The International Journal of Leadership in Public Services Volume 4 Issue 3 October 2008 © Pavilion Journals (Brighton) Ltd INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR MENTAL HEALTH LEADERSHIP (original) (raw)
Related papers
“Leadership”: a perniciously vague concept
International Journal of Public Sector Management, 2012
PurposeDespite the vast amount of literature covering the concept of leadership, it remains contentious, under‐conceptualised and often uncritical. The purpose of this paper is to question the validity of the concept and dispute its application.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews what the idea of leadership means, how it relates to competing accounts of management in the public services, and what value it adds.FindingsThere is no evident reason why the supposed roles, tasks, or qualities of “leadership” either need to be or should be concentrated in the person of a leader; the tasks involved in “leading” an organisation are not in fact the tasks of motivation, influence or direction of others which are at the core of the literature; and there is no reason to suppose that leadership is a primary influence on the behaviour of most organisations.Practical implicationsIn the context of the public services, there is no set of skills, behaviours or roles that could be applied acr...
Follow the leader? A viewpoint on the exercise of leadership
International Journal of Leadership in Public Services, 2011
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a viewpoint on the exercise of leadership.Design/methodology/approachThis paper provides a view on the author's experience of exercising leadership as Leader of the Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Department in Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust (in England).FindingsThe author argues that leadership is as much intuition as science and considers how courageous leadership coupled with sound management can transform a service. A paradigm shift is proposed and its impact on various dimensions of the service is considered. Finally, but fundamentally, it is suggested that services need to re‐orientate themselves radically around the hopes and aspirations of those they purport to serve. They need to start doing things with people rather than to them.Originality/valueThis viewpoint provides insights relevant to anyone leading a small team within a large organisation or exercising organisation‐wide leadership. It will be par...
Open Journal of Leadership , 2018
The crisis of leadership, like other crises in most critical human endeavours, is not occasioned by lack of definitive theories or knowledge, it is elicited by failure to put the existing theories and knowledge into practice. Besides, the assumption advanced by most of the proponents of leadership theories, that by revealing to leaders what leadership is and what leaders should do, then inevitably the leaders will utilize the acquired knowledge and skills to impact their followers and the society, does not stand the test of scrutiny. There is a gap between leadership knowledge and practice, meaning that there are missing elements which translate leadership theories, knowledge and skills into impact. This paper (beyond leadership) seeks to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice. Beyond leadership answers the question, why are some people (leaders) more ethical and effective than other? The paper proposes and discusses 7 elements (purpose, conviction, moral authority, passion, commitment, courage and learning) which distinguish impactful leaders from the rest. Many more elements may be needed on the leadership journey but without the 7 elements of beyond leadership, any other additional element may not matter much.