Full Leadership Development: Building the Vital Forces in Organizations

"I found this book a real treat. It has the rare quality of being both profound and light at the same time. . . . It has the potential for appealing to a large audience, including managers, consultants, trainers, students, and researchers. For some of them, it will make a real difference in their life and work. Few books do." -- Boas Shamir, Hebrew University of Jerusalem People interested in developing their own leadership potential, or the leadership potential of those around them, will find a wealth of knowledge in Full Leadership Development. The author approaches the concept of leadership as a system, not only as a process or a person. His framework is based on what he defines as the full range of leadership: people, timing, resources, the context of interaction, and the expected results in performance and motivation. He contends that when a leadership system is optimized, it in turn optimizes the vital force of each individual, thereby enhancing the collective force of the entire organization. The quality of the relationships among the leaders, their peers, and followers is a source of enrichment for all involved. Bruce J. Avolio models his theory for leadership through his writing style. The author pulls together his experiences and perspectives from all aspects of his life, providing a rich foundation for his theories. He uses personal examples, anecdotes, and cases to communicate his range of experience as a consultant, trainer, and researcher, as well as a traveler, spouse, and parent. The result is a conversational and accessible book that engages the reader with its interactive style.