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A Theory of Expert Leadership

Amanda Goodall (amanda.goodall.1@city.ac.uk)

No 6566, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: How much knowledge should leaders have of their organization's core business? This is an important question but not one that has been addressed in the management literature. In a new 'theory of expert leadership' (TEL), this paper blends conceptual work with recent empirical evidence. It suggests that organizations perform more effectively when led by individuals who have a deep understanding of the core business of their organization. Being a capable general manager is not sufficient. Expert leaders are those with (1) inherent knowledge, acquired through technical expertise combined with high ability in the core-business activity; (2) industry experience, which stems from time and practice within the core-business industry; and (3) leadership capabilities, which include management skills and a leader's innate characteristics. This paper criticizes the rise of the professional manager and generalist CEO. It argues that expert leaders improve organizational performance through knowledge-based strategy, by acting as a standard bearer, by creating the right environment for core workers, and, finally, by adopting the long view. The paper concludes by identifying the potential boundaries of TEL.

Keywords: expert leaders; CEOs; inherent knowledge; core business; organizational performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J24 M12 M51 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 45 pages
Date: 2012-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-bec, nep-cse, nep-hrm and nep-knm
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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