The WICS Model of Organizational Leadership

Abstract

Leadership is essential to the successful functioning of virtually any organization. Scholars of leadership attempt to understand what leads to success in leadership. Successful leaders need to do two things, among others. First, they need to have a story that followers can understand, accept, and, hopefully, support (see also Gardner, 1995). Second, they need to engage in complex processing that results in the creation, implementation, and monitoring of the story (see also Sternberg, 2003). The WICS model of leadership addresses both aspects of the leadership process. This model synthesizes many aspects of previous models. Thus it draws on much that is old, including trait, situational, behavioral, contingency, and transformational models. What do these models have to say about leadership? First, I present WICS. Then I relate it to past theories. Finally, I draw conclusions.