Authentic leadership has been theorized, marketed, and critiqued for over two decades. Part of the trouble is that authenticity is so often performed, badly and inauthentically. Dolly Parton never had that problem. Her death offers a rare, unmistakable case study in the real thing.
What if our biggest problems were never meant to be solved, only navigated? This piece by Joanne Murphy explores why wicked problems such as climate change, migration, healthcare inequality, etc. resist linear solutions, and argues that leadership now means letting go of control, embracing creativity, and building psychological safety for collective sense-making.
Keir Starmer is out. Andy Burnham is on his way to Westminster. But what does this seismic shift in UK politics tell us about leadership and whether “popularism” can beat populism? A timely and thought-provoking read from Joanne Murphy for anyone thinking seriously about leadership in this moment.
When a knife attack in Belfast sparked riots inflamed by outside “influencers,” it exposed an emerging leadership challenge: who manages the bad actors profiting from division? Drawing on new place leadership research this post examines what leading a divided community actually demands.
When democracy erodes “gradually and then suddenly,” how can we spot the warning signs? This analysis by ILA Lifetime Achievement Award Winners Keith Grint and David L. Collinson reveals the 25-step authoritarian playbook that transforms leaders into dictators and why recognizing these patterns now matters more than ever.
With AI bubble speculation rising, it’s timely to examine corporate failure factors. Dr. Peter Stephenson and Professor Richard Bolden analyze Theranos to reveal interconnected causes of organizational failure, offering insights for policy, practice, and research beyond simple leadership blame.
In 2025 the world feels like a very divided place. The capacity to listen, empathize, and learn from alternative perspectives is eroded, as is the potential to build lasting and effective partnerships and collaboration to address the “wicked” problems we face, not just as individuals, but as members of interconnected and interdependent systems on which we all depend. It’s time we led together.
Neil Sutherland, Rachel Wolfgramm, and ILA Fellow Richard Bolden consider what we can learn about leadership from the traditions of Halloween. They suggest that ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and zombies can be considered as archetypes, representing our deepest fears, yet also as potential metaphors to unmask the hidden and uncanny aspects of leadership.
ILA Fellow Suze Wilson discusses the history of political violence and dangerous speech through the lens of leadership and the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
In this blog, ILA Fellow Keith Grint explores whether looking after followers (caring for them) is the key to leadership success. In his analysis he explores both Servant Leadership and Compassionate Leadership as historical and contemporary examples of Care-full Leadership.
David Collinson examines the intersections, tensions, and controversies between music, leadership, and politics. After considering examples of political leaders promoting and censoring music, he explores how music is used in campaigns as well as how and why certain musicians have protested in response.
Lucie Hartley and ILA Fellow Richard Bolden explore the consequences of an addiction to leadership. Drawing on examples from drug and alcohol services, they illustrate how recovery techniques may help overcome a dependence on heroic and narcissistic leaders and foster more inclusive and compassionate forms of leadership practice.