Leadership

What this page covers

This unit collects material on how leaders lead. The mind maps do most of the work. Leadership Theories starts with Thomas Carlyle's Great Man Theory, the idea that leaders are born, not made, and moves on to trait and behavioral approaches. Types of Leadership sets out autocratic leadership and its alternatives. Transformational Leadership and Charisma looks at transactional models and Leader-Member Exchange.

Where to start

Begin with the theories, then move to styles, then to applied cases. A sensible order is:

1. Open Leadership Theories to see how ideas about leadership developed.
2. Read Types of Leadership to compare styles.
3. Look at Adaptive Leadership for how power and paradigms differ.
4. Finish with Apollo 13, a map that applies a participative style to a real situation.

Using flashcards and quizzes with the maps

Flashcards help you remember definitions. Business AS-level 3.2 Managers, Leadership and Decision Making defines leadership and lists styles such as autocratic, paternalistic and democratic. Management, Leadership and Decision Making covers the roles of managers, including Mintzberg's categories. For strategy, try Chapter 13: Creating Vision and Strategic Direction, and for charisma, 13 Charisma & Charismatic Leadership.

Once you have gone through a map, test yourself. The CHL Chapter 7 Quiz asks about coaching and about leaders who decide without staff input. Check which answers you missed, then go back to the matching map.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the strand People, Organisation and Leadership, within Business administration and management (incl. project management). Some listed resources mention A-level Business, IB Business Management, GCSE Business and PMP, so school students and professional candidates can find items that match their courses. Most of the material is at university level.

When you are ready, pick one map, work through it, and then try a quiz on the same topic.