Appeared here: https://journals.uvu.edu/index.php/jbi/article/view/180/152
Scholars and organizational participants have regarded leadership as the most important, most studied, and least understood variable in the complex world of organizational dynamics in business, government, religion, military, education, family, or voluntary organizations. Considering the pervasive role of leadership, the increasing visibility and public scrutiny of leaders, the short tenure of so many
leaders in the business sector, and the call in the public media for real leaders to step forward, reexamining this mystical topic seems appropriate.
While my primary focus is about leadership in general, I will cite examples from different contexts, especially the Middle East. Personal
experience as a visiting professor and consultant with educational, governmental and business organizations in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt provides this perspective. Leaders are changing frequently in that part of the world, and the conditions under which they must lead are always challenging.
As we explore the definition, meaning, and application of leadership concepts, it is important to note that I am not proposing a universal set of leadership principles. Different strategies and techniques, which may be appropriate in one context and not in another, exist. Different leaders successfully use very different approaches in similar situations. Yet other examples of people using the same approach in different settings may result in failures.
The reasons for this difference of outcomes are simple, even if the solution is complex.
Read more at The Journal of Business Inquiry, Utah Valley University.