Leaving leadership: solving leadership problems through empowerment

Abstract

PurposeHas the objective of examining why the focus given to leadership should be severely curtailed in research and teaching, and replaced by concepts that are better defined, understood and whose positive contributions are clearly and consistently attainable. Education and research should firmly alter its focus to concentrate on empowerment, a concept that has been consistently tied to important organizational outcomes. Greater benefit can be attained by refining and advancing our understanding of empowerment (while instructing students/practitioners with our current knowledge), than by continuing to devote massive resources to the morass that is leadership.Design/methodology approachThese concepts are supported by prior studies and theoretical development rather than empirical evidence.FindingsFinds that we are infinitely better off teaching people what we know about using and encouraging empowerment than what we do not know about leadership, as traditionally defined. Moreover, in the twenty‐first century with flatter hierarchies and less variance in knowledge, power and resources, perhaps “leadership” should be defined by one's ability to respond to empowered situations with self‐leadership, as opposed to the traditional characterizations, which were derived from and are rooted in a more hierarchical view of work and organization.Originality/valueThis paper calls for a radical shift in our thinking about leadership research and teaching. Its value and originality to leadership scholars should be high.