Typification
An implicit style in representing leaders is typification. There is an endless use of adjectives in front of the noun “leadership.” A concept that can represent this process is typification, Although typification evokes different meanings (e.g. see Alfred Schultz, who introduced the term) in this paper it is used to refer to the constant attempt to put constructs or adjacent constructs in various, but, related, categories. The attempt to make a distinction between two meanings that on the surface look similar or perceived to be used interchangeably is a common practice in leadership texts.
A common adjective-noun pairs in the business texts include “great leaders,” “exceptional leaders,” “remarkable leaders,” “effective leaders,” and “disruptive leaders.”
Illustrative Excerpt 3
Anyone in a management or supervisory role is a leader, but not everyone in those positions exhibits true leadership. Think of leadership as next level management. The best leaders take their expert management skills and combine them with people skills to become well rounded and highly successful. The difference between being a good leader and a great one is in the relationships you build with your team. (Forbes, August 28, 2018)
As this excerpt illustrates, fine distinctions such as “good” and “great” leaders are presented. Similarly, writers offer categories such as “exceptional leaders,” “remarkable leaders,” and “effective leaders” in their portrayal of leadership. A deeper look at such a representation reveals a depiction of a hierarchy of leaders with an apparent aim of distinguishing what is “ordinary” from the “extraordinary.”