Moral leadership, effective leadership, and intellectual giftedness: Problems, parallels, and possibilities

Abstract

Leadership is one of the most studied aspects of human behavior, resulting in numerous models and thousands of books. The current literature is replete with alarms about leadership problems, including a worldwide shortage of competent leaders and leadership talent. Moreover, scandalous catastrophes set in motion by unethical leaders have aimed the spotlight on the critical need for moral leadership. Though the debate persists over definitions of leadership excellence, informative parallels can be drawn between and among moral leadership, leadership effectiveness, and cognitive ability, with implications for gifted education and organizational talent development. © 2009 Springer-Verlag US.