This book provides a critical and accessible introduction to leadership theory, encouraging readers to question, compare and apply established perspectives in relation to their own experiences and practice.

Beginning with a review of several fundamental questions prominent in the leadership learning landscape, the book then guides the reader through a dozen prominent theories, using a novel typology organised around sociological, psychological and methodological perspectives. The Organisational Context Matrix is then introduced as an approach to considering how leadership is shaped by circumstance. A central theme of the book is the importance of reflection and reflexivity in leadership learning and readers are encouraged not only to consider what leadership theory tells us but also how their own experiences, assumptions and behaviours shape their understanding and practice of leadership.

Case studies, vignettes, historical examples and reflective questions encourage critical engagement, enabling students to bridge between theory and practice. Combining theoretical depth with practical application, the book offers a distinctive approach to studying leadership and developing a lifelong orientation towards leadership development.

Rich in both theory and practice and novel in its applied approach, Understanding Leadership should be core reading for advanced undergraduate, postgraduate and executive students of leadership, as well as practicing and aspiring leaders.

William Brian Howieson is a leadership scholar-practitioner with nearly 40 years’ experience across the military, healthcare, higher education and public and third sectors. He is Professor of Leadership and Strategy at the University of Limassol.

Robert Young spent many years observing and practicing leadership in industrial and consulting environments before focusing on teaching and research. He is an advisor with the Cranfield Trust, the leading provider of management support for charities in the UK.