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Previous editions of this book established themselves as authoritative overviews of action learning practice around the globe. Given the increase in action learning activity since this book last appeared, the demand for an up-to-date edition has grown. Whilst chapters on action learning are now obligatory in every collection on leadership and management development, there is still no competing specialist work of this nature.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline an alternative view of leadership development that acknowledges the likelihood of unintended and contradictory outcomes in leadership work. Helping leaders to engage with contradictions is as important as developing their positive capabilities. A focus on the contradictions of leadership can help to address the emotional and political limitations that development programmes unwittingly impose on learning. Design/methodology/approach The paper discusses how leadership development currently falls short in helping people to lead in complex organizational environments. This argument is illustrated by examples taken from MBA teaching programme in a School of Management together with an analysis of contradictions in the National Health Service Healthcare Leadership Model. The final section gives four examples of how to put the contradictions back into leadership development. Findings The paper does not seek to present empirical findings. The illustrations support an argument for changes in practice. Examples are provided of a different approach to leadership development. Originality/value The paper critiques approaches to leadership development on the grounds of its relentless positivity regarding leadership behaviour and that focusses primarily on the development of individuals. Attention is called to the contradictions inherent in leadership work which extend to the leadership development process itself. Once acknowledged, these contradictions offer important leadership learning opportunities for both individuals and organizations.

In the Western world, women make up more than 40% of the paid work‐force, yet most organizations are managed by men. Women's jobs are less skilled, lower paid, offer fewer possibilities for development, and confer less organizational power. At home the main responsibilities for child care and home‐making remain predominantly in female hands.

This research identifies factors which affect the unionisation of white collar workers and provides an analytical model for the use of practitioners in employee relations. The article is based on a study carried out at Sheffield City Polytechnic from 1974–1977. The research took a company or organisation‐level perspective rather than the national or industrial ones favoured by previous researchers. In an organisational context the union recognition process is one which creates a profound change in relationship between white collar staff and their employer; a change from what may be described as an "individualistic" to a more "collective" relationship.

Many policy makers have become reliant on mechanistic top-down audit and inspection regimes as the means of implementing public service reforms. This innovative book sets out to redress the balance. I It outlines the theory behind whole systems development and gives good practice guidance on how to effectively develop 'systems' to improve joined-up working

This article explores the idea of unlearning on the basis of empirical data drawn from 73 social workers' accounts of addressing their problems and challenges in critical action learning sets. To address intractable or wicked problems, characterized by having multiple stakeholders with competing perspectives and by an absence of obvious solution, it may be necessary first to unlearn existing responses and to ask fresh questions to illuminate what is as yet unknown. Action learning privileges questions over solutions in seeking learning from action on organizational challenges, whilst critical action learning is a variety that employs insights from critical social theory to promote critical reflection and unlearning in this process. The article breaks new ground in claiming: first, that unlearning in the context of the wicked problems of social work is characterized less by the discarding of outmoded knowledge and routines and more by a critical unlearning that opens up new possibilities of not knowing and non-action; and second, that critical unlearning is much more likely to take place when supported by a deliberated and social process such as that provided by critical action learning.