LSST Birmingham Academics Publish Groundbreaking Guide to 21st-Century Leadership
By Kunal Chan Mehta | Article Date: 1 December 2025
LSST is delighted to announce the publication of Functional Leadership Skills: Mastering Core Competencies and Driving Engagement, a pioneering new guidebook authored by Olusola Sam-Sorungbe, Senior Lecturer in Business and Module Leader, and Dr Chinedu (Ned) Uwabuike, Senior Lecturer in Business Management and Chair of LSST’s Research Services Council – both at LSST Birmingham. Now publicly available onAmazon, the book makes a major contribution to contemporary leadership discourse, bridging the often-cited gap between theoretical frameworks and practical organisational application.
In an era defined by rapid technological change, evolving workplace expectations, and increasingly complex global dynamics, Olusola Sam-Sorungbe and Dr Ned offer a timely intervention: leadership beyond hierarchy, grounded in functional skills, demonstrable competencies, and meaningful engagement.
“Our motivation for creating this practical guidebook for students, management trainees, mentors, and professionals was to illuminate a paradigm shift,” explained Dr Ned. “Leadership today is no longer defined solely by positional authority. It is measured by the ability to engage, innovate, and inspire. We aim to equip readers with the skills to enhance organisational performance, build creativity, and sustain excellence in the 21st-century workplace.”
The publication aligns seamlessly with LSST’s passion to be a forward-thinking institution, committed to delivering bespoke, industry-relevant education. By emphasising functional competencies over abstract concepts, the guidebook reinforces LSST’s longstanding academic goal: narrowing the divide between academic theory and professional practice.
Leadership in Practice
“At LSST, we believe leadership flourishes when knowledge meets practice,” said Mr Ali Jafar Zaidi, LSST’s CEO. “The work of Olusola and Dr Ned exemplifies this philosophy. Their book provides students and industry partners with a practice-based perspective on leadership that is essential in contemporary organisations. We are immensely proud of this contribution to both scholarship and industry.”
“Functional leadership is no longer optional – it is foundational,” added Mr Mohsin Riaz, Dean of LSST Birmingham. “This fantastic guidebook captures the competencies that today’s organisations demand and it does so with the right clarity, rigour and insight.”
Syed Rizvi, Academic Dean of LSST Elephant and Castle and LSST Stratford and Dean of Learning and Teaching, added, “Olusola’s and Dr Ned’s contributions enrich our academic environment and empower students to become confident, capable leaders who will shape the future.”
Availability and Impact
As LSST continues to champion innovation in leadership education, Functional Leadership Skills: Mastering Core Competencies and Driving Engagement stands as a testament to the institution’s commitment to future-focused scholarship and transformative learning. The book is now available through Amazon and major retail platforms.
For additional information or interviews, please direct questions to LSST’s Public Relations Manager via kunal.mehta@lsst.ac.
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