Leadership Diversity through Relational Intersectionality in Australia

Leadership Diversity Through Relational Intersectionality in Australia is a project that investigates the relationships between people in organisations and how they are affected by different forms of workplace diversity.

This project is examining the relationships between those who are defined as leaders (either by themselves or by the organizations in which they work) and those individuals with whom they work. The project develops a politically relevant and theoretically informed approach to leadership as it is practised at the intersection of the racial, gender and class differences that characterise the relationships between leaders and followers.

Much of the research and thinking that informs leadership training, education and practice arises from North America and focuses on narrow leadership stereotypes. These stereotypes come from research focusing on male leaders, and or examine women leaders as a ‘special case’. This is too simple and shows a lack of real appreciation for the range of leadership practices that exist in real life.

The project is based on the premise that leadership that reflects Australia’s diversity is vital for social justice and effective people management in Australian workplaces. We are investigating what diversity of leadership means in practice in Australian organizations. With this knowledge, we can improve leadership performance, create more inclusive workplaces, and strengthen social cohesion in Australia’s multicultural society.

Our project is conducted in partnership with select Australian organisations.

For more information about project activities, visit our blog.

This research is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects funding scheme (project DP180100360). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Australian Government or Australian Research Council.