A Decade of Reviews on Leadership: A Conceptual Perspective and Direction

Abstract

Organizations, as complex adaptive systems, evolve and what constitutes effective leadership in organizations has evolved as well. We studied integrative reviews and meta-analyses related to leadership from the years 2008-2018. Our findings identified four themes of leadership study: leadership style, training and development, leadership competencies, and employee engagement. Expansion of transformational leadership, with its emphasis toward ethical, empowering, and participative approaches to leadership, are driving a need for leaders to improve their soft skills, re-examine the importance of employee engagement, and shift their focus to employee enrichment.