John Gardner writes, "The first step is not action; the first step is understanding" (1990, xiv). Great people over the centuries have grappled with the meaning of effective leadership. In that same spirit of inquiry, our goal is to inform and stimulate rather than to "mold" future leaders. As with any subject, knowledge of the basics—those great thoughts that have shaped understanding about that subject—is the foundational platform upon which to build your knowledge of leadership.

From those early ideas, however, the concept of leadership is changing in exciting ways. Our own views of leadership diverge from more traditional, authority-centered approaches in favor of contemporary views emphasizing the common good, risk, collaboration, and civic responsibility. Newer theories in leadership are having an impact in executive suites, public institutions, and communities. We hope our students will carry the mantle of leadership throughout society, committed to making a difference in every kind of context.

This book was created because of our desire to help students understand the many dimensions of leadership theory. Our aim was to develop a readable workbook/textbook that would provide a comprehensive overview of the major theories in leadership studies. It is not intended, however, to be heavily theoretical. We include only the basic elements of the various conceptions of leadership. Our interest is in surveying ideas, their importance to leaders and followers, and their applicability to the process of leadership.