18. Leadership as a Profession? The Significance of Reflexive Judgment

Management today is characterized by complexity and constant change. Often very little time is left for reflexivity in a fluctuating organizational life. We argue that it is crucial to supplement the practice of leadership with semi-formal learning spaces where reflexive conversations between leaders and researchers can unfold. In the chapter, we present examples from conversations between leaders and researchers. What is crucial here is that these conversations take departure from within the specific situations and the specific organizational contexts, based on challenges defined by the leaders themselves, and that these conversations are carried out carefully based on mutual respect. It is our argument that these kinds of reflexive dialogues are necessary in order to explore and discuss the multiple ways to deal with organizational challenges.