In the quad of the Bodleian library in Oxford is a series of old lecture rooms, each door labelled above with the name of the subjects taught there. Titles such as Moral Philosophy and Divinity are unsurprising, but not so the juxtaposition of Astronomy and Rhetoric. What have they to do with each other or…
Author: thehenleycentreforleadership
The Henley Centre for Leadership is dedicated to exploring, investigating, understanding and advancing new forms, practices and sources of leadership in global contexts. In so doing, we seek to create significant intellectual insights, stimulation and practical support for leadership.
We are a team of academics with a wide range of experience, working in diverse fields of research, including organisational energy, engaging leadership, well-being in organisations and leadership in the digital age.
The Japanese word for “leadership” is, er….
In 1971 Peter Drucker wrote an article for the Harvard Business Review entitled “What We Can Learn from Japanese Management”. Through several, mostly favourable, comparisons with management and leadership practice in the US, Drucker’s writing describes with typical grace and sagacity how the West might understand the economic success story of Japan that had taken…
Transformational Leadership Embraces Innovation
In the 21st century, we understand that political and business leaders in the East and the West face different challenges. For example, there is still slow economic recovery and a strong demand for job creation and social stability in the West, while in the East the need is for the delivery of economic and…
Well-being and adaptability: are you ready?
Last week, we hosted our World of Work conference exploring the future of work in the light of technological advancements. Common themes among the speakers included disruption, agility, diversity, humanity and well-being, and my talk was no different, as I chose to look at the relationship between adaptability and well-being. After many years of studying…
Through the Telescope: Work and Leadership in 2028
Sometimes it is wonderful how an exciting and thought-provoking piece of work can simply land on your desk. Deutsche Telekom and Detecon International asked me and Obiageli Heidelberger-Nkenke at the Henley Centre for Leadership to partner with them and explore how work and leadership might look in 2028. Our investigations have resulted in a report…
Teaching an Old Board New Tricks
What is the number one indicator of school performance? Teachers. So why is it that less than 15% of UK school boards include an educator in their ranks? Why are school leaders missing out on key insights that could put their school on top for years to come? And what can be done about it?…
Attitude of Gratitude in Leadership
I was recently browsing The Five Minute Journal, a tool developed to inspire us to reflect on the things we are grateful for at the start and end of each day. Its creators envision increased happiness and better relationships through this form of journaling (Intelligent Change, 2018). This got me thinking of gratitude in the…
Passion, Purpose… Burnout? The Challenges and Opportunities of Side-Hustling
Recently, we published a white paper on the Side Hustle Economy. In it, we talk about the fact that one in four workers in the UK now have a “side hustle” – an activity which allows you to create an additional stream of income without giving up the security of a full-time job – and…
What kind of leader do we now need?
There has been a great deal of noise on the streets of the UK. The two main causes have been football and the visit of President Trump, and while the scope of these topics is vastly different, there is an interesting comparison to draw between them in terms of leadership. bullish directness… There can seldom…
Are we succeeding in leading digitally or in digital leadership? How to tell…
In an earlier post, we considered how leading digitally differs conceptually from digital leadership within an organisation. Needless to say, both concepts are necessary to fully navigate the complex challenges organisations face in our increasingly digital world. One important question that has emerged from that post is, how do we know we are succeeding in our use…
Henley Blogs 