Leadership Effectiveness: Past Perspectives and Future Directions for Research

Although systematic research into the topic of leadership is a product of the twentieth century, interest in identifying the properties that make leaders effective is almost as old as recorded history. Indeed, Bass and Stogdill (Bass, 1990) noted that discussions relating to leadership and leadership effectiveness can be found in the Greek and Latin Classics, the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, the writings of ancient Chinese philosophers, and in early Icelandic sagas. Part of the fascination with the topic of leadership undoubtedly relates to our desire to understand why it is that some men or women are more effective than others at leading groups, organizations, and/or societies. However, another more practical reason for the interest in leadership may be our desire to improve our ability or that of others to become more effective leaders in organizations.