Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice

Offering a straightforward introduction to the basic principles of leadership, Peter G. Northouse’s Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice focuses on providing readers with practical strategies for becoming better leaders. An applied text by the author of the SAGE best-seller Leadership: Theory and Practice, Fourth Edition, this new text provides the much needed "how-to" component of leading for students in leadership courses.

Three interactive components in every chapter - self-assessment questionnaires, observational exercises, and reflection and action worksheets - get readers actively involved in applying leadership concepts to their own lives. Grounded in leadership theory, yet accessible and reader-friendly, this book covers a fundamental aspect of leadership in each chapter and illustrates its application in real leadership situations. A final chapter discusses the key topic of ethics in leadership.

Key Features

• Looks at one quality of leadership per chapter, making it easier for readers to understand and apply material to their own lives
• Uses examples and case studies to illustrate each fundamental aspect of leadership (creating a vision, listening to out-group members, and overcoming obstacles, for example)
• Encourages readers to complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire before reading each chapter to explore their own leadership styles and preferences
• Guides readers in examining behaviors of leaders from their own lives through each chapter’s Observational Exercise
• Includes Reflection and Action Worksheets that encourage readers to reflect upon their own leadership styles and identify an action plan for improving their leadership skills