Philosophy of Leadership ― The Power of Authority

This book develops a philosophy of leadership by tracing the evolution of Western ideas from philosophical perspectives, ancient and modern. Various philosophies - including ancient heroism, rationalism, cynicism, stoicism, machiavellianism, romanticism, heroic individualism and existentialism - are pursued through a critical analysis of those ideas which are relevant to an understanding of leadership and the authority and power relationships that underpin it. Leadership is a human encounter grounded in authority and it is through a process of authorisation that leaders get their power. Leaders, therefore, have to deal with the tension between personal and social power because for everyone who concedes authority to a leader there is a choice between authority and autonomy: leaders are generally attuned to this tension and to that choice. Philosophy of Leadership has been written to arouse curiosity, not to satisfy it. The authors point out ideas about leadership which draw upon both ancient and modern wisdom.

Robert Spillane is Professor at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Australia. He has been a visiting scholar at the London Business School, UK, the ABIN Institute in Germany, and the University of Stockholm, Sweden. He has published more than a dozen books on philosophy, psychology and management and a play, Entertaining Executives, which was performed at the Mermaid Theatre, London.

Jean-Etienne Joullie worked as an engineer in Europe and Asia Pacific for 18 years. He holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering, an MBA, and a PhD in Philosophy. He has taught in management schools in Paris and Sydney and now teaches at the Gulf University for Sciences and Technology in Kuwait. He has published a book of philosophy and articles in management journals.