Michael D. Mumford

Cory A. Higgs

This book examines the various thinking skills that leaders may need to find success in contemporary organizations and institutions, covering a wide array of skills that are held to be important by key leadership scholars. Bridging theory and practice, chapters summarize major findings with respect to a particular ability, knowledge, or skill, providing theoretical frameworks for understanding how these contribute to leader emergence and performance, and considering implications for leader selection, assessment, and development. The text appraises the existing research on the critical cognitive capabilities that underlie leader problem-solving and implications for the assessment and development of leadership potential in real-world settings. The role of creative thinking skills on leader performance is also addressed, bearing on the importance of processes such as problem definition and idea generation, but also using constraints to potentially stimulate creative thought. With contributions from some of the most eminent scholars working in the field of leadership, this book will be in invaluable resource to academics, researchers, graduate students, and professionals interested in leadership and leader skills, I/O psychology, and business management.

Capacities for Contemporary Leadership

Leader Thinking Skills

Sven Hemlin

Ben Martin

Carl Martin Allwood

Leadership is vital to creativity and successful innovation in groups and organizations; leadership is however seldom studied in the academic literature as a creativity driver. One reason for the lack of attention paid to leadership’s effect on creativity may be the common belief that creativity cannot and should not be managed. Creative individuals and groups are regarded as, and indeed often are, autonomous and self-driving. From this belief the erroneous conclusion is drawn that there is no need for leadership in creative environments and situations. The better conclusion, proposed by this book, is that leadership not only stimulates creativity, but that such a leadership in the science, technology, and innovation fields should specifically possess at least two features: a) expertise in the field(s), and b) an ability to create, support, and encourage individuals, groups, and creative knowledge environments. A number of specialist authors in this volume offer original theoretical, empirical, and applied chapters that elucidate how to better organize and lead creative efforts in science, technology, and innovation. A number of important research questions are raised and answered, including: What kinds of leaderships are needed at different levels of S&T organizations for a creative output? What social and cognitive abilities and skills are needed for leadership in creative environments? How does leadership vary with different phases of the creative process? This book offers concrete analysis of how leaders and managers can facilitate, promote, and organize for creative performance in science, technology, and in innovating organizations, making it required reading for academic and industrial research leaders, scientists, and engineers.

Creativity and Leadership in Science, Technology, and Innovation

The rapid pace of technological change and globalization of products, competition and services have conspired to place a new premium on innovation for firms across the world. Although many variables influence creativity and innovation, the effective leadership of creative teams has proved especially important. This timely Handbook presents the state of the art for what leaders must do to lead creative teams and how they should do it.

Michael D. Mumford

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