Leadership Insights Hub
Evidence-Informed Thinking for Flourishing Leaders and Organisations
Leadership is both an art and a science. Through the Insights hub, I share evidence-informed perspectives, practical strategies and original thinking to help leaders strengthen organisational culture, develop exceptional leadership and create environments where people and performance flourish.
Drawing on more than fifteen years of international leadership experience, doctoral research in Positive Organisational Leadership, and a commitment to bridging research with practice, each insight is designed to provoke thought, inspire action and support meaningful organisational change.
Whether you're an executive leader, an aspiring leader, an educator or an organisation committed to human flourishing, I hope these reflections challenge assumptions, spark new ideas and contribute to your leadership journey.
Why Flourishing Organisations Outperform the Rest
Organisations thrive when people do. Research consistently demonstrates that cultures characterised by trust, psychological safety and meaningful work are more innovative, resilient and productive. Flourishing is not a distraction from performance—it is one of its strongest drivers (Seligman, 2011; Edmondson, 2019).
Leadership Beyond Authority
Leadership is defined not by position but by influence, authenticity and the ability to develop others. Leaders who cultivate trust, purpose and genuine relationships create environments where people are more engaged, motivated and committed (Avolio & Gardner, 2005).
Positive Organisational Leadership in Practice
Positive Organisational Leadership focuses on building strengths alongside addressing challenges. Research suggests that organisations which intentionally develop positive cultures experience greater engagement, collaboration and long-term performance (Cameron, 2012).
Creating Cultures Where People Thrive
Flourishing cultures are intentionally created through everyday leadership behaviours. Psychological safety, recognition and supportive relationships enable individuals and teams to learn, innovate and perform at their best (Edmondson, 2019).
Read the full articles by clicking below.
August 2026 Edition
Research in
Practice
Translating scholarship into practical leadership
Relational Leadership
Lucia Crevani (2015)
Published in:
Leadership: Contemporary Critical Perspectives (2015)
Great leadership is informed by evidence, not assumption.
Every month, we examine influential research in leadership, organisational psychology and Positive Organisational Leadership, distilling complex ideas into practical insights that leaders can apply with confidence. By translating scholarship into action, we help individuals and organisations make evidence-informed decisions that foster authentic leadership, strengthen organisational culture and enable people and performance to flourish together.
After reading, take up our ongoing leadership challenge of the month by identifying one leadership behaviour you can intentionally change to create a more flourishing environment for those around you. Reflect on what happens and share your experience with our community.
The research
Traditional leadership theories often focus on the individual leader examining their behaviours, traits or decisions. In this chapter, Lucia Crevani challenges that assumption by arguing that leadership is not simply about what leaders do. Instead, leadership is an ongoing social process that emerges through the relationships, interactions and conversations between people. Drawing on a constructionist perspective, Crevani invites us to shift our attention from heroic individuals to the everyday relational dynamics through which leadership is created.
Why it matters
If leadership is created through relationships rather than exercised solely by individuals, then every interaction has leadership potential. Conversations, collaboration, trust and shared meaning become central to organisational success. This perspective challenges leaders to move beyond authority and positional power, recognising that sustainable change is built through relationships rather than imposed through hierarchy.
Leadership implications
Crevani's work reframes leadership from being something owned by a single person to something co-created across an organisation. This has significant implications for leaders. Rather than asking, "How can I lead more effectively?", we might ask, "How can I create the conditions in which leadership can emerge through others?" It encourages leaders to focus on the quality of relationships, dialogue and shared meaning-making, recognising that leadership develops through collective interaction rather than individual action.
Putting it into practice
Leaders can begin applying relational leadership by:
- Prioritising conversations over directives.
- Creating opportunities for shared decision-making.
- Building trust through consistent and authentic relationships.
- Paying attention to how people are positioned and included within discussions.
- Viewing leadership as something everyone contributes to, not something reserved for formal leaders.
Reflection
Consider the relationships that shape your leadership.
- How much of your influence comes from your position, and how much comes from the quality of your relationships?
- What conversations are creating, or limiting, the conditions for others to contribute?
- If leadership emerges through relationships, what could you do this week to strengthen those relationships?
Continue the Conversation
Leadership does not happen in isolation, it is created through relationships.
How are you intentionally building the relationships that enable people and organisations to flourish?
We'd love to hear your reflections:
insights@positiveleadershipconsultancy.com
Ready to Put These Insights into Practice?
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