Leaders are people who are able to think and act creatively in non-routine situations – and who set out to influence the actions, beliefs and feelings of others. In this sense being a ‘leader’ is personal. It flows from an individual’s qualities and actions. However, it is also often linked to some other role such as manager or expert. Here there can be a lot of confusion. Not all managers, for example, are leaders; and not all leaders are managers. At Ed Schaniel and Associates, we focus on four main ‘generations’ of leadership theory:

• Trait theories

• Behavioral theories

• Contingency theories

• Transformational theories