A Leadership Guidebook For A Multifaceted Journey
Last summer my wife and I walked approximately 300 kms from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compestela, Spain. The ancient pilgrim path, known as the Camino, is easily completed by following the yellow arrows. One doesn’t even need a map. The yellow arrows are so prevalent that it’s nearly fool proof. Some do get lost, but they are never that far off the path. Like I said, it’s nearly fool proof. Part of the beauty of the Camino is its simplicity and accessibility. You don’t need to be an experienced hiker, have all the latest hiking gadgets, or carry a smartphone. Anyone can manage it with reasonable fitness and common sense. It’s challenging, and people do drop out, but it’s not complex. Now, if only leadership were as easy as following yellow arrows through Portugal and Spain to the desired destination. 
Realistically, leadership is a multifaceted concept and a complex discipline. Leadership maps abound and it can get quite confusing when considering how to lead. One of the seminal works in this field is Peter G. Northouse’s Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thankfully, Northouse provides some clarity for us. This book is akin to a leadership guidebook with multiple maps rather than a singular map. In this blog post, I will delve into Northouse’s contributions and compare them with insights from other notable leadership books to provide a richer understanding of leadership.
Northouse: Diverse Theories and an Important Definition
Leadership: Theory and Practice is renowned for its structured and accessible presentation of leadership theories. Northouse provides a comprehensive overview of the major theories and models of leadership.Each chapter is dedicated to a specific leadership theory, such as trait theory, behavioural theory, situational leadership, transformational leadership, and others.
Northouse emphasizes the practical application of these theories, providing case studies and questionnaires that help readers understand their own leadership styles and how to apply these theories in real-world scenarios. I found these chapters to be helpful and will use this as a resource and textbook as I teach on leadership in various contexts.
As well, Northouse provides us with a very good definition of leadership. He states, “Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.”[1] This profoundly simple statement is packed full of meaning. For example, the words “process” and “common goal” set this definition apart from the more commonplace, “leadership is influence.” These words recognize the interactive dynamic and mutuality between leaders and followers.[2] This is of significance in leadership literature because, “when leadership is defined in this manner, it becomes available to everyone.”[3] Many leaders believe that it all rises and falls on leadership. While leaders are important, with this definition, Northouse recognizes the importance and power of followers in leadership. A reality often ignored.
To round out a view of leadership, I’d like to compare Northouse with two other key assigned leadership texts that we’ve read up to this point in this program. These books look at some of the psychological aspects of leadership and help provide some understanding of the inner terrain of a leaders life, rather than a particular theory of leadership.
Friedman: Emotional Resilience and Self-differentiation
In “A Failure of Nerve” Friedman maintains that leaders fail because they get drawn into the swirl of anxiety and emotional reactivity found in most relational networks and systems.[4] When leaders lack the nerve and presence to stand firm amid an unhealthy system, be it family or society, they contribute to the eventual disintegration of that system. [5] The kind of leadership that is effective, in his mind, arises from a “self-differentiated” leader. The self-differentiated leader, he writes, “can be separate while remaining connected, and therefore can maintain a modifying, non-anxious, and sometimes challenging presence. I mean someone who can manage his or her own reactivity in response to the automatic reactivity of others and, therefore, be able to take stands at the risk of displeasing.”[6]
Now that we’ve unearthed Friedman’s view of leadership, as standing firm amid an unhealthy system, I want to look at Leading Out of Who You Are by Simon Walker.
Walker: Awareness of the Inner Life
In Leading Out of Who You Are, Simon Walker locates the development and response of the ego in how we experience trust in our most formative years.[7] Our experience of trust manifests in one of four ego types, all of which are unhealthy and require defending, an even bigger issue in leadership environments.[8]
His solution, however, is not more ego management but ego transformation. This leader is a person who lives vulnerably and transparently. They do not need to defend themselves because they have found a relationship with Another whom they can trust explicitly and whom they can trust to defend them powerfully. Walker explains, “The idea of undefended leadership is that we are secured not by our skills and resources but by our attachment to another – one who is big enough not to be overwhelmed by our failures and weaknesses.”[9]
Both Walker and Friendman provide important perspectives into the challenge of leadership, regardless of the approach that a leader subscribes to.
