Fictional Leaders : Heroes, Villans and Absent Friends

Management theory is vague about the experience of leading. Success, power, achievement are discussed but less focus is given to negative experiences leaders faced such as loneliness or disappointment. This book addresses difficult-to-explore aspects of leadership through well-known works of literature drawing lessons from fictional leaders.

Are you puzzled by how to approach and resolve the leadership dilemmas which arise in your everyday experience, and for which you do not feel prepared?Do you wish that the conventional textbook on management and leadership seemed somehow more relevant to you, and that the challenges it posed seemed, perhaps, a little more… challenging?Why is it that we find some of the characters of fiction so engrossing?Why do we identify with them and their dilemmas, and why do they remain in our minds long after we have "finished" the book in question?We suggest that literature and the fictional leaders it contains have very much more to offer us than a "good read," and that this is a neglected source. Fictional Leaders contains sixteen in-depth and fascinating studies of leaders all over the world. Perhaps your favorite fictional hero, villain or absent friend is already amongst them!