What makes a good leader? Which attri- butes guarantee a chief executive's ability to be sensitive, compassionate and still lead through tough or stressful times? And if these skills could be honed in the minds of MBA students, corporate managers or military officers, is this something that should be pursued? Such questions have long been pondered by Pierre Balthazard, an associate professor at the Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. Now, after a decade of work, not only has his research taken off but he has found a captive audience.

Modern science has looked at the sources of electricity in the brain and how this is used. Professors of psychology have expanded on this research. But Prof Balthazard has teamed brain mapping with leadership development.

Leadership research has focused on finding which skills inspire individuals and groups to function most efficiently. But recently, researchers have explored more complex issues: how to develop traits such as authenticity, charisma and visionary and inspirational leadership in less talented leaders. With business schools now rethinking their approaches, many are incorporating leadership, ethics and responsibility as core topics along with the traditional subjects such as economics and finance.