Heraclitus says… that all things move and nothing remains still, and he likens the universe to the current of a river, saying that you cannot step twice into the same stream.
̶ Plato, Cratylus 402a
The following articles represent the culmination of the Change Leadership course taught at Winona State University in the fall term of 2017. Graduate students explored leadership theories, crafted leadership philosophies, and applied their knowledge toward case studies and relevant work experiences. This e-book dives deeper into these topics and offers students of leadership and aspiring leaders current perspectives on leadership theories, the omnipresence of change, and personal reflections on the course material.
Leadership is a broad topic and one with many facets. Although the concept of leadership has a variety of meanings, this text relies on Northouse’s (2016) definition as “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (p. 6). Additional thoughts which resonate throughout this e-book are that leaders influence outcomes and that leadership manifests itself in change, whether by cause or effect. Leaders must always remember Heraclitus’ lesson for Socrates and Plato: change is a constant.
We are indebted to Dr. Barbara Holmes for sharing her wisdom on the subject with our class and for pushing us to engage with the course material through challenging class discussions, case studies, and academic writing. The authors of this text are: Hassan Al Tamimi, Kayleen Berwick, David Biedenbender, Nabih Elteir, Ross Hemmingsen, Kevin Horton, Benjamin Johnson, Danica Johnson, Wail Kailani, Julie Kiehne, James Lowery, Michael Mangan, Matthew Ohs, Lori Steinke, Samuel Sujecki, Riley Swier, and Terrelle Wilson.
Matthew K. Ohs, Editor
Leadership Education Graduate Student
Winona State University
References
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: theory and practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.
Plato. (1921). Plato in Twelve Volumes, Volume 12 (H. Fowler, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
