Leading on behalf of others
This article is part of the Contemporary leadership series
One of the off-putting aspects of leadership is that it can be seen as status-driven. The L-word has connotations of egotistical empire building. When we think of leaders, we may picture slick politicians or smug captains of industry - men and women who have thrust themselves into the limelight for selfish reasons. But it shouldn’t be this way.
Des Dearlove is co-founder of the Thinkers50. He is an Associate Fellow of Said Business School at Oxford University; an adjunct professor at IE Business School, where he taught the Strategic Communication Module on the International MBA; and the author of a bestselling study of the leadership style of Richard Branson. He has taught on the Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme, and the Swarovski Academy in Switzerland, and teaches media skills and crisis management at Cranfield School of Management.
He is a former columnist to The Times, contributing editor to the American magazine Strategy+Business, and co-editor of the bestselling Financial Times Handbook of Management. His books available in more than 20 languages include Gravy Training and Generation Entrepreneur (co-authored with Stuart Crainer).