Abstract/Summary

This quantitative study delves into the dynamic nature of leadership, examining its structure and outcomes through the lens of shared leadership literature (Conger, 2003; Carson et al., 2007) and the Direction, Alignment, and Commitment (DAC) framework (Drath et al., 2008). Through a blend of cross-sectional and sequential modelling, this research employs a two-wave analysis on a matched sample of 29 student teams working on a task. Shared leadership is quantified using Social Network Analyses, particularly Importance Weighted Density (IWD) (Lemoine et al., 2020; Xu et al., 2022). The analysis revealed a positive correlation between shared leadership and leadership outcomes and shared leadership and team task performance through commitment. However, the direction-performance relationship was insignificant, while alignment only impacted performance at the task’s conclusion. This study contributes to leadership theory by introducing the General Theory of Leadership (GOL). This evolving, interdisciplinary framework integrates diverse leadership theories and perspectives, using adaptable “maps” to visualise various aspects of leadership. It aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of leadership, allowing for continuous adaptability and promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration. The study further proposes the “Pronouns Framework” for categorising leadership literature and the “Multidimensional Continuum of Leadership Outcomes” to underscore leadership outcomes’ complex, dynamic and ever-evolving nature.