Purpose The purpose of this paper is to argue for a multi-dimensional and developmental notion of researcher positionality in conducting qualitative research, in lieu of the dichotomous notion of outsider and insider. The former emphasizes the agentive role researchers play in knowledge production, whereas the latter has been much challenged as oversimplified and insufficient in understanding the dynamic interactions in which field researchers engage. Design/methodology/approach The paper borrows Milner’s (2007) four-level framework of research personality to reflect on one cross-cultural narrative inquiry study. Findings Reflective stories revealed that researcher positionality captures threads of intersectionality as well as inter- and intra-personal dynamics, and thus better informs the research process than what concept of insider/outsider dichotomy can do. Research limitations/implications The paper enriches the discussion of research positionality in qualitative research by involving a cross-cultural study where the researcher moved to-and-fro two sites. Practical implications The paper suggests a methodological and practical way of raising researcher’s awareness and agency relative to positionality by exposing the researcher to cross-cultural settings. Originality/value While the multi-dimensional aspect of researcher positionality and its relatedness to research findings has been much discussed, not much acknowledgment has been given to the developmental aspect of research positionality.

A qualitative mini-case study of I. King Jordan and his leadership style explores the influence of a transformational leader on Gallaudet University and the Deaf community. The study features a template-style semistructured interview with Jordan regarding his perceptions of leadership and his personal insights. The study highlights the attributes of transformational leadership and encourages further research into leadership as a tool for change in the Deaf community and the disability rights movement. This exploration of the leadership style of Gallaudet’s first Deaf president is especially timely; the study was conducted between Jordan’s retirement announcement and the Gallaudet Board of Trustees’ decision to rescind an offer to his announced successor to become the university’s next president. That tumultuous transition accentuated the disconnect between Jordan’s transformational, charismatic leadership style, which affected generations of the Deaf community, and his followers’ dissatisfaction with his management and successor planning.

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