Conclusion
Each of these books offers valuable insights into the world of leadership and helps us to update our mental maps of how we might approach leading. Northouse provides a solid theoretical foundation and multiple leadership maps, Friedman emphasizes self-differentiation and resilience, and Walker highlights the importance of an authentic inner life. Together, they offer a well-rounded understanding of what it takes to be an effective leader in today’s complex world.
[1] Peter G. Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Ninth Edition, Kindle (Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, Inc, 2015). 57.
[2] Northouse, 58.
[3] Northouse, Leadership.58.
[4] Edwin H. Friedman, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix, ed. Margaret M. Treadwell and Edward W. Beal, 10th anniversary revised edition (New York: Church Publishing, 2017), 15.
[5] Friedman, 15.
[6] Friedman, 16.
[7] Simon P. Walker, Leading Out Of Who You Are: Discovering the Secret of Undefended Leadership, The Undefended Leader, Kindle (Piquant Publishing). 2007. Chapter 6.
[8] Walker. Kindle. Chapters 7-10
[9] Walker. Kindle. Chapter 11
About the Author
Graham English
I was born in Cape Town, South Africa 30 minutes from Table Mountain, the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. My family immigrated to Vancouver, Canada where I spent my teen years, met Wendy, and got married. We now live on the Canadian prairies in northern Alberta. I think God has a sense of humour. I'm a follower of Jesus, work in leadership and church development, love my family and walk a lot.12 responses to “A Leadership Guidebook For A Multifaceted Journey”
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Graham,
Great post. I always love the Camino examples and it makes me want to get there more and more. Of the three books you presented, which one might you recommend the most to new leaders or leaders within your organization?
Adam, that’s a tough one but I think Walker’s book would be helpful for our new leaders because it is easily relatable to pastoral leaders since he writes from that perspective.
I have recommended Friedman and have had leaders comment that it’s too dense for them. I think this is better processed with a group.
I would use Northouse as a teaching resource and use it with those who want to advance more in their understanding of various leadership theories.
Hi Graham, thanks for your post. I like how you described all of the various theories/models as maps. As you were reading Northouse, did you notice any maps that you’ve been following subconsciously?
Thanks Christy.
I think I’d likely follow the behavioural map, although I’ve been leaning more into servant leadership and the adaptive leadership approach in the last few years.
Hi Graham, Kari, and I want to sign up for your next Camino walk! Let us know when we need to be in Portugal. I appreciated the way you emphasized the importance Northouse placed on followers. Additionally, I found it interesting to read how leadership has evolved. How do you think you have evolved as a leader concerning how you interact with followers? Has it changed much for you?
Elysse, done! We’re looking at something after We’re done the program. I’ll keep you posted.
My leadership style has changed a lot. I’ve had to become more collaborative, adaptive, inclusive and develop process fluency. I think the more we can co-create, co-design and co-deliver, the more develop the people around us and the overall leadership capacity of the church or organization.
great post Graham. If someone was only going to read one of the three books on leadership you mentioned, which one would you recommend?
Ryan,
my favourite is Friedman but many that I’ve recommended it to, found it too dense. I would therefore, start with Walker because he’s most accessible.
Northouse is a great resource but, based on my experience, not sure that the average pastor would want to wade through it.
Great post Graham. If you were to take a leadership self-assessment test, which three leadership styles from Northouse book would describe you best?
Thanks, Shela.
Good question. I would lean more toward behavioural/skills, adaptive leadership, and collaborative leadership (I can’t remember if he uses this term).
Hey Graham! First, I am now inspired to want to do the Camino. What an experience! You really tied together, Northouse, Friedman and Walker. In looking at Northouse what was the biggest takeaway for you?
Yes, Darren! Let’s do the Camino together.
I think the biggest takeaway was the expansiveness and cpmplexity of leadership. Yet with the maps that Northouse provides, I think many of the styles are accessible.