Revitalization of leadership and the innovation of leadership development

The Atlantic society is challenged with opportunities and threats stemming from techno-economic developments; hard competition is the characteristic environment for our enterprizes now and in coming years. Threats, when serious enough, often have a positive effect and offer opportunities. At last we are starting to do what we should have done earlier. In these developments leadership is the most important single factor. But leadership itself is threatened by becoming obsolescent. Revitalization of leadership is crucial, but the method of leadership training generally used is inadequate and should be revised. We already have the insight into what good leadership is, but we do not act according to it. So, more of the same leadership revitalization practices will not help. An assessment is made of a substantial misfit between a set of optimal leadership qualities on the one hand and a set of characteristics of conventional leadership training at the other. The input of theory according to the expert model is critically discussed and compared with the need for training to live with uncertainties, to manage stress and so on. A case analysis is reported of a programme of entrepreneurship, in which we try to concentrate upon practicing and training and crucial leadership qualities.