Title: Defining sustainable leadership

Authors: Jack T. McCann, Roger A. Holt

Addresses: School of Business, Lincoln Memorial University, Room 140, Business and Education Building, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752-9900, USA. ' 800 Cape Norris Road, New Tazewell, TN 37825-2414, USA

Abstract: The concepts of sustainable leadership remain complex and confusing for employees, leaders and organisations to grasp. It is a challenge for today|s organisations to define these concepts and to be able to measure them. This study analysed the interpretations of sustainability, subsequently developing a sustainable leadership definition acceptable to all demographics within an organisation. This simplified definition and example will be used in a questionnaire developed by the authors, the Sustainable Leadership Questionnaire (SLQ). The ultimate objective for the use of this definition is to aid in gauging employees| perception of sustainable leadership in organisations by way of the SLQ. Additionally, the questionnaire will be used as a baseline to track organisational improvements, if any, over time in sustainable leadership behaviours.

Keywords: sustainable leadership; strategic management; corporate sustainability; leadership sustainability; environmental sustainability; organisational sustainability; business sustainability; sustainable development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSM.2010.032561

International Journal of Sustainable Strategic Management, 2010 Vol.2 No.2, pp.204 - 210

Published online: 07 Apr 2010 *

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