Leadership development
Chapter 13 reviews leadership development and the key facilitating conditions for it. Three forms of leadership development are identified: formal training, developmental activities and self-help activities. Leadership training programmers are discussed, as are the design of the courses, many of which concentrate on a particular theory, for example leader-member exchange (LMX). The author points out the much-vaunted statement that effective skills for leadership are mostly learned from experience and not from training programmers. With this in mind, work-based developmental activities are considered, and the presence of a strong learning culture in an organisation goes a long way to supporting leadership development.
Ethical leadership and diversity
The penultimate chapter covers ethical leadership and diversity. Again, “influence as the essence of leadership” is quoted, as is Gini: “The issue is not whether leaders will use power, but will they use it wisely and well”. Thus, ethical leadership encourages ethical behavior as well as initiating efforts to stop unethical practices.
Sex-based discrimination in the selection and promotion of leaders continues to be a problem in organisations. Research in this area is limited, as it is in leadership in different cultures. The bulk of the research comes from the United States, Canada and Western Europe. It is acknowledged here that, with the rapid pace of globalization, cross-cultural leadership is an important topic for research. We are introduced to the GLOBE project, which is taking steps in this direction, studying leadership in 62 countries representing all major regions of the world. The project is ongoing and involves 170 social scientists and management scholars.
Conclusion
The book concludes with an overview and integration in Chapter 15. The major findings in leadership are summarised. Controversies about research are considered, and summarised as relying too much on weak research methods. Most theories involve a prediction model identifying traits, skills and behaviours and fitting these into the leadership process, which, in turn, involves criteria and situation variables. Yukl suggests that what is missing are the mediating variables necessary to explain leadership influence on individuals, group processes and organisational effectiveness.
Yukl finishes with a list of 10 of the most important leadership functions for enhancing collective work in teams and organisations.
Discussion
Leadership in Organizations concerns itself with looking at the complex field of research in the field of leadership in large organisations. This is a well researched and well thought-out text, and anyone with a serious interest in the subject would benefit from having read the book. The format provides a clear understanding of the learning requirements, with the case studies and questions at the end of every chapter stimulating the reader into asking yet more questions, thus creating a greater awareness of leadership in a management context.
Gary Yukl provides a comprehensive review of techniques, citing examples and guidelines throughout. Though some might find the style over-directive, others will benefit from the clear path that Yukl points up.