<P>The Leader's Secret Self<BR>SPECIAL ISSUES OF HBR give us the chance to explore a big subject in two dimensions: first, across space, with a gathering of new articles ranged around the subject in an illuminating way; and second, across time, with a republication of the very best articles from HBR's past-frequently the articles that helped define the topic in the first place.<BR><BR>The subject at hand is leadership-in particular, the psychology of leadership. Academic leadership studies grew out of historians' "great man" theories, which explain events by examining the role of highly influential individuals. George Washington is perhaps the archetype of the great man in American history. In portraits, great men (and a few women) are heroic, larger than life; often they're on horseback. Their strength and vision inspire us. We don't know much about what they feel, however. We don't know their doubts or their secrets. We view these leaders from the outside.<BR></P>
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