More Than Rocket Science: A Case for Differentiated Leadership Development

Abstract

Drawing on the research of Edwin Friedman (2007) in his book, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix, we explain the importance of developing differentiated leadership in groups and organizations of all sizes and types. According to Friedman, the leadership process is plagued by the fallacies of self, expertise, and empathy. These fallacies lead to an over reliance on data, low tolerance of ambiguity, anxiety, and a superficial comfort in togetherness, all of which upset the emotional balance in the leadership process. Using examples from rocket science, biology, and social psychology, we suggest that in order to combat these common dysfunctions, leadership development programs should be aimed at developing leaders who represent a nonanxious, self‐regulating presence. The goal of the current paper is to expand leadership development concepts and ideas to include practices that make groups and organizations more psychologically safe and enriching for all stakeholders.