Leadership

Abstract In the storied history of leadership research, no single universally accepted definition of leadership has emerged. Instead, there are two themes consistent across definitions: 1) leaders have influence over others; and 2) leaders use their influence to direct behavior toward certain objectives. Cross‐cultural psychologists continue to research and test the various theories of leadership and the degree to which they apply in a cross‐cultural context. Further, researchers continue to investigate the extent to which certain leadership styles are culturally linked. This entry discusses several leadership theories studied by cross‐cultural psychologists (i.e., consideration and initiating structure, transactional and transformational leadership, leader‐member exchange theory, and charismatic leadership) as well as identifying some current trends in leadership that are receiving increased attention (e.g., women in leadership, e‐leadership, and servant leadership).