Unexpected acts of leadership: changing how we change

Larry Peters, Greg Stephens and Hettie A. Richardson

Chapter 3 in Cases in Organization Development and Change, 2026, pp 27-38 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Major Focus of the Case: We often think about leadership in terms of larger-than-life heroic figures or in terms of people whose position is associated with rank, title, authority, and resources. This chapter focuses on individuals who lack these more formal leadership credentials, but who nonetheless go beyond their job scope to address issues that they care about so personally that they feel compelled to act. We call those people unexpected leaders and their efforts unexpected acts of leadership (UALs). Unexpected leaders can and do make a difference at a local level, and sometimes their leadership goes beyond what they originally focused on to have broader and deeper effect. We call this a ripple effect, one that might produce transformational organization impact. We define UALs and describe their boundary conditions, and we explain why they are important when the work environment is marked by rapid change, especially in organizations that have a culture steeped in the status quo. Finally, we discuss why unexpected acts of leadership become a way to develop leaders, especially among people who might not be engaged in formal leadership development programs. People who step up to create change, even small change at local levels, learn about themselves, and what it takes to lead. People who engage in UALs are simultaneously building a cadre of leaders that will help organizations adapt to changing business realities in real time.

Keywords: Unexpected acts of leadership; Leadership; Leadership development; Ripple effect; Power of one + one; Championing change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035340965
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