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Towards a unified theory of Leadership

Abstract
This session will focus upon the conceptual possibility of combining multiple leadership theories
into a unified model. By categorizing and combining the roughly 18 different leadership theories
currently within the organizational leadership discipline, patterns may emerge that allow for more
streamlined principles to be followed that can lead to increased success, regardless of the
environment, group, situation, or task being encountered.
Keywords: Leadership, Theory, Effectiveness,
PLANNING DETAILS
Proposed audience: The content of this session will be presented to individuals within business,
government, academia, and positions of responsibility, who seek foundational
principles to consistently move individuals, groups, and organizations toward
shared interest and vital parameters for survival and prosperity.
Maximum number of participants: 20
Type of session: Activity based brainstorming session that moves into conceptual model
presentation with follow up discussion.
Special requirements: Small note pads and pencils or pens.
Length or Type: 35 minutes min, 45 minutes maximum.



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INTRODUCTION
Need for following Leadership Principles A case for improved Leadership Fundamentals
In times of crisis the effects of leadership upon the success or failure of an organization are easy
to see. However, often it is during the mundane, day to day operations, as leaders struggle to move their
work groups, teams, departments, and organizations into a particular direction or course of action, that the
effects of leadership actually have their greatest ramifications. It is during these mundane cycles of
strategizing, implementing, assessing and re-strategizing that leaderships ability to respond to the
inevitability of future crisis are laid, but seldom realized. This session will focus upon the possibility of a
few critical components that leaders need to be attentive to, regardless of context that will help
organizations to accept, prepare for, and thrive within todays complex and ever changing environments.

THEORETICAL GROUNDING
This conceptual paper is grounded within several areas of research, which include but are not
limited to; Leadership Theory, Grounded Theory methodology, Peirce methodology, and Systems
Theory. In so doing a general application of these research areas would involve the following:
Review the use of Abductive logic to inform/structure a unified leadership theory (ULT)
Investigate structuring leadership theories (LT) into themes via Grounded Theory (GT)
Present a conceptual model of sub-components for Leadership Functionality (LF)
Review systems/system theory to guide tenants for Leadership as a System (LS)
Explore how the Leadership Functionality components constitute a System
Noted leadership authors, from Northouse, Gardner, Daft, and Bennis; through organizational
development authors Balzac, Kotter, and Schermerhorn; to systems theorists Mead, Bertalanffy, and
Senge, have been investigated to inform this endeavor.
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SESSION DESCRIPTION
The session outline is as follows:
Leadership Theory Diversity Activity (7-10 min)
Experience Discussion (5 min)
Presentation of current Leadership Theories and their summations (2 min)
Leadership Theory Strengths and Weakness (3 min)

Conceptual Categorization and Functioning of Leadership Theories: (5 min)

Hypothesis for a Unified Leadership Theory based upon Systems Theory: (5 min)

Discussion (5 min)


APPLICATION TO CONFERENCE THEME AND SUB-THEME(S)
Globalization is now an accepted fact of daily interaction that encompasses governments,
corporations, organizations, and individuals. While many of the affects from this dynamic are well
documented, it is important to note that as it affects self, communities, and nations, it also affects their
potential and possibilities to create a better world. The shocking disruptions of societal and
organizational world views cause increased stress as people scramble to understand and adjust their world
views to cope. Organizational strategies and daily operations accordingly along with educational
industries are burdened with the task of empowering staff and students with the ability reach their
potential with trying to stay current with the wealth of information influx under ever decreasing time
frames. As a result of these decreased cycles, mistakes are more frequent and their costs are more
extensive. A major tenant to answering the frenzied pace is the synthesizing of core principles that allow
for less complex implementation and more scalable applications. Simply put, simplified systems are more
robust than complex systems, and thus simplified leadership principles are more applicable, especially in
turbulent times, than complex ones, thereby allowing for increased possibilities for self, students,
communities and the world at large.
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Appendix

Daft, R. (2008). The leadership experience. Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.

Downs, C. W. & Allyson, A. D. (2004). Assessing organizational communication:
Strategic communication audits. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Dyer, William G., Dyer, W. Gibb Jr., Dyer, Jeffrey H. (2007). Team Building. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.

Edwards, W., Miles, R. F. Jr., Winterfeldt, D. (2007). Advances in decision analysis:
From foundations to applications. New York, N.Y: Cambridge Press.

Fournies, Ferdinand. (1999). Why employees dont do what theyre supposed to do.
New York: McGraw-Hill.

Katzenbach, Jon R., Smith, Douglas K. (2003). The Wisdom of Teams. New York, NY:
HarperCollins Publishers.
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Kouzes, James M. & Posner, Barry Z. (2007). The Leadership Challenge. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.

Lencioni, Patrick (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Northouse, Peter G. (2007). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications, Inc.

Patten, Mildred L. (2007). Understanding Research Methods: An Overview of the Essentials, 6
th
Edition.
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Shockley-Zalabak, P. S. (2009). Fundamentals of organizational communication. Boston,
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perspective. Human Resource Development Review. 3, 2.

Thompson, A., Strickland, A., & Gamble, J. (2007). Crafting and executing strategy: The quest for
competitive advantage. New York: McGraw-Hill.
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Walters, L. (2001). Leading for quality: the implications of situational leadership. Quality Management
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