
Authentic Leadership Revisited
An Existentialist Approach: Second Edition
Neil Thompson(Author)
Edward Elgar Publishing
2nd Edition
Published on 10. October 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
282 pages
978-1-0353-8655-0 (ISBN)
Description
This important book successfully blends theory and practice to address authentic leadership from a non-essentialist angle. Drawing extensively on existentialist philosophy, it presents an alternative understanding of authenticity that challenges the essentialist notion of selfhood.
In this second edition, Neil Thompson explores leadership as a people-centred undertaking, placing emphasis on the need for leaders to take ownership of their choices, and encourage their followers to do the same. New chapters address key issues such as workplace wellbeing, spirituality in the workplace, and remote and hybrid working. Thompson focuses on the human dimensions of leadership, as well as the significance of the workplace as a distinctly human social space.
Authentic Leadership Revisited is a highly accessible resource crucial to the understanding of selfhood as a fluid concept. It will be of interest to students of management and leadership, as well as those studying philosophy and the sociology of organisations. Practising managers and leaders seeking illuminating examples of exemplary leadership behaviours will also find it beneficial.
In this second edition, Neil Thompson explores leadership as a people-centred undertaking, placing emphasis on the need for leaders to take ownership of their choices, and encourage their followers to do the same. New chapters address key issues such as workplace wellbeing, spirituality in the workplace, and remote and hybrid working. Thompson focuses on the human dimensions of leadership, as well as the significance of the workplace as a distinctly human social space.
Authentic Leadership Revisited is a highly accessible resource crucial to the understanding of selfhood as a fluid concept. It will be of interest to students of management and leadership, as well as those studying philosophy and the sociology of organisations. Practising managers and leaders seeking illuminating examples of exemplary leadership behaviours will also find it beneficial.
Reviews / Votes
'Neil has such a unique ability of being able to examine powerful subject matters and create everyday meaning and understanding for readers. In this 2nd edition of his book, he explores philosophical concepts and their influences on leadership: essentialism and existentialism. You can imagine him as an authentic leader as he evaluates the influences of individual agency, the natural world, spirituality on development and sustainability of organisational culture.' -- Calum Gallacher, Social Workers Union Newsletter 'In the decades of his dedicated work in the field of leadership, NeilMore details
Series
Edition
2nd edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-0353-8655-0 (9781035386550)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Neil Thompson, Independent writer, educator and adviser and Visiting Professor at the Open University, UK
Content
Contents
Foreword
Preface
Introduction to Authentic Leadership Revisited
PART I LEADERSHIP IN CONTEXT
Introduction to Part I
1 Problems with leadership theory
2 Problems with leadership practice
3 Leadership in social context
4 Workplace wellbeing
PART II EXISTENTIAL AUTHENTICITY
Introduction to Part II
5 Authenticity and its importance
6 Understanding human existence: ontology
7 The role of meaning: phenomenology
8 Spirituality from an existentialist perspective
PART III AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP IN PRACTICE
Introduction to Part III
9 Leadership praxis
10 Remote and hybrid working
11 Existentialism as lived philosophy
12 Authentic leadership
Conclusion to Authentic Leadership Revisited
Glossary
Guide to further learning
References
Foreword
Preface
Introduction to Authentic Leadership Revisited
PART I LEADERSHIP IN CONTEXT
Introduction to Part I
1 Problems with leadership theory
2 Problems with leadership practice
3 Leadership in social context
4 Workplace wellbeing
PART II EXISTENTIAL AUTHENTICITY
Introduction to Part II
5 Authenticity and its importance
6 Understanding human existence: ontology
7 The role of meaning: phenomenology
8 Spirituality from an existentialist perspective
PART III AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP IN PRACTICE
Introduction to Part III
9 Leadership praxis
10 Remote and hybrid working
11 Existentialism as lived philosophy
12 Authentic leadership
Conclusion to Authentic Leadership Revisited
Glossary
Guide to further learning
References