ABSTRACT
Critical Leadership Studies (CLS) is founded on the premise that the leader-centrism that characterizes traditional approaches to leadership theory, practice, and development constrains the ability to work in more inclusive, collaborative, and sustainable ways. In this chapter, I draw on my experiences of applied leadership research in a range of contexts to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of “making a difference” whilst retaining a “critical” edge. In so doing, I identify a range of practices that have informed my work, including (1) surfacing power and identity dynamics through evaluation; (2) framing research as a catalyst for debate and inquiry; (3) engaging with lived experience to promote collaborative critical inquiry; and (4) helping to facilitate systems change. Together, these practices have provided insights into both the research process and how this can inform and influence leadership and management policy and practice. Despite a range of pressures that may discourage academics from doing work that falls outside the typical focus on high-ranked publications and tightly bound research projects, in the face of growing social, environmental, and economic crises I suggest that critical scholars could do more to engage with those in positions of power and influence to help mobilize “socially constructive” change.
