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The purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons for and consequences of leaders moving from other sectors to the public arena and provide guidelines for successful transitions to the public sector.

The paper relies on a conceptual analysis of leadership theory, critical reasoning and several examples to explore the phenomenon the authors call Leadership Leap (LL).

The paper explores the context, antecedents, causes and consequences of LL. The leaders’ self-confidence, ego and hubris are often considered to be the reason for leaping to an unfamiliar sector; however, the causes are much more complex. The authors suggest that in addition to the leaders’ personal characteristics, LL is encouraged by a culture of celebrity, excessive focus on the leaders and a longing for heroes. Ignoring or disregarding the context and overestimating the need for revolutionary change further exacerbate LL. The authors consider conditions for success and suggest areas for future research.

We are increasingly witnessing leaders who are successful and considered experts in one sector transition into the public sector. Although some are successful, others face obstacles and fail to live up to expectations. The unique characteristics of public leadership, specifically the collective nature of the sector and the crucial role of context and systems, provide a particular challenge for LL in the sector.

This paper discusses a model for teaching leadership to first-year students as part of a learning community. It outlines the purpose and structure of the course and presents ideas for how different disciplines could be combined with leadership in learning communities. Teaching leadership to first-year students as part of a learning community instead of a stand-alone course has two distinct advantages. First, when leadership is taught at the freshman level, the early introduction of the topic allows for the possibility of repetition and reinforcements of the concepts, both of which are essential to learning. Second, by teaching leadership in a learning community, instructors and students are able to apply and integrate the concepts of leadership with other areas, thereby increasing learning and retention.

When Burroughs acquired Sperry a few years ago, market analysts were highly skeptical about the success of the merger. Two organizations with distinctly different cultures, organizational practices, and incompatible product lines had to be merged into a cohesive unit.

Many recent books on management have focused on the importance of leadership in the success of an organization. One hears more and more about the key role a CEO can play in the implementation of certain strategies.

The last several years have seen a rash of takeovers—hostile and friendly—affecting the basic structure of U.S. corporations. Many of these takeovers have been spearheaded by a small group of raiders who, with the help of ingenious financing techniques and willing sources of funds, have threatened the long‐term existence of even the largest corporations in this country.