The Search for Leadership

Most organizations - public, private and third sector - know they need to offer better leadership. But, in trying to do so, they too often look in the wrong place. Experience tells us that even heroic leaders are no better than the systems they work in. Flawed systems strangle leadership. The answer? Stop polishing the fish and tackle the water they swim in! "The Search for Leadership" shows why it is naive to expect much leadership from individual managers acting alone. Only when we start to see leadership as a property of the organization can we begin to improve it. William Tate pulls no punches in his examination of leadership in business, politics and institutions like the police and the Health Service. Using forensic analysis, cogent argument and damning case studies, he shows why conventional leadership models and programs miss the point and waste our money. In their place he presents a proven and practical 'Systems Thinking' approach that will transform the way leadership is developed, applied and held accountable for delivering results. "The Search for Leadership" is a comprehensive study of the way leadership operates in organizations. Split into two parts - the thinking challenge and the more practical intervention challenge - it tackles each aspect of leadership on a theme-by-theme basis and is an invaluable resource for anyone working to improve leadership in an organization. The chapters provide an in-depth focus on current leadership issues, from discussing the difference between managing and leading, through learning the language of Systems Thinking and developing a leadership culture, to exploring a range of processes by which leadership can be held to account. This eye-opening account of the challenges organizations face is written for managers as well as developers, teachers, researchers and coaches. Its systemic focus sets it apart from other leadership books. It will change the way you think about leadership and help improve the way any organization is run.