ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents a brief contemporary history of the field while introducing the reader to the different methodologies used to study leadership. It examines the importance of effective followership and the responsibilities followers have in the leadership process. The book also presents leadership in Western cultures. Leadership in the West is often viewed as a prize. Followers may see themselves as “paying their dues” until they can obtain their own position as a leader. The book explores leadership in Latin American cultures. Latin America’s history and cultural legacies color the way in which it views leadership. It provides an overview of leadership from a Russian perspective. The book also explores the Daoist perspective, which includes the idea of “servant leadership,” which has made an indelible impact on leadership literature and thought.
