Leadership Meta-Competencies: Discovering Hidden Virtues

This book doesn't offer overrated success stories which in most cases cannot be imitated. It contains no check lists or recipes for success and it presents no theoretically-based models. The meta-competencies discussed in this refreshing book are timeless virtues of which effective leaders seem to possess, but which are rarely if ever included in lists of competencies in the vast business leadership literature. They include: Existential intelligence - distinct from the much discussed emotional intelligence, is about the ability to pose questions and reflect on fundamental issues in ways that develop a mature ability to interpret the world and better understand other people. Phronesis - is the ability to exercise sound judgement based on skilful application of moral and political rationality. Solitude - is a voluntary state achieved when an individual has the ability to momentarily withdraw and be free of external pressures and demands in order to concentrate on desired mental-cognitive activities. Trust building - is more often discussed in leadership literature. As a leadership competence it is about the ability to be credible, show trust in and respect for other people and inspire trust. For the curious business practitioner, business student, or business educator wishing to consider aspects of leadership competence that have to some extent been hidden or forgotten, this book introduces the notion of meta-competences and deals in detail with them.

Table of Contents:
Contents: From leadership competencies to leadership meta-competencies; Leadership and existential thinking; Phronesis; Character; Integrity; Solitude as a leadership meta-competence; The issue of trust; Developing leadership meta-competencies as organizational traits; Index.

About the Author :
Dimitris Bourantas is a Management and Leadership Professor, Head of the Executive MBA and MSc in Human Resources Management at the Athens University of Economics and Business. He has written seven best-selling books. He has also published articles in internationally acclaimed scientific journals and supervised PhDs that have been awarded European prizes. Bourantas has acquired substantive professional experience, having worked as an executive, consultant and trainer for a large number of Greek and multinational companies. Vasia Agapitou has a psychology degree from Panteion University, Athens and a Masters in work and organizational psychology, from the University of Hull, UK. She is currently a PhD candidate under state scholarship at Athens University of Economics and Business where she researches strategic leadership and existential thinking. At the same time she lectures at the Business College of Athens.

Review :
'Professor Bourantas and Vasia Agapitou build upon the voluminous academic literature on leadership to introduce the concept of leadership meta-competencies and to explore six that every great leader must possess. More importantly, they show how these personal competencies can be converted into organisational traits, something that can be the basis for sustainable competitive advantage. This is a wonderful book, firmly grounded in the academic literature and full of useful and surprising insights. It is destined to become a standard reference book for any future studies on leadership.' Costas Markides, London Business School, UK 'The book is an important contribution to leadership development since it manages to combine Aristotle and Plato with the most current knowledge, and also identifies meta-competencies as the foundation of effective leadership behaviour. As such, it is an indispensable guide for those who wish to ensure authentic, ethical and transformational leadership in action.' Nikos Koutsianas, Co-founder and Managing Director, Apivita, Greece 'It's rare that a book comes along that covers the topic of leadership in a way which makes me sit up and take notice but that is exactly what Leadership Meta-Competencies by Dimitris Bourantas and Vasia Agapitou has done. [...] I was hooked from the first page and by the time I had read Chapter 1 I had discovered the most succinct yet thorough overview of leadership theories I have ever read... If you want to understand leadership competencies in the work place - start here.' Carrie Foster, Organisation Development blog, October 2014 'The book explains various leadership competencies and styles. It contains case studies, tables and figures. It provides lots of examples and illustrations of prestigious global companies. It is useful for leadership learners, scholars and practitioners.' Human Resource Management International Digest, vol. 23, no. 5, 2014 'This book is an essential read for board members, the upper echelons of corporations and those aspiring to be first-rate leaders. ... It's a difficult book to put down - this has to be the book of the year.' Professional Manager, April 2015