Relational Leadership: Theory, Practice and Development

Description

The traditional idea of leadership as being about the solo, heroic leader has now run its course. A new way of thinking about leadership is now needed to address major challenges such as achieving greater social responsibility, enhancing leadership capacity and recognising the importance of context as affecting how leadership occurs. Relational leadership offers a new perspective of leadership that addresses these challenges. At its core, relational leadership recognises leadership as centred in the relationships that form between both formal and informal leaders and those that follow them, far more so than the personality or behaviours of individual leaders. This book introduces readers to the most up-to-date research in this area and the differing theoretical perspectives that can help us better understand leadership as a relational phenomenon. Important characteristics of effective leadership relationships such as trust, respect and mutuality are discussed, focusing on how they develop and how they bring about leadership effects. Specific forms of relational leadership such as shared leadership, responsible leadership, global team leadership and complexity leadership are addressed in subsequent chapters. The book is the first to examine recent ideas about how these new forms of relational leadership are put into practice as well as techniques, tools and strategies available to organisations to help do so. The inclusion of three detailed case studies is specifically designed to help readers understand many of the key concepts covered in the book, with key learning points emphasised. The book offers an excellent summary of the state-of-the-art topics in this new and exciting field of relational leadership. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Page Table of contents List of figures and tables 1 Introduction to relational leadership: The challenges of capacity, context and responsibility Why do we need a new way of thinking about leadership? (1) The challenge of leadership capacity (2) The challenge of context (3) The challenge of responsibility About this book 2 Relational leadership from an entity perspective: The relationship as leader–member exchange Introduction Leader–member exchange (LMX) LMX antecedents Developing relational leadership: insights from leader–member exchange Concluding remarks 3 Relational leadership from a socio-constructionist perspective Introduction The notion of relationality The importance of sensemaking The sensemaking process Developing relational leadership: insights from a socio-constructionist perspective Concluding comments 4 Respect, trust and mutuality: The sine qua non of relational leadership Introduction Respect in relational leadership Trust in relational leadership Developing trust and respect Conclusions 5 Emotional intelligence and relational leadership Introduction The concept of emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence – its role in relational leadership Developing emotional intelligence Concluding comments 6 Shared leadership Introduction Shared leadership: theoretical and empirical underpinnings Factors or antecedents supporting shared leadership (1) The role of formal (vertical) team leaders (2) Knowledge sharing and team learning (3) Team member attitudes (4) Team dynamics, team potency and trust (5) Team member voice (6) Organisational culture Developing shared leadership (1) Changing team member attitudes (2) Developing team member skills (3) Developing trust (4) Developing team learning (5) Developing a supportive organisational culture Concluding comments 7 Responsible leadership Responsible leadership: theoretical contributions Developing responsible leadership Concluding remarks 8 Global team leadership Introduction Global leadership: the focus on competences Global team leadership through a more relational lens Developing global leadership Concluding comments 9 Complexity leadership Introduction The assumptions underpinning complexity leadership Practical application of complexity leadership and its limitations The role of formal leadership Developing complexity leadership 1. Network conditions 2. Shared leadership 3. Organisational learning 4. Leader behaviours (1) Supporting autocatalysis (2) Supporting shared leadership (3) Developing the system’s network (4) Supporting shared meaning making (5) Identifying barriers to information flows (6) Fostering the positive value of tension (7) Building social capital Proximal and distal outcomes of complexity leadership development Concluding comments 10 Case studies Case study: network building among mental health organisations: Background to the case The intervention Impact of the intervention on the network Case study: supporting emergence (self-organising change) through appreciative inquiry at Visa Europe Background to the case The intervention Impact of the intervention Case study: sensemaking in ethical decision-making Background to the case The significance of organisational culture in recognising the ethical dilemma Previous history of projects The narrative used to talk about the project Identification with the project Stakeholder engagement Three months later What this case tells us about leaders’ ethical decision making References Index