Until now there has been no general definition or general theory of leadership. "The General Theory of Leadership: Defining Leadership, Understanding How it Emerges in Individuals, Learning" solves that problem. It develops and presents the general definition and the general theory of leadership to the world of researchers, teachers, and practitioners of leadership. Grounded in general systems theory, both the general definition and general theory are supported by other hypotheses such as structural coupling theory, theory of structural determinism, and Pavlov's work on stimulation and response. The definition and thesis developed in this book are general because they have universal application in the sense wherever there is an organization, these concepts will hold true, just like other general definitions and general theories.