ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the new paradigm of Eco-leadership and the paradox that arises for many leaders when trying to implement it. Eco-leadership refers to an emergent leadership discourse found within organizations at the beginning of the 21st century. Some organizations are more stable than others, but in today's networked society, however stable they appear, each is vulnerable to disruption from other parts of the eco-system, hence the need for Eco-leadership. Eco-leadership means a radical re-imagining of how organizations function. It is the most recent of four dominant leadership discourses: controller leadership discourse, therapist leadership discourse, Messiah leadership discourse, and eco-leadership discourse. Controller leadership is underpinned by scientific rationalism and the drive for efficiency and productivity. Therapist leadership focuses on relationships and motivation. Messiah leadership focuses on transformational leaders who provide vision and lead by creating strong corporate cultures. Eco-leadership is characterized by new understandings of organizations as ecosystems within ecosystems.
