This book presents a lively debate surrounding the professionalization of leadership. With contributions from both sides of the argument, it considers the historical overview of leadership and management as a profession, questions what constitutes a profession, and critically addresses the practicality of professionalizing leadership.

1 Background and introduction: leadership as a profession and as main theme on bachelor programs.- 2 What is a profession, and what are the prerequisites for being a profession?.- 3 How and why management has not become a profession.- 4 Management as a profession: the historian’s perspective.- 5 The professional leader – man of many talents or Jack of all trades? Five questions about professional leadership.- 6. Leadership as a profession: a special case dependent on organizational ownership, governance, mission and vision.- 7 Can leadership become a profession?.- 8 Against professionalizing leadership: the roles of self-formation and practical wisdom in leadership.- 9 The case for behavioral professionalism in leadership.- 10 Professionalizing political leaders – is this the cure? Lessons from political theory.- 11 The future of management: global trends and possible scenarios of development of managerial profession.- 12 Management/leadership – profession, professional, professionalization.- 13 Leadership, management, and the common good.- 14 Management can be considered as a profession.- 15 The professionalisation of medical management?: the slow and checkered case of UK health care.-16 Leadership as a profession – the need for an authentic jurisdiction.- 17 Should leadership be considered a profession?.- 18 Leadership as a profession? The significance of reflexive judgment.- 19 Preparing for turning leadership into a true profession.- 20 Bachelor programs in leadership – the beginning of a profession.- 21 “As the twig is bent, so the tree shall grow”: developing strategic intuition through reflective practices in bachelor programs in leadership studies.- 22 Yes, we should develop new action learning based Bachelor programs in leadership.- 23 The need to consider the context when offering bachelor programs in leadership.- 24 How a bachelor in leadership would fill a gap.- 25 Why universities should give bachelor programs in leadership.

This engaging book presents a lively debate surrounding the professionalization of leadership. With contributions from both sides of the argument, the book considers the historical overview of leadership and management as a profession, questions what constitutes a profession, and critically addresses the practicality of professionalizing leadership. With a vast range of perspectives including political philosophy, behavioural professionalism, limits to the professionalization of management and its historical contexts, the book intends to facilitate further discussion on the issues at stake and allow the reader to situate their point of view within the wider debate. With a number of education programs beginning to focus on the art and practice of leading people this debate is very timely, considering the suitability of this approach within management education.

Offers engaging debate surrounding leadership as a profession Includes contributions from a diverse number of experts Comprehensively illustrates the arguments for and against presenting leadership as a profession