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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

“This single text has become the primary resource for our doctoral program in Educational Leadership. It provides the foundation upon which we base our program of study and encompasses the breadth of leadership theory and practice in a manner accessible to students, practitioners, and scholars.”

Pamela Scott
Dublin Institute of Technology

“Leadership today is about building followership, and Leadership: Theory and Practice provides a practical approach for how to build that followship in today’s workforce.”

Patti Ippoliti
Rutgers Graduate School of Management

“Leadership: Theory and Practice is a ‘must have’ for all students studying leadership at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.  Theories of leadership are articulated in a very accessible manner and supported by appropriate case studies which bring meaning to the rhetoric –reality debate. This text is well structured and takes the student on a learning journey which leads to a greater understanding of leadership in its broadest sense.”

Rose Envy
University of Teeside

“The text does an excellent job of addressing leadership at the individual level of analysis. The single greatest strength is the empirical review of the major theories of leadership, provided in a chapter framework that describes the theory, explains how a particular approach works, describes strengths and criticisms, discusses how to apply the theory, provides relevant cases, and a related assessment instrument.”

Thomas Meriweather
Virginia Military Institute

I think the book is great for graduate level students that are working professionals. The cases are used often to show application to real life situations; then, the students engage in conversations about similar events happening in their industry/workplace (no names).
Thank you

Professor Kimberley Garth-James
Business Administration Dept, Notre Dame De Namur University
February 19, 2018

Very comprehensive and provides excellent instructor and student resources.

Mr Shawn Jeffers
Division of Public Administration, Northern Illinois University
November 20, 2015

Excellent text and very concise.

Dr Jakari Griffith
Management Dept, Bridgewater State Univ
September 13, 2016

Great combination of theory and practical info; not overly academic; good online integrated materials

Mr Lee McCroskey
Business, Williamson College
October 20, 2016

Students find the text to be practical and immediately applicable to real-life cases. Content is strongly grounded in theory which makes the textbook a most useful resource for leadership foundations courses.

Richard Riesbeck
Professional Education Dept, West Liberty University
June 19, 2017

We have decided to adopt this book as a supplementary text due to a wide range of leadership theories contained. This book is laid out so well and is an outstanding reference guide to all of the major leadership theories. Very happy about this adoption!

Dr James Fox
Educational Leadership & School Counseling, The University of Southern Mississippi
July 25, 2016

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 4

Chapter 6


Peter G. Northouse

Peter G. Northouse, PhD, is Professor Emeritus of Communication in the School of Communication at Western Michigan University. Leadership: Theory and Practice is the best-selling academic textbook on leadership in the world and has been translated into 15 languages. In addition to authoring publications in professional journals, he is the author of Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice (now in its sixth edition) and co-author of Leadership Case Studies in Education (now in its fourth edition) and Health Communication: Strategies for Health Professionals (now in its third edition). His scholarly and curricular interests include... More About Author

Also available as a South Asia Edition.