The Leadership Challenge

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The Leadership Challenge
The Leadership Challenge 5 edition.jpg
AuthorJames Kouzes
Barry Z. Posner
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SubjectLeadership and professional development
GenreBusiness
Published1987
Media typePrint
Pages416
ISBNISBN 0470651725 Parameter error in {{ISBN}}: Invalid ISBN.
658.4/092

The Leadership Challenge is a book written by James Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner. Published by Wiley, the book has developed into a brand focusing on professional development and leadership strategies. The book stresses that leadership is a learned practice, not necessarily a skill people are born with. First published in 1987, the books fifth edition was released in 2012, in light of the book's 25th anniversary. Training programs, assessments, mobile apps, videos, and workbooks, which focus on student leadership and Christian leadership concepts, have also been published.[1] The Leadership Challenge has been featured in Inc., The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Forbes, The Washington Post, CBS News, and Fast Company.[1][2][3][4][5]

Overview

Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner started developing the idea for The Leadership Challenge when they were planned to present about leadership at a two-day conference. Academics at Santa Clara University, Kouzes and Posner were set to speak after Tom Peters, who was presenting about successful companies. Kouzes and Posner decided to focus on individual leadership skills.[6] The name for the book came from the concept of the challenges that take place to "make extraordinary things happen," according to Kouzes in 2012.[7]

"The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership"

The Leadership Challenge uses case studies to examine "The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership," as researched and developed by Kouzes and Posner. Their first surveys for the five practices started in 1983, by asking people "What do you do as a leader when you're performing at your personal best?"[7] Over 30 years, they have done thousands of interviews and collected approximately 75,000 written responses.[8] Kouzes and Posner identified five common concepts in their survey, hence the five practices. The "Five Practices" are: "Model the Way," "Inspire a Shared Vision," "Challenge the Process," "Enable Others to Act," and "Encourage the Heart".[7][9] Kouzes cites that the last practice, "Encourage the Heart," is the most uncommonly seen in leadership roles. The concept focuses on being sincere, including sincere celebrations devoted to recognizing employee successes.[7] "Model the Way," encourages leaders to behave the same way they encourage others to behave, with their own voice and values.[8] "Inspire a Shared Vision" focuses on developing a vision and series of goals that everyone at the organization cares about and works towards collectively, with clear understanding.[1] "Challenge the Practice" encourages moving "outside the boundaries" to be innovative to make change. "Enable Others to Act" is trust based, encouraging leaders to create a safe and trusting environment for people to collaborate, experiment, and engage.[7]

Important leadership traits

Kouzes and Posner believe that leadership is a skill anyone is capable of developing with the will and interest in practicing it. With a stress that leadership is learned, not something one is born with, Kouzes and Posner believe more leaders can be developed in for profit and non profit organizations.[10] They look at traits seen within introvert and extrovert personalities, and examines how they can be developed into leaders by using those skills. For example, extroverts lean towards sharing of their thoughts and ideas with energy to larger groups, when introverts tend to be more quiet and one on one in their engagement about ideas to others.[2] A survey featured in the book shows that honesty is the most respected personality trait that a leader can have.[3] Three additional traits that leaders around the world share, are forward-thinking, inspiration, and competency.[8]

The book also looks at work styles and how people function in organizational settings, and how to improve skills like visionising based on their personality traits.[2] Kouzes and Posner express an importance in having a "shared vision" for everyone on one's team or at one's company. If a shared vision can be developed and exhibited, staff will be more prone to feeling confident and motivated in their job. Symbolic language like metaphors and storytelling are also important components to leadership skills. Kouzes and Posner believe that symbolic language helps in persuasion and gathering buy in. Using emotive words and images also helps in inspiring those leaders are leading or hoping to lead. Positive thinking and expression is another key concept in leadership within the book. Positivity can rub off on others around the leader, leading to productivity and satisfaction. Balancing positivity with negativity is important, with positivity a tool that leaders can use to get buy in from staff for projects and programs. Charisma, honesty, and being emotional is also seen as a good sign of leadership.[1]

Leadership Practices Inventory

Developed out of the key traits found within "The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership," is the Leadership Practices Inventory, or LPI, is a print and online assessment, which the authors called a "360 assessment tool," leaders can use to allow staff to be surveyed about specific leaders in their organization.[11] It also provides self-assessment tools for leaders to learn more about behavioral tendencies affect their leadership.[2][11] The tool has been used by Cracker Barrel, the United States Treasury Department, and the American Red Cross.[6]

