Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of tables and figures
- Acknowledgements
- Chapter 1 Introducing leadership
- Chapter 2 Leadership concepts
- Chapter 3 Characteristics of leadership
- Chapter 4 The contexts of leadership
- Chapter 5 The challenges of leadership
- Chapter 6 The capabilities of leadership
- Chapter 7 Consequences of leadership
- Chapter 8 Leadership development
- Chapter 9 Conclusions
- References
- Index
Chapter 4 - The contexts of leadership
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 September 2022
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of tables and figures
- Acknowledgements
- Chapter 1 Introducing leadership
- Chapter 2 Leadership concepts
- Chapter 3 Characteristics of leadership
- Chapter 4 The contexts of leadership
- Chapter 5 The challenges of leadership
- Chapter 6 The capabilities of leadership
- Chapter 7 Consequences of leadership
- Chapter 8 Leadership development
- Chapter 9 Conclusions
- References
- Index
Summary
In this chapter:
What is ‘context’ and why is it important for leadership? This chapter examines the interactions between context and leadership, in terms of three layers: the public policy context of healthcare; the local strategic context (including working in partnerships); and the internal, organisational context. Context is relevant for leaders in several ways. It provides the constraints on and opportunities for action, and so a key skill for leaders is being able to ‘read’ the context. They also may shape the context in some situations and articulate and make sense of the context for other people.
An important strand of thinking in leadership studies is the relationship between what leaders do and the context in which they do it. First, how does leadership vary according to different contexts? Second, how can and do leaders shape the context in which they operate?
It is widely agreed that leadership is related to, or contingent on, context and that a key prerequisite of effective leadership is the ability to understand that context. Theorists have looked at this from a number of perspectives, exploring both the influence of contextual factors on leadership, and the influence of leadership in shaping context. However, there is much less work than might be expected on this crucial set of interactions between leadership and context. Porter and McLaughlin (2006) review the theoretical and empirical knowledge about leadership and the organisational context (across all types of organisation) and conclude that there is little research that takes context into account as an analytical factor, rather than simply as part of the description of the location of a particular leadership case or situation. They argue for much more rigorous and systematic attention to understanding the impact of context on leadership and vice versa (see also Osborn et al, 2002). Grint (2000) thinks this issue of context is so important that he classifies theories about leadership according to the degree to which they pay attention to, or ignore, context as an aspect of leadership.
Goodwin (2006), writing about healthcare, observes that research has tended to focus on leadership as a determinant in shaping context, rather than vice versa – on political, economic, social and organisational context as determinants of leadership choices and styles.
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- Information
- Leadership for Healthcare , pp. 39 - 50Publisher: Bristol University PressPrint publication year: 2010