Use of timeline interview method for research in the area of leadership: a multi-method approach

Leadership studies have become fashionable. The exponential and multifaceted nature of transformation taking place in today's organisation, are impacting every aspect of its management. And these changes demand newer forms of leadership that highlight the context, the pace and the nature of change. And, leadership research becomes particularly significant since, leadership is what makes things happen. Leadership research that provides a holistic picture of how leadership agendas are shaped and enacted by individual in a complex, uncertain and volatile environment would be insightful. This paper explores leadership research, proposing a multi-method qualitative approach to leadership inquiry. The method would enable researcher to capture the nuances of building critical leadership competencies in a high-risk environment by examining the individual's chronological world-view of their professional careers as leaders. A visual timeline interview method is recommended for more vigorous findings. This approach would significantly improve contextualisation of the narratives exchanged, and support the needed triangulation of findings.