Collective Achievement

Leadership as a Collective Achievement

While the image of the lone heroic figure often accompanies the term "leader," the most interesting developments in the study of leadership view it as a dynamic process of exchange among several actors beyond a leader and follower.

Scholars have increasingly called for a more nuanced approach to exploring leadership, one that looks more at the "how" than the "what," understands that leadership is embedded in history and context, and recognizes that leadership is a social process imbued with meaning by the group.

Sometimes applying a collective lens demands a participatory approach to research in which all parties involved in the research process are co-researchers rather than objects of study. This approach to research helps to find new ways in which leadership is practiced.