Collins's (2001a) findings that great leaders possess a paradoxical
combination of traits have, for the most part, left the leadership community
unresponsive despite their potential implications for conceptualizing leadership.
Playful metaphors and alluring ideas that underpin present-day leadership theory
provide many insights into leadership, but seem to be unable to explain the complex
and contextual nature of leadership. At a time when a host of examples attest to the
limitations of understanding leadership in creative yet simplistic ways, findings
that incorporate the notion of complexity require closer scrutiny. In this article,
the author uses Collins's research as a starting point for addressing the
salience of a holistic understanding of leadership. Specifically, the author
provides an explanation of the paradoxical combination of leadership traits by
invoking Aristotle's philosophy, and, in particular, the complexity
inherent in his teleological, ethical, and action-oriented view of the world.
Ramifications of a narcissistic approach to leadership are addressed as an
illustration of the perils of an overly simplistic and decontextualized
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