Leadership (The Cambridge Judge Business Debate podcast series)

Teaching and Developing Leadership Skills

Good leadership can be taught and developed through training and reflection. In teaching leadership, the focus is on improving key characteristics such as interpersonal relationships, charisma, and building trust with followers. While some individuals may have innate qualities that make them excel as leaders, training and development can enhance leadership skills for most people. A key characteristic of good leaders is their ability to build personalized relationships with followers, making them feel valued and special. Additionally, leadership should move away from divisive practices and instead focus on inclusivity and understanding the needs of multiple stakeholders.

The Rise of Divisive Leadership

Divisive leaders can exploit social and economic challenges to gain support by blaming others for societal problems. The current political landscape has seen the rise of leaders who intentionally create divisions, sometimes based on race, culture, or sexuality, to strengthen in-group support. Divisive leaders thrive especially during times of economic struggle or social unrest. These leaders often prioritize their own interests over inclusive leadership. However, this strategy can lead to more polarization and harm societal cohesion. The power of divisive leadership lies in creating boundaries between in-groups and out-groups, while blaming others for difficulties.

The Need for Inclusive Leadership

Leadership in both politics and business must evolve to address pressing challenges. Leaders need to prioritize truth over charisma and tell the truth without bending reality. Inclusive leadership is crucial in a fragmented society, where leaders should strive to bring diverse stakeholders together and promote universal values and ethics. Business leaders, in particular, must navigate the power dynamics of different stakeholders and consider the long-term consequences of favoring only a select few. Stakeholder capitalism is emerging as an alternative to shareholder capitalism, as leaders recognize the importance of satisfying employees, customers, and other stakeholders beyond just maximizing profits. The role of business schools is to not only teach ethical conduct but also to lead by example and instill a sense of fairness in future leaders.

The Cambridge Judge Business Debate

Leadership (The Cambridge Judge Business Debate podcast series)

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Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Teaching and Developing Leadership Skills

The Rise of Divisive Leadership

The Need for Inclusive Leadership

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