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Leadership
Theory and Practice

Seventh Edition


520 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
2016 Recipient of the McGuffey Longevity Award from the Text and Academic Authors Association (TAA)


Used at more than 1500 institutions in 89 countries and translated into 12 different languages, this market-leading text successfully combines an academically robust account of the major theories and models of leadership with an accessible style and practical examples that help students apply what they learn. Peter G. Northouse uses a consistent format for each chapter, allowing students to compare the various theories. Each chapter includes three case studies that provide students with practical examples of the theories discussed. Adopted at more than 1,000 colleges, universities, and institutions worldwide, Leadership: Theory and Practice provides readers with a user-friendly account of a wide range of leadership research in a clear, concise, and interesting manner.  

INTERACTIVE eBOOK: This interactive eBook is available for stand-alone purchase, but it comes FREE when purchased in a bundle with the print version. Bundle ISBN 978-1-5063-0528-8

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Your students save when you bundle the print version with the interactive eBook edition. Use bundle ISBN 978-1-5063-0528-8.   This dynamic Interactive eBook goes way beyond highlighting and note-taking! Your students can read their mobile-friendly eBook anywhere, anytime with easy access across desktop, smartphone, and tablet devices. Using the VitalSource Bookshelf® platform, students can download the book to a personal computer and read it offline, share notes and highlights with instructors and classmates who are using the same eBook, and “follow” friends and instructors as they make their own notes and highlights. By simply clicking on icons in the eBook, your students can experience a broad array of integrated multimedia resources including engaging video and audio, as well as access to relevant academic and professional articles.
 
Chapter 1: Introduction
Leadership Defined

 
Leadership Described

 
Plan of the Book

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 2: Trait Approach
Description

 
How Does the Trait Approach Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 3: Skills Approach
Description

 
How Does the Skills Approach Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 4: Behavioral Approach
Description

 
How Does the Behavioral Approach Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 5: Situational Approach
Description

 
How Does the Situational Approach Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 6: Path-Goal Theory
Description

 
How Does Path–Goal Theory Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 7: Leader-Member Exchange Theory
Description

 
How Does LMX Theory Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 8: Transformational Leadership
Description

 
How Does the Transformational Approach Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 9: Authentic Leadership
Description

 
How Does Authentic Leadership Theory Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 10: Servant Leadership
Description

 
Model of Servant Leadership

 
How Does Servant Leadership Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 11: Adaptive Leadership
Description

 
A Model of Adaptive Leadership

 
How Does Adaptive Leadership Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 12: Psychodynamic Approach
Description

 
How does the Psychodynamic Approach Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 13: Leadership Ethics
Description

 
Strengths

 
Application

 
Criticisms

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 14: Team Leadership
Description

 
Team Leadership Model

 
How Does the Team Leadership Model Work?

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 15: Gender and Leadership
Description

 
The Glass Ceiling Turned Labyrinth

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 16: Culture and Leadership
Description

 
Strengths

 
Criticisms

 
Application

 
Case Studies

 
Leadership Instrument

 
Summary

 

Supplements

Instructor Teaching Site

SAGE edge for Instructors supports teaching by making it easy to integrate quality content and create a rich learning environment for students.

  • Test banks provide a diverse range of pre-written options as well as the opportunity to edit any question and/or insert personalized questions to effectively assess students’ progress and understanding
  • Editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation for the course
  • Teaching notes for cases are designed for instructors to expand questions to students, or initiate class discussion.
  • Sample course syllabi for semester and quarter courses provide suggested models for structuring one’s course.
  • Suggested assignments as well as course-long projects are designed to promote students’ in-depth engagement with course material.
  • Lively and stimulating ideas for class activities that can be used in class to reinforce active learning.
  • Chapter-specific questions for study help launch classroom interaction by prompting students to engage with the material and by reinforcing important content.  
  • EXCLUSIVE! Access to full-text SAGE journal articles have been carefully selected to support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter to encourage students to think critically
  • Multimedia content includes original SAGE videos that appeal to students with different learning styles
  • Web exercises direct both instructors and students to useful and current web sites, along with creative activities to extend and reinforce learning or allow for further research on important chapter topics. 
  • A Course cartridge provides easy LMS integration
Student Study Site

SAGE edge for Students provides a personalized approach to help students accomplish their coursework goals in an easy-to-use learning environment.

