What do you think?
Rate this book
Leadership in Middle-Earth
Part of the series Exploring Effective Leadership Practices through Popular Culture, Urick examines mentorship and learning, transformational and servant leadership, culture, bases of power, leader emergence, teams, motivation, and more.
Leadership in Middle-Earth explores J.R.R. Tolkien's exemplary leadership and management examples evident in his tales such as 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings', examining mentorship, team dynamics, mindfulness, servant leadership, influence and ethical leadership through solid academic theories and management practices. Readers will become familiar and comfortable with academically supported leadership concepts to adjust their own behaviors, becoming more successful in the process.
By examining leadership theories through the context of popular culture, the book encourages readers to think creatively about how they might adjust their own management approach. The series aims to bring examples, theory and methodology of leadership to life by analysing academic concepts through popular culture examples that will appeal to a broad range of readers.
Leadership in Middle-Earth explores J.R.R. Tolkien's exemplary leadership and management examples evident in his tales such as 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings', examining mentorship, team dynamics, mindfulness, servant leadership, influence and ethical leadership through solid academic theories and management practices. Readers will become familiar and comfortable with academically supported leadership concepts to adjust their own behaviors, becoming more successful in the process.
By examining leadership theories through the context of popular culture, the book encourages readers to think creatively about how they might adjust their own management approach. The series aims to bring examples, theory and methodology of leadership to life by analysing academic concepts through popular culture examples that will appeal to a broad range of readers.
140 pages, Paperback
Published May 25, 2021
2 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 7, 2023
After years of Sci-fi, fantasy and comic book reading, along with the occasional text on game based learning, I decided I needed to expand my repertoire of reading. Coming into a leadership role at my new job I was equipped to take on, but still want to grow as a leader. So why give up the fun of Fantasy? This text ties some of my favorite stories, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, into life lessons in leadership.
Michael J. Urick does a great job at framing the context of a leadership quality and then dives right in to prime examples from these great texts!
My hope is that I am in a position of servant leadership like Aragorn for the betterment of all who I come into contact with. And that I’m not a self-serving, power hungry leader, that of Sauron from Mordor.
From reading this book some other key take aways I would like to share include the following:
1. To allow a leaders team to be successful, a leader should focus on the common identity that inspires each member so that they will be united toward one goal.
2. Think about the attributes and purposes of meetings - Each meeting in Tolkien’s writing serves some purpose.
3. Celebrate the accomplishments of the Fellowship!
Michael J. Urick does a great job at framing the context of a leadership quality and then dives right in to prime examples from these great texts!
My hope is that I am in a position of servant leadership like Aragorn for the betterment of all who I come into contact with. And that I’m not a self-serving, power hungry leader, that of Sauron from Mordor.
From reading this book some other key take aways I would like to share include the following:
1. To allow a leaders team to be successful, a leader should focus on the common identity that inspires each member so that they will be united toward one goal.
2. Think about the attributes and purposes of meetings - Each meeting in Tolkien’s writing serves some purpose.
3. Celebrate the accomplishments of the Fellowship!
June 17, 2022
I was drawn in by the Urick’s thesis. I appreciate the author’s love of the Tolkien stories. Furthermore, Urick’s analysis of leadership traits and characteristics within the literary works made for a solid foundation for discussion and application.
However, I struggled with the style of his writing.
Fortunately the book is short and concise enough I was able to get through it. I appreciate the content and analysis.
However, I struggled with the style of his writing.
Fortunately the book is short and concise enough I was able to get through it. I appreciate the content and analysis.
February 28, 2022
Although read for work, I thought this book was fascinating, how Urick was able to tied in themes and events from Middle Earth into modern leadership theories. As a Tolkien fan, this made the subject way more interesting and easy to see applications of his points.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews