The Art and Science of Leadership

L

eadership is an art. Leadership is

a science.

Which is it?

I think that most of us accept lead-

ership as both, practicing it with all

the knowledge and experience at our

disposal. But what does it mean to

say that leadership is both an art and

a science? Science and art often seem

opposite. They tend to be discon-

nected in our educational systems,

workplaces, and communities. And

many scientists are warning that sci-

ence is under attack from those who

regard it as a set of opinions rather

than a source of objective truth. Can

science and art thus be so readily

mixed in the practice of leadership?

If we value the objectivity of science,

can it really be a good ...