This book presents a lively debate surrounding the professionalization of leadership. With contributions from both sides of the argument, it considers the historical overview of leadership and management as a profession, questions what constitutes a profession, and critically addresses the practicality of professionalizing leadership. With a range of perspectives including political philosophy, behavioral professionalism and management history, the book intends to facilitate further discussion on the issues at stake. With a number of education programs beginning to focus on the art and practice of leading people, this debate is particularly timely.

1 Background and introduction: leadership as a profession and as main theme on bachelor programs

2 What is a profession, and what are the prerequisites for being a profession?
3 How and why management has not become a profession.- 4 Management as a profession: the historian's perspective
5 The professional leader - man of many talents or Jack of all trades? Five questions about professional leadership
6. Leadership as a profession: a special case dependent on organizational ownership, governance, mission and vision
7 Can leadership become a profession?
8 Against professionalizing leadership: the roles of self-formation and practical wisdom in leadership
9 The case for behavioral professionalism in leadership
10 Professionalizing political leaders - is this the cure? Lessons from political theory
11 The future of management: global trends and possible scenarios of development of managerial profession
12 Management/leadership - profession, professional, professionalization
13 Leadership, management, and the common good
14 Management can be considered as a profession
15 The professionalisation of medical management?: the slow and checkered case of UK health care.-16 Leadership as a profession - the need for an authentic jurisdiction
17 Should leadership be considered a profession?
18 Leadership as a profession? The significance of reflexive judgment
19 Preparing for turning leadership into a true profession
20 Bachelor programs in leadership - the beginning of a profession
21 "As the twig is bent, so the tree shall grow": developing strategic intuition through reflective practices in bachelor programs in leadership studies
22 Yes, we should develop new action learning based Bachelor programs in leadership
23 The need to consider the context when offering bachelor programs in leadership
24 How a bachelor in leadership would fill a gap
25 Why universities should give bachelor programs in leadership.