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Introduction to Leadership
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Introduction to Leadership
Concepts and Practice

Sixth Edition


November 2023 | 408 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Recipient of the 2025 Textbook & Academic Authors Association (TAA) McGuffey Longevity Award  
This award recognizes textbooks and learning materials that have demonstrated excellence over time.
 
New chapter on Working with Groups!

The Sixth Edition of Peter G. Northouse's best-selling Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice provides readers with a clear, concise overview of the complexities of practicing leadership and concrete strategies for becoming better leaders. The text is organized around key leader responsibilities such as creating a vision, engaging strengths, and managing conflict. Case studies, self-assessment questionnaires, observational exercises, and reflection and action worksheets allow readers to apply leadership concepts to their own lives.

Grounded in leadership theory and the latest research, the fully updated, highly practical new edition includes a new chapter on working with groups, 2 new cases, and 6 new Leadership Snapshots.

This text is offered in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.

Watch this video walkthrough and see how Vantage works:


 
                              
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
Chapter 1: Understanding Leadership
Ways of Viewing Leadership

 
Leadership and Management

 
Leadership and Culture

 
Leadership’s “Dark Side”

 
Understanding Effective Leadership

 
 
Chapter 2: Recognizing Your Traits
Leadership Traits Explained

 
Leadership Traits in Practice

 
 
Chapter 3: Understanding Leadership Styles
Leadership Philosophy Explained

 
Leadership Styles Explained

 
Leadership Styles in Practice

 
 
Chapter 4: Attending to Tasks and Relationships
Task and Relationship Styles Explained

 
Task and Relationship Leadership in Practice

 
 
Chapter 5: Developing Leadership Skills
Administrative Skills Explained

 
Interpersonal Skills Explained

 
Conceptual Skills Explained

 
 
Chapter 6: Engaging Strengths
Strengths-Based Leadership Explained

 
Strengths-Based Leadership in Practice

 
 
Chapter 7: Creating a Vision
Vision Explained

 
Vision in Practice

 
 
Chapter 8: Working With Groups
Groups Explained

 
Groups in Practice

 
 
Chapter 9: Embracing Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and Inclusion Explained

 
Inclusion Framework

 
Diversity and Inclusion in Practice

 
 
Chapter 10: Managing Conflict
Conflict Explained

 
Managing Conflict in Practice

 
 
Chapter 11: Addressing Ethics in Leadership
Leadership Ethics Explained

 
Leadership Ethics in Practice

 
Culture and Leadership Ethics

 
 
Chapter 12: Exploring Destructive Leadership
Destructive Leadership Explained

 
Confronting Destructive Leadership in Practice

 
 
Glossary of Key Terms
 
References
 
Index

Supplements

Instructor Resource Site
For additional information, custom options, or to request a personalized walkthrough of these resources, please contact your sales representative.

LMS cartridge included with this title for use in Blackboard, Canvas, Brightspace by Desire2Learn (D2L), and Moodle

The LMS cartridge makes it easy to import this title’s instructor resources into your learning management system (LMS). These resources include:
  • Test banks
  • Editable chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides
  • Lecture notes
Don’t use an LMS platform?

You can still access the online resources for this title via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site.

"This text provides a great start in introducing students to leadership theory with some hands on activities for reflection and connection to their own practical experiences. It provides examples of leaders, case studies and suggested steps for solving leadership challenges in and out of the classroom."

Jamie Brown
Central Michigan University

"Northouse's Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice is among the best primers available on the subject. Well-grounded in up-to-date leadership theory based on the latest research, it is at the same time elegantly practical. This book is aimed at leadership practitioners seeking an accessible text that's more substantive and comprehensive than a mass media leadership self-help guide."

Wayne Sass
University of Southern California

"If you want to use a textbook that presents leadership concepts that are challenging and make your students stop and think then this is the textbook you need for your course. The textbook also highlights real-world examples so students can apply to their current lives, families, communities, career and future careers. In addition the writings are clearly articulated and easy to read. We need to give our students the tools they need to be successful and impactful leaders in the 'real-world' and this textbook is their ‘toolbox’ in helping them strive and thrive as leaders."

Kelly Coke
Texas A&M University-Texarkana

"This book is straightforward, simple, and accessible. It is easy to read, meaning that for undergrad classes, it's a great text for the class. For graduate classes, it allows entre to the topic of leadership and since it is easy to read, it's no problem to also assign additional reading that delves into the specific topic of the course."

Sally Deck
University of Washington

"A practical guide to leadership – what it is, what it looks like, and how to develop it."

Susan Epps
East Tennessee State University

"A great introduction textbook to demystify the concepts of leadership and who can/should be leaders. The short inventory in each chapter to help students assess their own strengths and areas of development."

Yuying Tsong
California State University Fullerton

"It provides a basic but solid overview of the discipline of Organizational Leadership. It is easy to read and understand. Students like the text and feel that they are immediately able to apply what they have learned."

Jessica Hirshorn
Arizona State University

"It is an excellent text and includes an excellent learning platform (SAGE Vantage) that integrates easily with any Learning Management System. Theoretical research is covered, but students also have the opportunity to complete self-assessments and are given feedback for practical application on those assessments. The instructional resources are fantastic – PowerPoint slides, lecture notes, case studies, class activities, web exercises, and a test bank. In addition, students love SAGE Vantage. Each section of a chapter is broken up into manageable reading with Knowledge Checks and Video Activities to immediately assess learning."

Kim C. Roberts
Athens State University

"Well written overview of leadership practice, models, and theory."

Katya Armistead
University of California, Santa Barbara

"This is a great book that you can use for teaching or self-learning about leadership."

Hilda Cecilia Contreras Aguirre
New Mexico State University