The Routledge Critical Companion to Leadership Studies

9 Critical leadership dialectics

David L. Collinson and Gail T. Fairhurst

DOI: 10.4324/9781003363125-11

Introduction

Several different theories and approaches can be located under the umbrella term “Critical Leadership Studies” (CLS). While sometimes presenting competing perspectives, critical studies tend to share the view that leadership and power are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing. Rather than focus narrowly on leaders’ traits, styles, and behaviors, CLS examines how, why, and with what consequences power dynamics can reflect and reinforce leadership practices (and vice versa). Challenging deep-rooted ideas and taken-for-granted assumptions about the meaning of leadership, they also question the romanticism, excessive positivity, ...