Discovering the secrets of leadership success: Comparing commercial and academic preoccupations

Abstract

Having access to the “secrets” of leadership promises to be immensely valuable to those wishing to lead. But what are these “secrets”? In this study, we examined the types of non-academic theorizing (communicated as leadership “secrets”) that writings for a general audience convey. A content analysis of 131 commercial books on leadership “secrets” revealed seven major “secrets” that pertained to (1) knowledge and learning, (2) habits, behaviors, and practices, (3) handling failure, challenges, and struggle, (4) personal inspiration, drive, and motivation, (5) team, group, and organizational strategy, (6) choices and decisions, and (7) communication skills. Intriguingly, the prevalence of leadership “secrets” varied in a cyclical pattern across time such that some “secrets” lost prominence in one period only to reemerge in another. We also observed a considerable degree of correspondence between the foci of topics in these commercial outlets and the foci of academic publications. JEL Classification: J24, O15, M12

Entrepreneurial Muslim leadership in Islamic cooperative business unit

“…As a result, the Islamic boarding schools are again dependent on outside assistance. We would also like to complement the discussion of leader habits and behaviors in the study of Maskor et al (2022) with Islamic values and entrepreneurial skills in it. Leadership, Islamic value and entrepreneurship are three important things that cannot be separated as capital for a leader in a business unit at an Islamic boarding school.…”

“…In previous studies, researchers collected data in various ways. Ahmad and Alam (2018), Ather and Sobhani (2009), Maskor et al (2022), Egel and Fry (2017) and Rafiki (2020) raise the topic of Islamic leadership using a literature review. Ratnasari (2021), Prasetyo et al (2021) and Astuti et al (2020) conducted research that used a survey in the form of a questionnaire.…”

“…Hanafi et al (2021) discuss the practice of leaders in Islamic boarding schools during the pandemic. Several discussions about the theory and essential guidelines of a leader were carried out in research by Ather and Sobhani (2009) and Maskor et al (2022), whereas Rafiki (2020) explored the concepts and principles of Islamic leadership that produce qualities to analyze the influence of Islamic leadership. Egel and Fry (2017) researched the theoretical transposition of the components of the spiritual leadership model and created a framework for Islamic leadership models.…”

“…and Maskor et al (2022), whereasRafiki (2020) explored the concepts and principles of Islamic leadership that produce qualities to analyze the influence of Islamic leadership Egel and Fry (2017). researched the theoretical transposition of the components of the spiritual leadership model and created a framework for Islamic leadership models.…”