A long way to Lalibela
A long way to Lalibela
Think about travelling across the country, with several of your family, in a bus. There are some aspects of the task of the leader that will be the same whether or not the leader is a Christian. The different aspects of the landscape, and the various challenges and dangers that arise during the journey, will require different skills, whether or not the leader is a Christian.
There are other elements within the overall task that will be distinctive if the leader is a Christian, and wants to lead as a Christian. Every Christian can learn from secular leadership theory, but no secular leadership theory will ever teach a leader to pray.
Each “region” of the landscape represents one key aspect of leadership, and next to each region a single open‐access reference is provided.
The Leadership Landscape Metaphor
Imagine leadership as a journey across a varied landscape. Each part of the journey shows a different aspect of leadership theory. By using this metaphor, students can see that there is more than one way to think about being a leader. Even if one theory focuses on one “region” (or aspect), effective leadership involves understanding all of them and knowing how they work together.
Regions of the Leadership Landscape
Personal Qualities and Authenticity
Metaphor: Think of the high peaks and inner valleys. This area stands for a leader’s true self, values, and personal integrity.
Key Idea: Leaders are more effective when they are authentic, transparent, and honest.
Reference:
Walumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Wernsing, T. S., & Peterson, S. J. (2008). Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory‐based measure.
(This article is often shared on ResearchGate and is available via open access.)Team Dynamics and Distributed Leadership
Metaphor: Imagine the fertile valleys where team members work together like plants in a garden.
Key Idea: Leadership is not only about one person; it is shared among all team members. Good teamwork comes from strong, positive relationships between leaders and followers.
Reference:
Hoch, J. E. (2013). Shared leadership and innovation: The role of vertical leadership and employee integrity.
(A version of this article can usually be accessed freely via institutional repositories or Google Scholar.)Task Orientation and Adaptability
Metaphor: Picture rugged paths and obstacles that require constant attention and adaptation.
Key Idea: Leaders must adjust their style to meet new challenges and situations. Being flexible and adaptive is key to solving problems and moving forward.
Reference:
Uhl‐Bien, M., Marion, R., & McKelvey, B. (2007). Complexity leadership theory: Shifting leadership from the industrial age to the knowledge era.
(This work is often available as an open-access copy through ResearchGate.)Vision, Strategy, and Transformative Change
Metaphor: Look to the wide open plains and the distant horizon. This region is about setting goals and inspiring others with a clear, compelling vision.
Key Idea: Effective leaders create a shared vision and guide the team through change by planning strategically.
Reference:
Wang, H., & Howell, J. M. (2010). A multi-level study of transformational leadership, identification, and follower outcomes.
(Many authors make their work available on ResearchGate or through open-access repositories.)Organisational Culture and Climate
Metaphor: See the complex ecosystem of a forest. This represents the shared values, norms, and behaviours that influence how people work together.
Key Idea: The culture of an organisation shapes how leadership is practiced and how people relate to each other.
Reference:
Ang, S., Van Dyne, L., Koh, C., Ng, K. Y., Templer, K. J., Tay, C., & Chandrasekar, N. A. (2007). Cultural intelligence: Its measurement and effects on cultural judgment and decision making, cultural adaptation and task performance.
(This article is available through open-access platforms such as DOAJ and institutional repositories.)Embracing Success, Failure, and Organisational Learning
Metaphor: Imagine unexpected turns and occasional steep drops along the route. These symbolise moments of both success and failure from which leaders learn.
Key Idea: Leaders need to see failures as opportunities to learn and grow and build resilience in their organisations.
Reference:
Duchek, S. (2020). Organizational resilience: A capability-based conceptualisation.
(This work is published in an open-access journal so that it can be read freely.)
The Value of the Metaphor
Using the “Leadership Landscape” metaphor makes it easier to understand the many parts of leadership theory. Instead of having several complicated theories, students see that:
Different regions (or aspects) such as personal qualities, teamwork, flexibility, vision, culture, and learning from mistakes each play a role.
Each theory offers a view of one “part of the journey” while effective leaders must eventually navigate the whole landscape.
It helps to connect ideas visually and practically, making the theory more understandable for everyday leadership and ministry contexts.
Bibliography
Personal Qualities and Authenticity:
Walumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Wernsing, T. S., & Peterson, S. J. (2008). Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory‐based measure.
(Accessible via ResearchGate)Team Dynamics and Distributed Leadership:
Hoch, J. E. (2013). Shared leadership and innovation: The role of vertical leadership and employee integrity.
(Accessible via open-access repositories)Task Orientation and Adaptability:
Uhl‐Bien, M., Marion, R., & McKelvey, B. (2007). Complexity leadership theory: Shifting leadership from the industrial age to the knowledge era.
(Available on ResearchGate)Vision, Strategy, and Transformative Change:
Wang, H., & Howell, J. M. (2010). A multi-level study of transformational leadership, identification, and follower outcomes.
(Accessible via ResearchGate or institutional repositories)Organisational Culture and Climate:
Ang, S., Van Dyne, L., Koh, C., Ng, K. Y., Templer, K. J., Tay, C., & Chandrasekar, N. A. (2007). Cultural intelligence: Its measurement and effects on cultural judgment and decision making, cultural adaptation and task performance.
(Available through DOAJ and open-access platforms)Embracing Success, Failure, and Organisational Learning:
Duchek, S. (2020). Organizational resilience: A capability-based conceptualisation.
(Published in an open-access journal)
This version of “the leadership landscape” uses one clear reference per region. It shows how different leadership theories relate to real-world challenges. Each region represents the fact that leadership is not just about one idea, but about understanding and integrating many different aspects to guide teams and organisations effectively.