Abstract
Within the field of strategic leadership, research into broad-based diversity, beyond surface characteristics, demographic and educational factors, at the upper echelons level is limited. Within the broader discipline of organisational studies encompassing the fields of leadership and DEI, scholars have studied links between inclusive leadership and its impact on organisational outcomes such as creativity and innovation, and the paradoxical nature of both inclusive leadership and innovation. But little is known about how successful strategic leaders with unconventional/atypical backgrounds, such as those with gaps in their CVS, a history of crime, substance abuse, mental health problems, neurodiversity etc., transcend adverse circumstances and overcome potentially crippling odds; whether or not their diverse experiences allows for different and/or better ways of navigating workplace tensions and paradoxes, increased propensity towards inclusivity and the impact this has on organisational outcomes such as innovation. Further, beyond the organisational level, in an environment where society at large is grappling with grand challenges such as how to reduce rates of incarceration and recidivism, improviding social justice as well as increasing prosperity and general well-being of the wider population, a study of successful strategic leaders with such unconventional backgrounds could offer new and important insights into these aspects. With this in mind, this paper brings together broad-based diversity, inclusive leadership and strategic leadership into the concept of Inclusive Strategic Leadership (ISL) as a framework to explore this gap. We use Critical Discourse Analysis of autobiographies of 5 strategic leaders with unconventional backgrounds to explore how these leaders navigate paradoxical tensions; how they socially construct inclusivity including purposefully and strategically adopting ISL; and the interplay between their diverse experiences, ISL and success in business and innovation. With this we hope to contribute towards strategic leadership theory and paradox literature. Additionally, it could further our understanding of leadership qualities that diverse employees/leaders bring to the table, strengthening the case for harnessing this largely untapped talent pool by mainstreaming broad-based diversity and inclusion policies within organisations.