This case study analyses the leadership approach and practices of the New Zealand government, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, in the response thus far to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reports on how a shared sense of purpose has been established, that of minimizing harm to lives and livelihoods, for which the government has sought – and secured – New Zealanders’ commitment. Key leadership practices comprise the government’s willingness to themselves be led by expertise, its efforts to mobilise the population, and to enable coping, all of which serve to build the trust in leadership needed for transformative, collective action such as the pandemic demands. At the time of writing, New Zealand appears well on track to achieve its ambitious goal of achieving rapid and complete control over the COVID-19 outbreak – not just ‘flattening the curve’ as other countries are struggling to do – at least in part due to these leadership contributions. A framework of good practices for pandemic leadership is offered drawn from this case study, in the hope transferable lessons can be taken to aid others in the continuing struggle to limit the harm COVID-19 poses to lives and livelihoods throughout the world.

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This paper aims to provoke reflection and debate on researcher assumptions and the potential functions and consequences of truth claims made about leadership. A Foucauldian approach informs this comparative case study of key Classical Greek and transformational leadership texts, aiming to unsettle what we normally take for granted about leadership so as to enhance our capacity to explore new ways of thinking. Initially I address what is said about leaders, followers and their relationship in each case, after which I consider the historical context of these ideas, their potential effects for leader and follower subjectivity and their wider social function. The paper then identifies continuities and discontinuities in thinking, suggesting social context has a greater effect than is normally understood in shaping what is sayable and thinkable in respect of leadership, and revealing that leadership may possess mutable ontological foundations.

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