  • A customized online action plan includes tips and feedback on progress through the course and materials, allowing you to individualize your learning experience
  • Learning objectives reinforce the most important material
  • Mobile-friendly eFlashcards strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts
  • Mobile-friendly practice quizzes allow for independent assessment of your mastery of course material
  • Videos of Peter Northouse illuminate leadership concepts
  • Carefully selected chapter-by-chapter video and multimedia content enhances exploration of key topics
  • Meaningful web resources with exercises facilitate further exploration of topics
  • EXCLUSIVE! Access to full-text SAGE journal and reference articles that have been carefully selected to support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter 
  • Study questions reinforce key concepts in each chapter for self-review or group discussion

“I have found Peter’s books exceptionally well written, applauded by my students for its quality and readability. It immediately leads us excitingly toward the geneses of the symptoms we often treat as causal. It is direct and logical in its development. It is easy reading but by no means elementary. Finally but more importantly, it will I feel help students better understand their own needs and develop plans for further development.”

William A. Welch, Sr., Ed.D.
Bowie State University

“A useable and up-to-date introduction of the psychodynamic approach that brings psychological concerns about motivation and personality into a helpful conversation with mainstream leadership theory.”

Jack Barentsen
Evangelische Theologische Faculteit, Leuven (Belgium)

“This is a great addition to the text.  It is important for leaders to understand and meet the needs of those whom they are leading and the environment in which their interactions take place.   They must seamlessly account for all these factors in a way that is not focused on the leader him or herself, but on the context.  [The Adaptive Leadership Chapter] presents leadership through a new lens and provides an approach to leadership that was missing from previous editions.  It offers concrete practical examples that are relatable and provide context to both current and future leaders.”

Daniel W. Calhoun
Georgia Southern University

“This is an excellent introductory text to the field of leadership studies. It features short, concise, readable chapters complemented by case studies and self-analyses for those wishing to apply the material. It is the first book I recommend to anyone wishing to learn more about the field and how they can improve their own leadership practices.”

Benjamin W. Redekop
Associate Professor and Chair, Dept. of Leadership and American Studies, Christopher Newport University

“This is simply my bible for teaching on Leadership. It is informative, yet an enjoyable read and essential for lecturers and students alike. No module on Leadership should be without one!”

Frances Dodd
Occupational Psychologist and Head of Programme for CPD

“Leadership: Theory and Practice is a scholarly examination of leadership as a dynamic, evolving, and elusive influence process with differing approaches to effectively build relationships and facilitate the achievement of goals and visions.”

Horacio Salinas, Jr.
M.A., M.T.S., Ph.D.

“Northouse is highly readable and explains leadership material extremely well.  He then presents the strengths and weaknesses of various leadership approaches in a compelling way, yielding evidence based leadership practices.”

Jon Sager
University of Southern California

“Northouse’s approach to leadership provides a balanced overview of both theory and relevant application while presenting it an easy to understand format. Students will find it an excellent resource for years to come.”

Kaye Shelton
Lamar University

“This is the ideal text for a survey course on leadership theory that also helps students put their leadership into practice.”

Lisa Burgoon
Program Coordinator, Minor in Leadership Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

“A must read for anyone preparing to take a leadership position in any setting.”

Moja Teboho
New York University

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 4

Chapter 6


Peter G. Northouse

Peter G. Northouse is a professor emeritus of communication in the School of Communication at Western Michigan University. For more than 25 years he taught leadership and interpersonal and organizational communication at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In addition to publications in professional journals he is the author of Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th ed.) and Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice (6th ed.) and co-author of Health Communication: Strategies for Health Professionals (3rd ed.). His scholarly and curricular interests include models of leadership, leadership assessment, ethical leadership, and... More About Author

Also available as a South Asia Edition.