Leadership Theory, 2nd Edition

3Interpreting Leadership Theory Using Critical Perspectives

“The greatest gift is not to be afraid to question.”

—RUBY DEE

If you're wondering when this book is actually going to get to the leadership theories it's supposed to cover, the wait is almost over. The first chapter set up the essential architecture of leadership while the second introduced critical perspectives. The quote that opens this chapter from actress, poet, and activist Ruby Dee frames the importance, privilege, and power of using these areas of knowledge to question not only what we attend to in leadership theory but also how we interpret and enact it.

This chapter presents an overview of the “story most often told” about how leadership theory has evolved, setting up ...