ABSTRACT
The phenomenon of leadership has been central to the studies and observations of scholars, philosophers and military tacticians for thousands of years. Whether reading the ancient Athenian tragedies of Euripides from the fifth century BC, Plato’s Republic (428 BC), Sun Tzu’s The Art of War (400–328 BC) or Machiavelli’s The Prince (1513–1514), the reader quickly finds himself immersed in the art and science of leadership. Underscoring the importance of these early writings, such key texts continue to be found on the shelves of bookstores around the world. Testament to their present-day relevance, though, these mighty books are now located typically not in the ‘Classics’ section –but, more popularly, within the ambit of ‘Business’.
The global competitive landscape has changed significantly in recent times, forcing organisations of all shapes and sizes to respond, with disturbing regularity, to a gamut of changes thrust upon them from every angle. Accordingly, the need for clear and competent leadership has never been more urgent.
So, has leadership changed perceptibly since the days of Euripides and Plato? Are Sun Tzu’s tactics relevant today? Are Machiavelli’s principles still at play? What have we learned from the classics, and where will the future of leadership take us? This chapter reveals what lies behind the leader, exploring the traits, skills and abilities necessary to provide effective, impactful organisational leadership in the modern world.
