James Meindl
2017 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
James Meindl was a gifted social psychologist best
known for his development of and work on the
"romance of leadership" — a social constructionist,
follower-centric approach to thinking about how
people tend to attribute organizational outcomes
to leadership performance, rather than other pertinent contexts, factors,
and processes. His work changed how leadership was understood in
organizations and has remained an impressive legacy with special journal
issues and entire books devoted to it.
In addition to his academic pursuits — publishing 60+ articles, holding
positions in professional associations, and serving as an editor on his
book series and numerous other editorial boards — Meindl worked as an organizational consultant
and volunteered in his local community. The recipient of several teaching awards, Meindl traveled
widely, giving lectures and seminars throughout Asia and Europe, and was admired by his students and
colleagues around the world.
