadership. The next chapter examines the ethical challenges inherent in leadership, pointing out the detrimental impact of “bad” leadership on the organization and those acting in the organization or potentially effected by the organization. Chapters 14 and 15 present relatively new thoughts about how language and arts and aesthetics may interplay in the understanding and execution of leadership. The final chapter offers a very useful look at research concepts and tools that can be a real boon to the novice researcher. This, final chapter, is one of the most important contributions of the text in my mind.
A short “Epilogue” a sundry appendices round out the main section of the book. Comments regarding the Epilogue follow below.
Strengths and shortcomings
The authors have produced an exhaustive overview of the evolution of the field of leadership. Their presentation is impressive both in its breadth and depth. It truly seems that no stone was left unturned as the authors take the reader on a journey along the path of what we thought we knew and think we know about leadership. They also, a bit more gingerly, lead the reader into the still not fully delineated and paved path of what are termed here as “Critical Issues” such as the impact of gender and diversity, ethical thinking, and language on how leadership can—or should—be best understood. It is the comprehensiveness of the text that is, perhaps, its strongest point.
The use of the terms “Traditional Approaches” and “Current Issues” led this reader to sense that the former were held to have more weight or import. This may or may not have been the intention of the authors. It seems that some of these “Current Issues” have already become part and parcel of the field and have been shown to be important factors both in the study and practice of leadership. This matter can—perhaps—be more clearly articulated as these matters can be seen as much more than “Current Issues” that can serve as commentaries on “Traditional Approaches.”
The authors make fairly frequent reference to the fact that an overwhelming portion of what is known about leadership is from what Henrich et al. (2010) termed “WEIRD” countries (Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, and Developed)—and specifically English-speaking societies. The authors, rightly, note the limitations of the above in general and in the contemporary globalized era in which we live. With that said, one might have expected that more of an effort would be made to bring to bear the research and reality of leadership in these “other countries” that make up most of humanity.
One example of the above that was particularly disappointing to this reader can be found in the Epilogue in which the authors feature the thoughts of other leadership scholars regarding the future of leadership studies. I think the above is a great idea and was very intrigued to hear the thoughts of the scholars from the field. However, almost all of these scholars were “Anglos”—most from the United Kingdom, supplemented by two Scandinavian scholars. This would have been a good opportunity to actually address the very myopia of the leadership field about which the authors spoke, by including comments from non-“WEIRD” scholars. I urge them to do so in future editions.
Like many “Anglo”-based texts, this work typically focuses to the type and size of organizations that are common to the United States or Europe—but less so in many other countries. This reviewer lives in a country in which “large” organizations would qualify as “small and medium-sized enterprises” (SMEs) in the minds of most scholars. One way to make the work more relevant to international students may be to increase its focus on SMEs—the type of organizations in which many students, particularly in non-Anglo countries, may very well find themselves.
However, overall, Studying Leadership is clearly a very welcome addition to the crowded leadership field. It will be a welcome professional companion not only to graduate students but also to the more seasoned researcher and instructor. Fougère and Moulettes (2012) suggested that textbooks should be invitations to dialogue, rather than a means of closing conversation. Doris Schedlitzki and Gareth Edwards have succeeded in accomplishing the above in a very satisfactory manner in this text. It is no easy task and kudos to them for that.