What is leadership? Are leaders made or born? Are the characteristics and challenges of leadership the same across time and cultures? Do leaders "pull" or are they "pushed"? Are leaders driven by needs that may be dysfunctional to the organizations they lead? Do women leaders behave differently from men? Should we look for models of business and organizational leadership in military organizations?

These are all just some of the many fascinating questions posed in this new collection, which ranges from key statements from classical philosophy (Plato, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli) to those of modern management writers (Barnard, Kets de Vries, Fiedler, Rosener). The latest in the new series Oxford Management Readers, the collection will be invaluable to a wide range of students, scholars, and practicing managers