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Hubristic Leadership
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Hubristic Leadership


Other Titles in:
Leadership | Organization Studies

December 2018 | 224 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

Investigating the societal, economic, financial and reputational costs of hubristic leadership, with insights into the characteristics and causes of this phenomenon, and recommended safeguards to avoid hubris from happening in the first place.

As research into hubristic leadership becomes increasingly popular following recent political developments, the book adopts an inter-disciplinary approach to investigating this form of leadership. Outlining what causes hubristic leadership in the first place, the author looks at how it’s potentially destructive consequences can be anticipated and avoided through an informed stance of moderation, critical analysis and reflexivity.

Examples are drawn from business and politics including the Lehmann Brothers, BP and Deepwater Horizon, Blair and Bush in the Iraq Invasion, NASA, and Donald Trump.

Ideal reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students in business and management, leadership, and organizational behaviour.

Check out the Hubris Hub for further information on hubristic leadership, including a regularly updated blog written by author Eugene Sadler-Smith.

 
Preface: Introduction and Overview
 
Chapter 1: In Perspective
 
Chapter 2: Mythic and Historical Approaches
 
Chapter 3: Biological and Neuroscientific Approaches
 
Chapter 4: Psychiatric Approach
 
Chapter 5: Behavioural Approach
 
Chapter 6: An Organizational Approach
 
Chapter 7: Relational Approach
 
Chapter 8: Paradox and Processual Approaches
 
Chapter 9: Avoidance Approaches
 
References

An elegant, scholarly and absolutely timely analysis of the kinds of dangerous people who want to be leaders, but never should be allowed to be.  Read it, weep with despair for the state of international politics, and some big business—and understand it better.

Guy Claxton
Professor of Education, King's College London

This book offers numerous provocative ideas about what we can do to deal with hubristic leadership.  I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Dennis Tourish
Professor of Leadership and Organisation Studies, University of Sussex

Sadler-Smith provides an incisive and thorough analysis of hubristic leadership making this book ideal as a primary or secondary text for courses focusing on the fundamentals of leadership.

Peter G. Northouse
PhD, Professor Emeritus of Communication, Author of Leadership: Theory and Practice, 8e

An essential source covering a wide range of approaches from organisational to biological. Hubristic Leadership fills an important gap in the literature.

Nick Bouras
Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, King’s College London

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 5: A behavioural approach


Eugene Sadler-Smith

Eugene Sadler-Smith is Professor of Organizational Behaviour at Surrey Business School, UK. He is a member of the editorial advisory boards for "The British Journal of Management," "International Journal of Management Reviews," "Human Resource Development International," and the "Journal of European Industrial Training". More About Author

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