"Exploring Leadership: Individual, Organizational and Societal Perspectives is a highly accessible, well-argued, academically grounded and deeply thoughtful exploration of leadership studies from a critical yet constructive perspective. The book is practical in the sense that the authors have attempted and succeeded in asking how theoretical and conceptual advances help us understand the potential personal, organisational and societal impact of leadership research."
Fourie, W. (2023). Review of the book Exploring Leadership: Individual, Organizational and Societal Perspectives by Bolden, R., Gosling, J. and Hawkins, B. (Eds.) Colombo Business Journal. 14(2), 188–191. https://doi.org/10.4038/cbj.v14i2.163
This is not just another book about leadership. It is a deeply profound exploration replete with engaging examples and case studies that illuminate the realities of leadership in extraordinary ways and connect the study of leadership with its practice. Bolden, Hawkins, and Gosling have gifted us with a book rich in content and creative ways to ponder, practice, and develop leadership. It is the book about leadership.
Cynthia Cherry | President and CEO, International Leadership Association, USA
Organizational and societal discontinuities and existential threats are challenging conventional perspectives on leadership. Exploring Leadership responds exceptionally well to these challenges by mapping the field and presenting an account of leadership that does not gloss over theoretical complexity and contestation. The authors weave a scintillating collection of topics into a convincing guide for those interested in understanding why leadership matters.
Willem Fourie | Associate Professor, University of Pretoria, South Africa
I am even more impressed by the scope, the relevance and the quality of thinking that infuses the second edition of this important leadership book. By skilfully weaving together individual, organizational, and societal perspectives on leadership, the authors will no doubt inspire a new generation of leadership researchers to do work that genuinely matters.
Brad Jackson | Professor and MBA Director, Waikato Management School/Te Raupapa, University of Waikato, Aotearoa, New Zealand
Most textbooks on leadership are a litany of theories and research topics. This text is different. Exploring leadership is a truly interdisciplinary, and critical discussion of the complexity of leadership, and its important implications. Impressively, there are a number of features that facilitate student learning and engagement with the topics. This is an outstanding leadership textbook.
Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D. | Professor of Leadership & Organizational Psychology, Kravis Leadership Institute, Claremont McKenna College, California, USA
This is a very accessible text that I will keep on my desk and not relegate to my bookcase! It is always so refreshing to find a second edition that revitalises and energises a discussion by recognising and clarifying both the nature and the pace of change taking place in our fast-moving and complex world. That this is achieved whilst remaining true to the passions and influence of James McGregor Burns that scholarly insights and strong concepts become powerful only when they translate into practical application and are tested with experience is remarkable. Your patience with its comprehensiveness, its rigour and clarity will pay significant dividends.
Mike Hardy, CMG OBE | Chair, International Leadership Association; Founding Director, Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University, UK
At this point in time, when humanity is facing threats to climate, environment, and democracy, it is hard to imagine a more comprehensive and relevant textbook. The combined expertise and experience of three of the leading scholars of Leadership Studies in UK facilitate the exploration of an in-depth understanding of leadership as a process of social influence in mobilizing change. It is a must on the required reading lists for undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and executive students around the world.
Christer Sandahl | Professor Emeritus, Medical Management Centre, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
Exploring Leadership, in its second edition, extends its explanation of the changing face of leadership in the current, and emergent, VUCA environment. The significant contribution made by the authors is through the presentation of theory balanced with 'go ask, go see, go do' activities and reflections. In so doing the book itself demonstrates the importance, and power, of viewing leading as an activity that enables the reader, as practitioner in, researcher of, and emerging student practitioners, to make sense of, and participate in, the shared activity of leadership.
Sandra Jones | Professor Emerita, School of Management, RMIT, Australia
Exploring Leadership strikes the perfect balance between theory and practice, with theoretical discussions being linked to a variety of reflection activities, group exercises and international case studies that encourage readers to bring their own thoughts and experiences to conversations about leadership. The textbook inspires curiosity about what leadership is and what the ever-changing world and workplace needs it to be, making it essential reading for 21st century leadership students the world over!
Jorandi Scholtz | Impact and Partnership Development Manager – MBA Corporate Engagement, University of Exeter, UK
‘Why yet another book about leadership?’ Bolden, Hawkins and Gosling ask at the beginning of the second edition of Exploring Leadership: Individual, Organizational and Societal Perspectives. Because unlike so many other ‘recipe-based’ leadership textbook, this one bravely critiques the theory and practice of leadership, while situating the phenomenon squarely within our contemporary context. As well as providing a comprehensive, multi-level account of leadership, the text is filled with prompts for individual reflection, group activities and up-to-date case studies, creating a treasure trove of resources for leadership educators at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Donna Ladkin | Professor of Inclusive Leadership, University of Birmingham, UK
Exploring Leadership is a valuable and refreshing addition to the texts that exist on leadership. The text has very nicely divided its content along multiple perspectives: individual, organizational, societal and emerging that make it very easy to make sense of the content of the book. The book has curated leadership examples and case studies from business, societal and political spheres that enables the reader to connect the concepts presented with real-life leadership situations. Overall, the text has done an excellent job in curating the important leadership concepts and ideas that students and practitioners must be aware of, as well as providing rich examples of leadership in action in real-life situations. This is an important text to have for any leadership enthusiast. I congratulate Professors Bolden, Hawkins and Gosling for giving us this wonderful gift!
