Essay

Leadership

Developments in leadership theory have begun to reflect the contextual changes; scholars increasingly emphasize the role of collaboration and relational factors for effective leadership (Crevani, Lindgren, & Packendorff, 2010; Raelin, 2006; Uhl-Bien, 2006) and note that organizational leaders need to have the necessary skills to lead under these conditions (Taylor & Ladkin, 2009; Zaccaro & Klimoski, 2001). Although classic theories of leadership focus on top-down models in which an individual leader provides a vision and motivates employees to work toward that vision (Bass, 1993; Barling, Weber, & Kelloway, 1996; Howell & Avolio, 1993; Judge & Bono, 2000) emerging theories call for “postheroic” models that stress relational and social dynamics in leadership, and learning, adaptability and an ability to work collectively through change (Chrislip & Larson, 1994; Cunliffe, 2009; Fletcher, 2005).

Despite the emergence of such theories, literature on the development of these forms of leadership remains relatively rare. Rather, the tendency has been to focus on a single, dominant “leader” and thus on individual-level competencies and outcomes within leadership training (Lord & Hall, 2005, pp. 591-615). Although there may be relational aspects within traditional views of leadership, these are often not what are trained, in preference of individual skills and knowledge sets reflecting top-down, individualized models (James and Ladkin, 2008). Leadership scholars note that the constitution of both leadership and of its development continue to be subjects of contested debate (Parker and Carroll, 2009, pp. 261-283), and others point to a general lack of scholarly work on leadership development and training (Mabey & Finch-Lees, 2008). Others critique further a stress on surface-level, technical skills within leadership development practice, rather than the tacit and embedded learning necessary for adaptability and change amid uncertainty (Grint, 2007; Parker & Carroll, 2009).

In this essay it is observed that teaching and learning leadership requires significantly different approaches to development, in method and in pedagogical philosophy. It is suggested in particular the promise of improvisational theatre training, marrying its key skills with leadership skills for the current organizational environment. The article develops a conceptual model of how the skills that can be gained through improvisational theatre help to address the gap in approaches for developing what is referred to as affiliative leadership.

Improvisational theatre skills are directly aligned with those suggested in newer leadership theories—adopting an external focus, developing adaptability to changing conditions, optimizing curiosity and responsiveness, and honing abilities to listen, interact, collaborate, and co-create with others. More broadly, the training embodies collaborative and collectivist norms. To develop this argument, the review literature in alternate understandings of leadership is given below.

Main Developments

Recent literature introduces a range of emerging perspectives that understand leadership as post-heroic, that is, as having shifted in significant ways from models and discourses in which leadership rests within an individual at the top of hierarchy, to leadership as a collective or shared capability within an organization (Fletcher, 2005; Kramer & Crespy, 2011). A number of related theories expressing a non-hierarchical, non-position-based notion of leadership have emerged. Each conceptualizes leadership, either normatively or critically, as ...