Amanda Sinclair's latest book Leadership for the disillusioned: Moving beyond myths and heroes to leading that liberates invites readers to take a fresh look at an age-old subject.

Amanda Sinclair, Professor of Management (Diversity and Change) at the Melbourne Business School, contends that rather than being a job or position, leadership can and should be a way of influencing that frees people to perform better.

"I've been grappling with playing a leadership role myself and trying to find ways to do so that are more authentic, more grounded, more joyful, less stressed," says Sinclair. In her experience, many other leaders are wrestling with the same issues and desires.

The book's many suggestions include:

Beware of collusive seduction

People are often seduced by charismatic and persuasive leaders who hold out a promise to solve things for us, says Sinclair.

"This is enormously attractive to organisations but it can herald problems in that people abdicate. They also start to expect certainty and clarity when there may be none. What I mean by 'collusive' is that it becomes hard for the leader to stay outside the process - they start to believe their own PR."

Focus on what leadership is for

Sinclair believes the question leaders should be asking themselves is: what is my leadership for? People spend too much time addressing: "how do I do leadership?" "Personally it gives me direction if I have an idea how I can help others to reach their goals," she says.

Let the clutter subside

Adopt "mindful" techniques. "Mindfulness is originally a Buddhist idea," Sinclair explains. "In its simplest terms it means having the capacity to come into the present. It sounds easy but is actually difficult to do. Yet in my experience if you allow the clutter to subside so that you are just with somebody, then your powers of listening, of concentration, of empathy, to some degree of bravery, improve immeasurably."

Lead with less ego

The obstacles to leadership that liberates others, Sinclair suggests, are sometimes within oneself. Ego interferes. "The idea of letting go of the self more may seem to be the opposite of assertiveness, yet the idea of letting go is not giving in or being soft," she says.

Nor is she advocating relinquishing your underlying values. Rather, let go, for example, of an aspect of a problem or a solution that you are very attached to. "This can be empowering for others and yourself."

"My initial reaction when faced with obstacles at work was to agonise over them, to feel frustrated others couldn't see what I was trying to achieve. My energies were all directed to upholding my plans, my needs, my ego. It was freeing to let that go, to realise I didn't need to secure my sense of self. I had things to offer and they would always be there."

Revisit your past

A technique Sinclair advocates is to look back on your life and identify themes and behaviours you continue to act out. While some write this concept off as therapy, she contends such reflection helps people understand how their history might have moulded them and how it's created patterns which they have a choice about re-enacting.