Publication and recognition

The book was first published in 1987. Since then, it has sold over 2 million copies.[1] It has been translated into 20 languages.[7] In 2012, the 5th edition of The Leadership Challenge was released, marking the 25th anniversary of its publication. When asked about the release of the 5th edition, in light of other leadership development programs that have came into existence, Posner stated that the maintaining one's leadership skills was similar to how one might maintain their health throughout their lives.[4] The 5th edition features updated stories and examples for contemporary context. Posner described the 5th edition as being "more prescriptive than descriptive," in its style.[12] The book is a core teaching tool in leadership classes at St. Catherine University.[13]

Kouzes and Posner have published excerpts and written guest columns featuring The Leadership Challenge for Fast Company.[5][14]

Reception

The Washington Post describes The Leadership Challenge as a "business-meets-self help canon."[6] Carmine Gallo and Tom Gerace have cited The Leadership Challenge as an important book in developing their leadership skills.[1][15] Verne Harnish described the book as "one of the five most important leadership books ever written."[16]

Related publications

Additional publications by Kouzes and Posner related to The Leadership Challenge

  • with John C. Maxwell. Christian Reflections on The Leadership Challenge. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass (2004). ISBN 9780787983376
  • with Elaine Biech. A Coach's Guide to Developing Exemplary Leaders: Making the Most of The Leadership Challenge and the Leadership Practices Inventory. Hoboken: Pfeiffer (2010)
  • Encouraging the Heart: A Leader's Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass (2003). ISBN 9780787964634
  • A Leader's Legacy. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass (2006). ISBN 9780787982966
  • The Leadership Challenge: Activities Book. Hoboken: Pfeiffer (2010). ISBN 047047713X
  • The Leadership Challenge Workbook. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass (2012). ISBN 9781118182703
  • with Elaine Biech. A Coach's Guide to Developing Exemplary Leaders: Making the Most of The Leadership Challenge and the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). Hoboken: Pfeiffer (2010). ISBN 9780470377116
  • with Steven J. DeKrey. Making Extraordinary Things Happen in Asia: Applying The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass (2013). ISBN 9781118518519
  • The Student Leadership Challenge: Five Practices for Exemplary Leaders. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass (2009). ISBN 0470177055
  • with Beth High and Gary M. Morgan. The Student Leadership Challenge: Facilitation and Activity Guide. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass (2013) ISBN 9781118390085
  • with Beth High and Gary M. Morgan. The Student Leadership Challenge: Student Workbook and Personal Leadership Journal. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass (2013).
  • The Truth about Leadership: The No-fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need to Know. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass (2010). ISBN 0470633549

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Gallo, Carmine. "7 Sure-Fire Ways Great Leaders Inspire People To Follow Them". Leadership. Forbes. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d Brandon, John. "Personality Doesn't Determine Leadership Ability". Inc. (magazine). Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  3. ^ a b Greathouse, John. "John Greathouse: Don't Wait for the Starting Gun". The Accelerators. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  4. ^ a b Hill, Andrew. "Financial tomes". Life & Arts. Financial Times. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  5. ^ a b Kouzes, Jim. "Best practices for developing a dream team". Leadership. Fast Company. Retrieved 7 October 2013. Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b c Cunningham, Lillian. "Getting to guru: A conversation with leadership expert Jim Kouzes". On Leadership. The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Baer, Drake. "What leaders do when they're at their best". Leadership. Fast Company. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  8. ^ a b c Balint, Becca. "Use empathy, courage, honesty to set examples as a leader". Business. San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  9. ^ Posner, James M. Kouzes, Barry Z. (2003). The Leadership Challenge Workbook (1st ed. ed.). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0787971782. |edition= has extra text (help)
  10. ^ Evje, Brian. "9 Leadership Myths--& How to Overcome Them". Lead. Inc. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Leadership Practices Inventory". Leadership Development Professionals. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  12. ^ Frontiera, Joe. "The leadership challenge, 25 years later". On Leadership. The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  13. ^ Aamot, Gregg. "'Driving Change' panel: Farm-to-table entrepreneurs influence others by living their mission". MinnPost. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  14. ^ "3 Ways to make everyone around you smarter". Fast Company. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  15. ^ Gaines, Patrice. "First Monday: Gather's Tom Gerace tells what he reads". Money. USA Today. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  16. ^ Harnish, Verne. "#2 Leadership Book; Dream Team; Surprise Finding; Olympic Torch". The Growth Guide. Verne Harnish. Retrieved 7 October 2013.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Leadership_Challenge&oldid=580204865"