Week 1: The meaning and value of leadership

Introduction

Leadership holds a special place in people’s imaginations. When people speak about leadership, they’re thinking about the big picture: trying to sort out major problems and provide a vision that will somehow make the world a better place.

However, usually when people say that a problem needs ‘more leadership’ to resolve it, they don’t say what they mean by leadership – it’s treated as if we all share a common understanding of the word. But leadership is a slippery concept, and the truth is that it can mean wildly different things to different people. The great paradox of leadership is that it’s one of the most talked-about concepts in existence, but also one with little agreement in terms of a basic definition.

For this course, it’s important to work with a common definition. Otherwise, there’s a real risk of learners having starkly different experiences while working through the course.

In this session, you will be introduced to our definition of leadership, and you will grapple with some of its implications for Black leadership. Leadership as a practice for racial equity and justice is crucial because it promises more than refining the system – it involves seeking ambitious change. You will also be introduced to a definition of race, itself a contested concept.

After working with our definitions of leadership and race, you will move on to consider five different dimensions which comprise a ‘Five Ps’ framework for thinking about and practising leadership (Grint and Smolović Jones, 2022). This framework will add depth and breadth to the definition, helping you see the richness of leadership and its possibilities for your work.

Figure 1 Leadership can be challenging to define – its meaning is contested

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This is a drawing of a blank jigsaw puzzle. One piece of it, inscribed with ‘nonsense’, is lifted to reveal the inscription ‘sense’ underneath.

Figure 1 Leadership can be challenging to define – its meaning is contested

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

• communicate a definition of leadership as a practice that shapes meaning and challenges status quo ways of thinking, feeling and doing
• evaluate practices from the media or your own experience using a six-part leadership checklist
• identify and understand five key focuses of leadership, each of which present a different emphasis on leadership practice
• communicate a definition of race as something socially constructed with real material consequences, views of which can be challenged through robust leadership.

The Open University would really appreciate a few minutes of your time to tell us about yourself and your expectations for the course before you begin, in our optional start-of-course survey [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] . Participation will be completely confidential and we will not pass on your details to others.