I’m writing fresh from a really successful research fair I
helped organise at the Open University for our policing research and education
consortium. I will fill you in on some of the details further down the track.
Suffice to say I will be thinking a lot about structures, accountabilities and
ethics in relation to leadership over the coming months.
For now, I wanted to share a book recommendation with you.
I’m often asked by students and practitioners who want to
start thinking about leadership development design: where to start? Excellent
question!
I can safely say that the vast majority of books out there
on both leadership and leadership development are total nonsense. Poorly
thought out material that simply latches the word ‘leadership’ to whatever half-conceived,
barely theoretical trendy tag is available. Throw in an [insert random
number]-step guide and some unscrutinised experience in
consulting and you have yourself a book. For added spice, mask a lack of
knowledge of education, development or research with flowery, metaphysical, uncritical,
poetic celebrations of the figure of the individual leader.
Result? A mountain of fluff which crowds the field,
diverting attention from serious, empirically-grounded work. Superficiality is
easier to find and promises a short-cut to what is a tough process in need of
careful planning and shepherding.
What leadership development really lacks is a theoretically
rich, empirically sound, yet still broad introduction to the field as a whole. More
to the point, what the field really misses is a book which does all of the
above, yet from a perspective which both adopts a critical, inquisitive stance
but also respects the complexity and contested nature of our contemporary
organisations.
Step forward Steve Kempster’s How Managers have Learnt to Lead, which stands as a tall poppy in a
field of sludge. I have asked myself whether I turn to Steve’s book so much
because the competition is so poor or because it is actually a really valuable
book for designers, deliverers and scholars of leadership development. There is
no getting away from the fact that the competition is indeed poor. Nevertheless,
I think that even if the book was up against robust competition it would merit a
leading place on the go-to section of your bookshelf. Why?
Firstly and most importantly, the book links leadership development
theory with learning theory. Sounds like a simple enough step but actually not
one I have come across elsewhere. The author evaluates the relevance of
particular learning theories according to a reading of leadership as systemic,
process-driven, while of course influenced by individuals as drivers. Taking
this step means that right from the start, leadership development is considered
alongside robust and established learning theories, such as situated learning,
communities of practice etc.
Second, the book is so well researched, based on the
author’s PhD research and subsequent work as an academic with a special
interest in development practice.
Third, the stories of development change offered by the
author are interesting and relatable to one’s own practice and experience.
Finally, Steve Kempster carries with him the reputation of
being one of the leading university teachers in the field of management and
leadership, so he speaks from a position of credibility.
I have found myself recommending the book to two particular
groups of people. First, students starting out on research in the area of
leadership development, either at Master’s or PhD level. Second, to managers or
learning and development professionals who want a more rigorous basis for their
design work.
Naysayers might point to the fact that the author emphasises
experiential learning models at the expense of alternatives but it really is
quite difficult to think of an effective leadership development intervention
which would not place experience and practice at its heart. Leadership is
something brought to life through practice and cannot easily be contained
within the four walls of a classroom.
As a footnote, I will add that there is a book in the offing
courtesy of the New Zealand Leadership Institute, based at the University of
Auckland, spearheaded by Fiona Kennedy, which promises to be essential reading.
But that is probably a year or so further down the line.
For now, you can access Steve Kempster’s book via Amazon. It
has not received a paperback release yet and the price of the hardback tends to
fluctuate quite a lot. But if all else fails, perhaps you can persuade your organisation
or library to shell out on a copy.
- Owain
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