Understanding the History of Leadership

Discuss why the idea of challenging authority—as developed by writers from different historical periods—are important to an understanding of leadership today and, more specifically, to leadership practice today.

I believe that the idea of challenging authority is important in both understanding leadership today, as well as in practicing leadership today because it provides you with a chance to avoid mistakes and pitfalls that can be avoided. For leaders, much of what they will need to be successful will be learned from hands on experience in how to deal with unique situations that arise. But this is one area where we, as current/future leaders have a great opportunity to learn from the past and apply it to our current situations.

Another reason that it is important as a leader to have studied the different notions of challenging authority is because we may not be in the position of authority, against which we may feel the challenge being applied to, but we may find out selves in a situation where we have the opportunity to lead others against a prevailing authority.

Assuming the first scenario, where we may find ourselves in the position of leadership and authority, it is helpful to understand challenges to authority. Why do they happen, how do they get organized and what actions may those involved take. By knowing this we can work to ensure that we conduct ourselves in a way that will either not stir challenge to our authority, or at least be strong enough to resist (or work with) it as situations dictate.

Understanding the reason for challenge to authority may be the key using the knowledge best as a leader. Understanding that those you lead you have a responsibility to, as laid out under the contract theory of leadership developed by John Locke and expanded upon by Philippe Duplessis-Mornay (Wren, Hicks and Price, 2004, Chapters 19 & 27). Knowing that a leaders power come ultimately from their followers choice to follow them, and knowing that if their...