ABSTRACT
Contemporary leaders want to lead well, but are often unclear or conflicted about whether their leadership practice is creating something of value. Indeed, the word value itself can be both controversial and yet interpreted so widely as to be almost devoid of meaning. For many leaders and organizations value is framed in terms of economic or financial performance, or consumer satisfaction. However, a wider, non-material understanding of value might include human flourishing and fulfilment. In this chapter the author explores these issues and their implications for a more reflective perspective on leadership. Eve Poole highlights a list of questionable taken-for-granted assumptions underpinning materialist economic analysis that have arguably lasted beyond their usefulness. These include the universal virtue of competition, the usefulness of utilitarianism and the efficacy of the invisible hand which is alleged to make markets work. The author highlights the recent attention paid by social science researchers to the idea of public value proposed by John Brewer.
