The much-anticipated book, The Arts of Leading: Learning for Leadership, has officially launched in the US! Co-edited by Dr Edward Brooks (Executive Director of the Oxford Character Project) and Professor Michael Lamb (Wake Forest University), this groundbreaking volume explores how the humanities—through literature, history, and the arts—can shape ethical and effective leadership. The book challenges conventional views, arguing that leadership is not just a technical skill but a practice enriched by wisdom, creativity, and moral imagination.
To mark its release, The Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University hosted a special panel discussion in December, held in the same room where the original conference took place six years ago. Faculty contributors Prof Paul Escott, Prof David Lubin, and Prof Corey D. B. Walker shared their insights, with Provost Michele Gillespie moderating the discussion.
The following week, the Wake Washington Center in DC held another engaging launch event, featuring a panel led by Marjorie Hass, President of the Council of Independent Colleges, with contributions from Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw (University of Pennsylvania).
The celebrations continued at Georgetown University, where Dr Brooks and Dr Lamb joined Kathryn Temple and students at the Georgetown Humanities Initiative for an in-depth discussion on the book’s themes. Through these conversations, The Arts of Leading is already shaping new approaches to leadership—rooted in character, reflection, and the transformative power of the humanities.