Collins's (2001a) findings that great leaders possess a paradoxical combination of traits have, for the most part, left the leadership community unresponsive despite their potential implications for conceptualizing leadership. Playful metaphors and alluring ideas that underpin present-day leadership theory provide many insights into leadership, but seem to be unable to explain the complex and contextual nature of leadership. At a time when a host of examples attest to the limitations of understanding leadership in creative yet simplistic ways, findings that incorporate the notion of complexity require closer scrutiny. In this article, the author uses Collins's research as a starting point for addressing the salience of a holistic understanding of leadership. Specifically, the author provides an explanation of the paradoxical combination of leadership traits by invoking Aristotle's philosophy, and, in particular, the complexity inherent in his teleological, ethical, and action-oriented view of the world. Ramifications of a narcissistic approach to leadership are addressed as an illustration of the perils of an overly simplistic and decontextualized understanding of leadership.
There is no one best way to address the topic and different situations may require an approach best suited to the specifics of the situation. Therefore, no single "best practice" of discussing sensitive topics can be identified. Critical thinking skills and the ability to comprehend the totality of the situation are likely to be of higher importance.
Results of this study may be used to guide providers to develop and offer CE programs based on the CE needs of NPs related to length of time in clinical practice, general issues of practice, and specialty practice area needs.
Communication has frequently received attention in studies on trust. One question that has remained unanswered is, How is organizational trust communicated? Consistent with the view of organizations as discursive entities, research presented here examines discursive qualities of trust and attempts to provide an understanding of the manner in which organizational trust is communicated. Research presented in this article includes the results of two studies conducted in two different parts of the country: a large metropolitan area in the southeastern United States and a regional center in the south. Findings reveal that against the background of a continuous discursive and interactional flow, trust is communicated as a speech act characterized by the world-to-words direction of fit. Findings have implications for both theory and practice.
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