Heroic Leadership: An Influence Taxonomy of 100 Exceptional Individuals

Heroic Leadership is a celebration of our greatest heroes, from well-known legends to the legions of unsung heroes who transform our world quietly behind the scenes. Now in its second edition, this book offers a compelling conceptual framework for understanding heroism and heroic leadership, drawing from theories of great leadership and heroic action.

With over 50 revised heroic leader profiles, and 30 new profiles of individuals that have transformed the world, the book explores the many counterintuitive ways that heroes lead, shape, and mobilize their followers. The authors offer a definition of heroic leadership that explains how people easily misconstrue both leadership and heroism, and provide an innovative take on why people are drawn to heroic leaders, and why this can be considered a ＂fatal attraction＂. Incorporating the latest theory and research, the authors unpack the following ten categories of heroism: Trending Heroes, Transitory Heroes, Transparent Heroes, Transitional Heroes, Tragic Heroes, Transposed Heroes, Transitional Heroes, Traditional Heroes, Transforming Heroes, and Transcendent Heroes. From within these categories, the authors identify 100 exceptional individuals, describing their lives and how they exemplify the characteristics of the category they have been assigned.

Suggesting that our most cherished heroes make for our most transforming leaders, this is a vital resource for students and scholars of leadership studies, organizational behaviour and social psychology. Presenting valuable insights into the lives of both historical and modern leaders, the book is also a fascinating read for casual readers.

Scott T. Allison is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Richmond, USA. He has published extensively on heroism and leadership and numerous books, including Heroes, Heroic Humility; Conceptions of Leadership; The Romance of Heroism; The Hazards of Great Leadership; and the Handbook of Heroism and Heroic Leadership. His work has appeared in USA Today, National Public Radio, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Slate Magazine, MSNBC, CBS, Psychology Today, and the Christian Science Monitor. He has received Richmond’s Distinguished Educator Award and the Virginia Council of Higher Education’s Outstanding Faculty Award.

George R. Goethals is the E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor in Leadership Studies Emeritus at the University of Richmond, USA. Previously he held academic and administrative appointments at Williams College where he served as the chair of the Department of Psychology, Acting Dean of the Faculty, Provost, and, finally, founder and chair of the Program in Leadership Studies. He taught courses on theories of leadership and presidential leadership. His recent scholarship focuses on presidential leadership, heroism and leader-follower dynamics. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Leadership Association and Richmond’s Distinguished Scholarship Award.