This book is a guide to the central concepts of leadership. What are the main characteristics of effective leadership? How can we understand leadership today? This wide-ranging, interdisciplinary book provides readers with a complete introduction to the essentials of leadership. Included here are entries on what leadership is, how it is practiced and the relevant strengths and pitfalls. The book provides a guide to one of the most central and contested concepts in the social sciences. As a reference tool, it contains entries on: The eight questions of leadership ; The five minds of the manager ; Leadership and psychology ; Developmental approaches to leadership ; Functional leadership ; Leadership practice. The book also offers insights into issues such as: Are leaders born or made? ; Authoritarian versus participative leadership ; The psychology of leaders and followers ; Leadership development ; Leadership styles, skills, and functions ; Leadership in practice.

Accommodating leadership and competitive leadership -- Analytical leadership and an intuitive, instant leadership approach -- Authoritarian leadership and participative leadership -- Avoiding leadership and involved leadership -- Behind-the-scenes leadership and leading from the front -- Broad-based leadership and functional leadership -- Change-oriented leadership and continuity-based leadership -- 'Chillaxed leadership' and 'leadaholics' -- Coaching and mentoring-oriented leadership and directive, telling-what-to-do leadership -- Colleague-leading and leading prima donnas -- 'Company-branded' leadership and 'individual-branded' leadership -- Compromising leadership and co-operative leadership -- Developmental-oriented leadership and job-hopping leadership -- Diversity leadership and leading homogeneity -- Eastern-style leadership and western-style leadership : contrasting and converging national cultures -- Employee leading and volunteer leading -- EQ-oriented leadership and IQ-oriented leadership -- Expert leadership and generalist leadership -- Extrovert leadership and introvert leadership -- Finance-oriented leadership and marketing-oriented leadership -- Global leadership and worldly leadership -- Goal-oriented leadership and opportunistic leadership -- 'Here-and-now' leadership and legacy leadership -- HR-oriented leadership and production-oriented leadership -- Implementer leadership and shaper-driver leadership -- Individualistic leadership and relationship-oriented leadership -- Inspirational leadership and low-key leadership -- Interim leadership and tenured leadership -- Knee-jerk leadership and reflective leadership -- Long-term leadership and project management leadership -- Macro-leadership and micro-leadership -- Nurturing leadership and toxic leadership -- Pragmatic leadership and principles-driven leadership.