The Leadership Field Book

Citation

Gibbs, P. (2011), "The Leadership Field Book", Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, Vol. 1 No. 2, pp. 190-191. https://doi.org/10.1108/20423891111128953

Professor Raelin might legitimately be considered the outstanding American scholar currently in the USA and his new book on leadership does nothing to dissuade those who hold that position (me included). In this useful and practical book, Raelin sets about offering us his wealth of experience on leadership and how this can contribute to effective organizational change. Based on his leaders model which sees leaders skills as coach, facilitator, consultant and weaver of success where leadership is the agency to move effectively and appropriate to facilitate different levels of change. The book provides strategies, activities and case studies to help the leader achieve change. Five separate chapters offer an organic spread of information and analysis linked to individual, interpersonal, team and network leadership.

The strength of the book is in its insightful use of an inclusive model of how leadership can be fostered and achieved. It is a book worthy of any course on change management and anyone actually involved and engaged in change process. As a manual for workplace practice, it is distinctively practical and it is packed with exercises and approaches. It is a book destined to spend most of its life on desktops and in brief cases not on dusty library shelves. Mine is already dog‐eared and has changed my practice as teacher and practitioner and I am sure it will challenge many others to realize how they might be better leaders.