Book Review

Book Writer : The Leadership Challenge : M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner

published by : JosseyBass Publishers : San Francisco, California, 1995 June,12th 2010

The Leadership Challenge.

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,The, Oct, 2000 by Louis A. Dirker The Leadership Challenge by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, published by JosseyBass Publishers, San Francisco, California, 1995. Past works on leadership have sometimes been dry and uninspiring. In contrast, The Leadership Challenge is captivating and informative. The authors condense years of research on the topic of leadership into a well-organized, easy-to-read, jargon-free text. In fact, each section can serve as a reference to a specific area of leadership, making the book more like a handbook, or, in the authors' words, a "field guide." Research and practical examples that do not bog down the reader in statistical formulas or complicated charts and graphs back the principles set forth in the book. Most RecentGovernment Articles

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Although not specifically aimed at law enforcement, the book presents leadership principles that remain universal and applicable to all occupations, especially to the rapidly evolving field of law enforcement. As the authors point out, leaders are visionaries and activists who demonstrate leadership skills when given the opportunity. Law enforcement officers face such opportunities daily. For example, within

the department, leaders set an example for others by the way they perform their duties, wear their uniforms, and treat the public. Outside the department, such programs as community-oriented policing lend themselves to innovative leadership initiatives that may come from the chief or patrol officers or any position in between. In fact, the authors provide a compendium of leadership skills, traits, and examples that open readers' eyes to their potential as leaders regardless of their job descriptions or what level they may occupy in the rank structure. Several of the authors' principles may seem contrary to traditional policing philosophies. For example, the authors maintain that everyone can and should become leaders in given situations, and they cite several examples in which productivity and quality rose as employees received more authority and responsibility. This seems to contradict traditional policing, where departments have hierarchical structures, and power and authority flow down from the top. But as the authors point out, "We become the most powerful when we give our own power away."

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