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This paper examines the relevance of the wicked problem continuum, particularly the emergence of super wicked challenges for public leadership researchers. Contemporary theorizing on public leadership adequately deals with tame challenges, struggles with wicked problems and remains in the dark with regards to the implications of super wicked problems

The wicked problem continuum provides a typology or set of dilemmas running from tame to wicked through to super wicked problems. These different problem types are treated as if they were on a three-zone continuum in which the difficulty of solving or substantially reducing the problem varies from relatively low to very high.

We delineate the three-problem contexts in the wicked problem continuum and discuss the ideal type of organization thriving in each zone. We then posit two opposing wicked problem interpretations-taming and wilding- for those interested in public leadership. Taming calls for prudent, results-oriented leaders employing tried and tested practices. Wilding demands leaders who test the status quo by seeking alternatives.

On the global leadership agenda, wilding problems—those calling attention to the super wicked zone—are escalating. Despite this, public leaders' training lacks a framework for making sense of these urgent and publicly contentious super wicked problems.

Public policy researchers are beginning to direct attention to super wicked problems such as climate change, and pandemics. This work introduces the wicked problem continuum and demonstrates its pertinence for researchers of public leadership.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how socio-religious dynamics influence (and are influenced by) principals in Islamic schools.

This qualitative case study took place in Semarang, Indonesia. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with school leaders along with school site observations. To frame the study, we drew from both Indonesian and international scholarship to understand extant perspectives on the context and on the ways that principals influence socio-religious thinking and practices in schools.

Findings suggested that principals' personal experiences and beliefs are central to the ways that socio-religious thinking and practices are manifest in their school. Principals practice more progressive or conservative leadership by influencing the degree to which the school is (a) an open or closed system, (b) inclusive or exclusive in their practices and (c) plural or unitary in their teaching. In making decisions along each of these continua, principals in Islamic schools “curate” a socio-religious educational environment.

This paper contributes to the literature on principals and socio-religious dynamics in schools by discovering specific continua of practice that collectively suggest a more conservative or progressive interpretation of Islam. As this area is understudied in educational leadership, the study makes a foundational empirical contribution, suggests theoretical constructs heretofore unexplored, and advances the notion of principal as curator of educational practice.

This paper aims to present the impact evaluation findings from a multiprofessional leadership programme commissioned in the South East of England to support primary care networks (PCNs) to lead system improvement together. It identifies programme impact at micro and meso system levels; a leadership impact continuum that can be used by individuals and teams to evidence impact of improvements in PCN practices; the learning and development strategies that were effective and proposes implications for other networks.

Mixed methods underpinned by practice development methodology were used to explore the impact of the programme on two practitioner cohorts across 16 PCNs. Data were collected at the start, mid-point and end of the eight-month programme.

Results illustrate an innovative approach to collective leadership development. A continuum of impact created with participants offers insight into the journey of transformation, recognising that “change starts with me”. The impact framework identifies enablers, attributes and consequences for measuring and leading change at micro, meso and macro levels of the health-care system. Participants learned how to facilitate change and collaboratively solve problems through peer consulting which created a safe space for individuals to discuss workplace issues and receive multiprofessional views through action learning. These activities enabled teams to present innovative projects to commissioners for service redesign, enabling their PCN to be more effective in meeting population health needs. The authors believe that this programme may provide a model for other PCNs England and other place-based care systems internationally.

This study offers insight into how to enable a journey of transformation for individuals and PCN teams to enhance team effectiveness and collective leadership for system-wide transformation required by the National Health Service Long Term Plan (2019).

Attempts to provide clarification over the definition of strategic management. Identifies and discusses a number of interrelated components which collectively create a configuration or domain for strategic management.

Environments coined as “VUCA” (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) are hotbeds for new modi operandi in organisations that involve a shift from face-to-face towards distant leadership, as well as from “classical” towards agile organisation principles.

At the same time, digital collaboration tools have found their way into daily business operations. As the above changes arguably leave deep imprints on performance indicators, our work accordingly illuminates potential impacts on employee engagement. Based on a German sample, we conduct a qualitative investigation featuring in-depth interviews.

