The horizontal leadership book

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This book presents key concepts on horizontal leadership and organizational development, compiled from Adriaan Bekman's research in Dutch. It offers insights into his thoughts and findings through case descriptions, concepts, leadership experiences, and tools. Readers will understand the connections between horizontal leadership, organizing, and Sense-Making. The author begins with a structured approach, explaining practical and conceptual aspects of horizontal organizing and leadership. This foundational section is followed by a philosophical and methodological exploration of leadership research methodology. Case stories in the second part illustrate the explicit relationship between leadership in organizations and the wider community, emphasizing that leadership is a personal issue. Bekman uses the metaphor of organizations as living organisms, highlighting that management relates to the vertical dimension of organizing, while leadership is tied to organizational change and development. He emphasizes that horizontal leadership is not an individual but a process involving the organizational community. The importance of dialogue is underscored as a key dimension of leadership's ability to facilitate change. The author concludes with detailed descriptions of tools designed to support the leadership process in practice.