Decolonizing leadership knowledge: Context, culture, and complexity

Abstract

Leadership knowledge is viewed as an essential aspect of overall leadership learning, yet questions abound as to who decides what forms of knowledge are recognized as legitimate. This article reviews existing frames of leadership knowledge along with prior attempts to codify leadership knowledge. We then examine the function of leadership knowledge within the leadership learning framework (LLF) and explore how it connects to and illuminates other facets of the LLF model. Finally, critical questions are asked about the future evolution of leadership knowledge and the roles of context, culture, and complexity in decolonizing leadership knowledge.