From Strategic Leaders to Societal Leaders: On the Expanding Social Role of Executives and Boards

Abstract

Scholarship on strategic leadership and governance has long operated under the assumption that strategic leaders’ influence and purview are predominantly constrained by organizational boundaries. Recent events and social movements have called this limited view of strategic leadership into question, however. In this editorial commentary, we explore the emerging trend of strategic leaders becoming—in both their own and stakeholders’ perceptions—societal leaders advancing social change inside and outside their organizations. We examine the research implications of taking a broader view of these leaders’ responsibility, one that reflects evolving social expectations.