ABSTRACT
This chapter defines leadership concepts and theories and critically applies them to a creative and cultural industries context. This includes trait and behavioural leadership theories, task versus relationship focus, contingency and situational leadership models, transformational leadership, and authentic leadership. The 'behavioural' approach to leadership is quite different from the trait approach, in that it attempts to ascertain what behaviours lead to effective leadership. The chapter analyses specific leadership challenges in the creative industries, such as leading creative teams, tastemaking and dual leadership models that combine business and artistic leadership. Fiedler's Contingency Model of Leadership is based on the understanding that there is no one best way to manage, and either of the approaches described above could work best, depending on the situation. The chapter identifies factors that contribute to optimizing team performance. It helps to choose the appropriate communication medium and approach for different communication objectives and organizational challenges.
