Profiles in Leadership

TRUE TO THE ADAGE THAT THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME…

While the context of leadership may have changed over nearly three decades of study, the content of leadership has remained virtually the same. What constituents and followers look for today in their leaders remains as consistent and defined as it was in the early 1980s when we first began inquiring into what ordinary people do to get extraordinary things done in organizations.

Dispelling the myth that leadership is the exclusive purview of a select few, over the years we have given voice to thousands of everyday people, in every line of work, in every industry—from individual contributors to front-line managers, administrative professionals to community service volunteers—whose personal stories demonstrate that leadership is available to all who choose to accept the challenge. Regardless of title or privilege, leaders are enthusiastic participants in change. They try, fail, and learn from their mistakes. They build self-confidence by learning from others and about themselves, capitalizing on their strengths and overcoming weaknesses. They understand that leaders go first, that the legacy they leave is the life t....