The Elements of Leadership: What You Should Know was written to help leaders, aspiring leaders, and participants in leadership understand the process and elements of leadership in many different settings. Many books and articles on the subject of leadership focus on the role of the leader as a central actor and agent of change without explicitly defining the other factors or elements of leadership that explain what happens when leadership occurs. With an understanding that leadership is a complex phenomenon, leaders and participants in leadership can identify the elements that can help them make better decisions or reflect and learn from their past actions and results. A wider view of leadership identifies leaders as a critical element of leadership, but also incorporates other elements that impact and explain leadership. This includes the participation of members, the situational factors that influence alternatives, the setting where leadership occurs, and change and the future. The Elements of Leadership will help people understand how and when they can make a difference by describing the opportunities and constraints of leaders and leadership.