Doing Leadership Differently

Gender, Power and Sexuality in a Changing Business Culture

Amanda Sinclair

Australian organisations are clinging to an outdated concept of leadership. Doing Leadership Differently shows why the traditional male style of leadership has failed us.

Opinion

‘An erudite, thought-provoking book which exposes the limitations of traditional perceptions of leadership and offers inspiring new models for doing it differently.’
—Australian Institute of Management

About this Title

The Australian workforce is amazingly diverse, with men and women bringing a huge range of cultural backgrounds, skills and life experiences to their jobs. But this diversity, with all its potential for cleverness and creativity, is not reflected in the ranks our of senior business and corporate leaders.

Amanda Sinclair argues that Australian organisations are clinging to an outdated concept of leadership. We expect our leaders to be a certain type of person—a tough, heterosexual male. Drawing on interviews with senior executives, male and female, she shows convincingly why our faith in this traditional style of leadership is so strong—and misplaced.

Doing Leadership Differently will be essential reading for both established and aspiring executives and managers. It offers a challenging and original analysis of:
• why the traditional style of leadership has failed us
• how men as well as women can benefit from understanding how gender shapes leadership style
• how to put power and sexuality at the heart of effective leadership
• ways of widening the pool of Australian leadership talent.

About the Author

Amanda Sinclair is Foundation Professor of Management (Diversity and Change) at the Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne, where she teaches managers and executives. She is also the author of Trials at the Top (1994). As the mother of four children, Amanda has a personal as well as professional interest in changes to leadership.

Book Preview

978-0-522-84706-2