Leadership Communication Theory and Practice: An Advanced Introduction

Through the theorization of leadership from various communicative perspectives, this book offers a comprehensive, multi-perspectival framework and actionable insights for building responsible, relational, and inclusive leadership practices.

This book presents three distinct perspectives on how sub-disciplines in communication studies understand, utilize, and theorize the intersections between communication and leadership: (1) diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA), intercultural, and critical cultural approaches; (2) relational, discursive, and collective approaches; and (3) pedagogical and training approaches. Contributors showcase how communication theory assists in building more responsible, relational, dialogical, ethical, and meaningful leadership practices, using applied cases, scenarios, and leader profiles to demonstrate theoretical approaches in practical contexts. Each chapter features suggested further readings and questions to spark continued engagement with the issues presented.

This text is suited to advanced undergraduate and graduate students in leadership communication, organizational communication, and leadership studies within communication studies, business, psychology, higher education and administration, and military leadership programs.

Sandra L. Pensoneau-Conway is Professor of Communication Studies in the School of Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University, USA.

Nilanjana Bardhan is Professor of Public Relations and Intercultural Communication in the School of Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University, USA.

Sean M. Eddington is Associate Professor of Organizational Communication in the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication at Kansas State University, USA.