Professor Jang Ik-gwon, a professor of the Department of EcoScience/Life Sciences at Ewha Womans University and a National Geographic Explorer, is a leading authority in evolutionary biology in South Korea. For several years, he has shared fascinating stories about animal behavior and ecology from a perspective accessible to the public. He emphasizes that leadership, which facilitates cooperation among members and promotes swift decision-making, is a product of evolution. From an evolutionary biology perspective, he seeks to reexamine leadership as a trait of living organisms. The result of this work is his book, Perfect Leaders Found Outside Humanity.
The unique feature and greatest strength of this book is that it treats leadership as a biological trait and illuminates it from an evolutionary perspective. Traits, such as skin color, height, or personality, are inherent characteristics of living beings. A trait typically serves a distinct function, helps organisms adapt to their environment, and enhances their chances of survival and reproduction through a long evolutionary process. Similarly, the author argues that leadership is also a trait with a specific function, enhancing the survival and reproductive opportunities of both leaders and followers, and has evolved over time.
