Debunking myths about soft leadership and exploring it to achieve organizational excellence and effectiveness

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to debunk myths about soft leadership. Design/methodology/approach The paper distinguishes soft leadership from other leadership styles. Findings It calls for companies exploring this new leadership perspective to achieve organizational excellence and effectiveness; and countries to achieve peace and prosperity. Practical implications This new leadership perspective can be adopted by leaders for companies and countries. Social implications The social implications of this research suggests that leaders can improve employees’ performance and productivity by treating them as partners. Originality/value It defines and explains soft leadership with four OB models. It unfolds that it is the age of partnership, not followership. It unveils that employees prefer to work in an egalitarian set up. They appreciate leaders with an integrative, participative, collaborative, and relationship-oriented leadership mindset.