Developing Leadership Character

This book focuses on the element of leadership that has largely been neglected in the literature: character. Often thought to be a subjective construct, the book demonstrates the concrete behaviors associated with different character dimensions in order to illustrate how these behaviors can be developed, and character strengthened.

Based on research involving over 300 senior leaders from different industries, sectors and countries, Crossan, Seijts, and Gandz developed a model for leadership character that focuses on eleven dimensions. The book begins by setting the context for the focus on character in business, asking what character is and whether it can be learned, developed, molded or changed. Next, the book focuses on each dimension of leadership character in turn, exploring its elements and the ways in which it can be applied in a business setting. The book concludes with a summary of the key insights, an exploration of the interactions between the character dimensions, and a call to the reader to reflect on how to develop one’s own and others’ leadership character.

Bridging theory and management practice, Developing Leadership Character will interest students and practitioners alike. Readers will benefit not only from a new, robust theoretical framework for leadership character, but will also learn how character can be developed further.

Mary Crossan is a Distinguished University Professor and a Professor of Strategic Leadership at Ivey Business School, Canada. She has published several books, best-selling case studies, and articles in top academic journals including the Strategic Management Journal, the Academy of Management Review, and Leadership Quarterly.

Gerard Seijts is a Professor of Organizational Behavior and Executive Director of the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership at Ivey Business School, Canada. He teaches in several leadership programs, and has published in leading journals including the Academy of Management Journal, the Journal of Applied Psychology , and the Journal of Organizational Behavior. He is the author of Good Leaders Learn, also published by Routledge.

Jeffrey Gandz is Professor Emeritus of Strategic Leadership at Ivey Business School, Canada. He has authored or co-authored seven books, many articles in academic journals and practitioner magazines, and over 100 case studies that are used in business schools around the world.