Chapter 1 Introduction
“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” —Jack Welch, former CEO of GE
“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” —President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Learning Objectives
Define organizational leadership.
Describe the difference between leadership and management.
Summarize the ways that leaders are both born and made.
Explain how organizations benefit from leadership.
Discuss the importance of context to leadership.
Describe how leadership can be learned based on both science and as an art.
Various writers, pundits, and executives have argued that leadership is the key to sustained competitive advantage on the part of organizations—both in the United States, as well as internationally. On the other hand, many people have grown cynical about existing people who are in leadership positions in both public and private sectors. Such cynicism is not surprising given alarming corporate scandals in recent years, a lack of accountability on the part of individuals in leadership roles, and stories of unethical or abusive management practices by supervisors, mid-level managers, and executives. Nevertheless, it is clear from research that increasingly, the possession of leadership qualities and the display of effective leader behaviors are requirements for organizational effectiveness, as well as for individuals attempting to progress in managerial positions in their careers. As such, it is important for aspiring managers to learn about the nature of effective leadership practices and how they can develop their own competencies in this area. In short, leadership qualities represent a source of competitive advantage for both you and the organizations in which you will be associated. But what is effective leadership all about?