Our findings indicate a curvilinear inverted (approximate) U-shaped relation between what we dub “leadership richness continuum” (including specific characteristics of leadership, agility, as well as the application of a digital collaboration tool) and engagement.

Although our work may inspire practicing managers, we also contribute to theory development providing a new theoretical model for employee engagement.

The aim of this paper is to utilize successful leadership practices drawn from seven nations to improve leadership preparation.

This study used a case study approach to gain a contextualized understanding of successful leadership across seven nations. Data sources primarily featured interviews with principals, teachers, staff members, parents, and students. Cases were analyzed within and then across nations with regards to organizational learning (OL), instructional leadership (IL), and culturally responsive practices (CRP).

The cross‐national analysis of successful leaders indicated emerging policy trends, demographic changes, similarities and differences among leaders, and recommendations for leadership preparation.

This paper draws from successful practices in OL, IL and CRP in seven nations to make recommendations for improving leadership preparation.

Recognizing the importance of developing professional identities and valuing the work of school-based teacher educators, this chapter outlines a specific context in which teacher leaders self-identified and worked across contexts to support teacher development within their schools. This chapter’s primary focus includes the perceptions and experiences of teacher leaders in school–university partnerships connected to one university in one identified role: liaison-in-residence. Three themes resulted from analysis of transcripts, journals, and memos: teacher leader identity developed within democratic leadership; teacher leader positionality stirs tensions in professional identity; and service and equity as key guideposts for leading and learning.

Describes a three‐track process for executive leadership development (TTL) intended to develop a cadre of strategic business leaders for the next decade. TTL consists of three simultaneous tracks of activity requiring as much as 18 months, during which participants also perform their regular jobs. It has three objectives, corresponding to the tracks of activity: the business track ‐ solves real‐life business problems thereby supporting the business while providing each individual participant with increased expertise in an area previously unknown to him or her; the leadership track ‐ enables participants to lead individuals, groups and organizations more effectively; and the personal track ‐ helps participants appreciate and more effectively utilize their innate personal skills, values, predispositions and traits. Examines results to date and shows that this leadership development process has already provided substantial returns to many individuals and organizations.

The purpose of this study is to examine and discuss whether women executives in the hospitality industry in Hong Kong adopt a feminine, masculine or gender-neutral approach to leadership.

This study focuses on women with positional power in senior-level leadership roles within the hospitality and tourism industry in Hong Kong. A qualitative approach was taken to capture the multiple dimensions of these female executive’s leadership orientations. The participants included 24 women executives.

Participants’ representations show that women have a multitude of leadership styles that operate on three continua. Not all women executives display leadership orientations that adhere to their indigenous culture values. Individual differences or differences related to the organizational culture are still relevant.

A low number of women in leadership positions in Hong Kong limited the selection process of participants. There might be a selection bias based on that the participants volunteered to participate in the research study and some declined. Findings are based on participants’ memory to reflect on their leadership styles.

Because of the traditional and conventional definitions of leadership, women leaders might feel that they should behave in a masculine way to be taken seriously as a leader. There is a need to understand whether women executives today manage to defeat these stereotypes and comfortably display a feminine approach to leadership. A culture that values and leverages feminine approaches in addition to masculine approaches is likely to have higher engagement and retention of women.

Although managing global change is one of the key competencies demanded of global leaders, it is one of the most under-researched topics in the field (Lane, Spector, Osland, & Taylor, 2014). This chapter shares findings from a recent qualitative study that examined how global business leaders navigate complex global changes. Data were collected from 23 global business executives working for 20 unique global enterprises, in 12 different functions, through a pre-interview participant qualifying profile, an in-depth semi-structured interview, and follow-up verification. Findings reveal that global business executives are contextual leaders who juggle both global task and global relationship complexities. The paradox is the process they employ to navigate continuous change, enabled by sensemaking. Finally, as agile learners, they prove that the global leadership capabilities required to navigate paradox can be learned.