Leadership study does not translate into leadership ability

As an analogy, despite intensely studying English from pre-school through high school and into college, few Japanese ever develop the ability to speak English. This is because their study of English does not involve speaking English. The students who immerse themselves in the language by studying abroad develop the capacity to speak it. At the same time, those who are limited to pursuing the knowledge of English rarely learn it. The same goes for leadership studies.

When eminent leadership scholars like John Pierce (2007) argue that the study of leadership is about gaining knowledge, not about learning how to lead, they are promoting the same approach to leadership that the Japanese take when they study English: the pursuit of knowledge, no practical experience. Just as a typical Japanese student will spend more than a decade studying a language he or she will never be able to speak, leadership scholars may dedicate their efforts to understanding leadership, but may never learn how to lead. Hiding behind a boast of irrelevance, Pierce (2007) seems to provide fodder for those who would argue that leadership is not a valid topic for scientific inquiry. Although those who advocate for irrelevancy in the college classroom may be a dominant force in academics, they are not the only voices—and their voices may be diminishing.