Vishal Gupta | Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, India
I have never come across such an ambitious and well-executed tour of the leadership terrain. Spanning historical, societal, psychological, cross-cultural and global perspectives, this book succeeds remarkably well in being both scholarly and accessible. What is more, it is useful and challenging for the reader. Elements of good learning design are integrated within each chapter flowing from learning objectives at the outset, through well-constructed activities to an excellent chapter summary with review questions. Taking a critical perspective, the book concludes with a powerful provocation to reroute the field of leadership studies, and this rings true of the ethical and inclusive implications thrown up by an ever more complex world.
Doug Parkin | Principal Adviser for Leadership and Management at Advance HE (UK), and an independent author on higher education
I would rather ask, ‘Why not another book on leadership?’ for students and practitioners of management in the post pandemic era. Exploring Leadership gives a fair opportunity to the readers to conceptualize the concept from various perspectives e.g., perspective of self, (traits, styles, competencies, emergence, management of emotions), organizational perspective (stakeholders, strategy and change, power and politics), global and environmental perspective (digital, gender, diversity and inclusion, cross cultural and ethics). The book gives a future direction to leadership researchers and it is written in a lucid and practical manner. It is a delight to read the book.
Ajay K Jain | Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior, Management Development Institute Gurgaon, India
A source of balanced and multi-faceted views on leadership, with solid academic anchoring. Practically applicable as a source to explore, in teams or individually, the phenomenon of leadership.
Martijn Rademakers | Adjunct Professor of Corporate Strategy, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
This insightful leadership textbook offers an in-depth literature review of key topics and themes and is supported by well-planned class exercises.
Dr Katy Warden | Deputy Director of Partnerships, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK
This is the leadership text we need: critical, interdisciplinary, multi-level, and balanced. The authors engage the complexity of the present, analyze the past, and challenge the future of leadership thinking and practice. I can’t wait to share this resource with my students.
Kerry Priest | Associate Professor, Staley School of Leadership, Kansas State University, USA
A clearly written, easily accessible, very well-informed book on leadership. Excellent exercises and case studies invite students to engage effectively.
Bob Thomson | Professor of Organisation, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, UK
I have taught and researched leadership for many years. From my perspective, what we currently have is both an explosion and balkanization of leadership theories and models whereby there seems to be a race among potential textbook contributors to see how many adjectives can be placed in front of the word leadership and who then seek enough recognition so that this new approach to leadership will be afforded its own section, if not chapter. Thus, the face of leadership theories and models may change, but the lack of integration and focus on the essence and nature of the challenges facing contemporary leaders today remains the same.
There is also the insular nature that characterizes the dominant texts of the field. For example, I recently reviewed several leading leadership texts for my graduate leadership course. None seek to address the complex social and environmental challenges leaders face, nor do they contribute to our understanding of the arenas in which they operate. For example, the word sustainability appeared in none of their indexes. All are focused at the individual, team, and organizational levels to the neglect of leadership of the stakeholders and muti-sector partnerships that powerfully advocate for social justice and a flourishing environment by calling for firms to have a higher purpose beyond the dictates of the neoliberal economic paradigm, which demands firms foster consumerism and maximize shareholder wealth today.
Moving beyond this insular focus sets Exploring Leadership: Individual, Organizational, Organizational, and Societal Perspectives apart from the pack. The book does an excellent job of reviewing the most widely recognized approaches to leadership and provides a wealth of experiential and group activities, a review of key concepts, case studies, key learning points, and a companion website. However, forty percent of the book (4 of 10 chapters) provides much more. For example, the authors explore cross-cutting, emerging, and enduring issues, such as how one effectively leads in community and national contexts. How does one lead in this age of digital disruption, failure, and collapse? How can leaders redefine the purpose of business to meet the challenges of leadership for sustainability, systems change, and social transformation?
I submit that all leaders and aspiring leaders, no matter what position or type of organization, are facing or will face one or more of these daunting leadership challenges soon. For this reason alone, I wholeheartedly endorse Exploring Leadership: Individual, Organizational, Organizational, and Societal Perspectives .
Jody Fry, Ph.D. | Regents Professor of Management & Leadership, Texas A&M University, Texas, USA