Bernard M. Bass
1 A must read for all serious scholars of leadership
I have found the "Handbook" to be most useful. I disagree with my Swedish friend above about the book. In fact below is a snippet from THE journal of leadership about the book. According Schriesheim, Scandura, Gardiner and Lankau (1993) the Handbook is "the outstanding foundation source for information on leadership theory and research" (p. 104). Schriesheim et al. state further that the handbook is "the source which scholars should consult first in attempting to understand any of the subsidiary topics...subsumed under the general rubric of 'leadership theory and research'" (p. 108).
Reference: Schriesheim, C. A., Scandura, T. A., Gardiner, C. C., & Lankau, M. J. (1993). Book Review: Bass & Stogdill's handbook of leadership: Theory, research & managerial applications by Bernard Bass. Leadership Quarterly 4(1), 103-113.
2 A classic, comprehensive work
Bass presents a thorough, but brief synopsis of the findings in leadership research. His chapter on stress and leadership ignores the positive effects stress has on leader behavior and its relationship to subordinates.
3 Social science back 60 years?
This text displays a plethora of simplistic, presumptuous and shallow typologies purporting to explain what is a leader and why it has to be so. Without any concern for contemporary social studies the author tells us about what inborn qualities signifies a female leader, why there are fewer black leaders than white ones ("scientifically proven" low cognitive ability according to the author, pp. 740-741), and the litany goes on. It is baffling that this stuff is still available in the book market as anything else than obscure reminiscences of American social science in a time we rather forget about.
4 A most in Leadership learning and training
Its multiple models presentation, allows a better approach and understanding. Teaching at our university system, and helping organizations, this book is a fundamental reference for help.
