"Today, there is no shortage of encyclopedias and handbooks on leadership. Yet this excellent collection of chapters, co-edited by a team of accomplished leadership scholars from various fields, marks a most welcome and important addition to the international literature. While too often editors leave the crucial task of developing meaningful distinctions between, for example, conceptualizing, practicing and evaluating leadership, to their readers, this companion does a marvelous job ofbringing clarity, structure and perspective to a burgeoning field that has become notorious for its elusiveness. A truly indispensable resource."Ludger Helms, University of Innsbruck, Austria"This comprehensive book of leadership essays is an important addition to our understanding of this crucial element of social, economic and political organization in every society. Sophisticated in its framing, wide-ranging in its focus, this a book that will be useful for every student of leadership, regardless of their field."Stanley Renshon, City University of New York, USA"Covering a wide range of topics and written by experts in the field, this collection will be a valuable resource to all students of leadership looking for the most up-to-date and challenging thinking concerning this ubiquitous yet illusive phenomenon."Donna Ladkin, Plymouth University, UK"A ‘Companion’ is defined as someone with whom one spends a lot of time and with whom one travels. I anticipate that leadership educators and researchers throughout the world will relish the opportunity to travel intellectually in the company of the most interesting and provocative contemporary leadership thinkers who are gathered together in this intriguing volume."Brad Jackson, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand