Are political leaders inevitably tethered to violence? It is a question that haunts the corridors of power and the pages of history alike. In my latest article, published this month in the journal Leadership, I seek to answer this by returning to one of the most tumultuous moments in British history, the trial and execution of Charles I in 1649. However, this is not merely a history lesson. By applying Max Weber's … [Read more...] about Is Violence Inherent to Political Leadership? The English Regicides
Wicked Problems
What the New Model Army Teaches About Whole System Change
In the latest article for Leadership, Professor Keith Grint examines the General Council meetings of 1647–49 as a masterclass in 'Whole System Change'.How did a 17th century revolutionary army pioneer modern concepts of systemic transformation?The contemporary world of management often treats "Whole System Change" as a modern invention, a product of 21st century complexity. However, as Professor Keith Grint … [Read more...] about What the New Model Army Teaches About Whole System Change
Leadership, Fatalism and Climate Change 2025
What follows is an AI generated video using my text about ‘Leadership, Fatalism and Climate Change’, lip-synched to a video of me talking in Belfast’s Titanic centre some years ago. My good friend and technical wizard, Tim Heath, sorted out the technology but the words are mine and it is based on my voice. Personally, I find it both intriguing and worrying – a bit like Climate Change – what do you think?Decades … [Read more...] about Leadership, Fatalism and Climate Change 2025
Tackling Wicked Problems with Clumsy Solutions
In a landscape inundated with change frameworks, Keith Grint’s (2008) seminal chapter Wicked Problems and Clumsy Solutions: the Role of Leadership provides a transformative lens for differentiating problem types and tailoring leadership approaches accordingly.AbstractWe know a lot about organisational change but despite - or perhaps because - the numbers of change models around most change initiatives fail. … [Read more...] about Tackling Wicked Problems with Clumsy Solutions