Diversity leadership as perceived by Norwegian military officers

Purpose This study examines how seasoned military officers in a Norwegian Command and Staff College leadership course conceptualize diversity leadership and whether they perceived the course as contributing to their understanding, despite the topic not being explicitly addressed. Design/methodology/approach Open-ended questionnaire responses from 13 participants were analyzed using thematic and lexical approaches. Findings The majority of officers conceptualized diversity leadership in business-case terms, emphasizing the value of differences in work-related competencies. A smaller proportion emphasized identity or demographic markers central to representational or social justice perspectives. Almost all participants reported learning about diversity leadership implicitly through the course. Originality/value Published empirical research on diversity leadership in military contexts is scarce and, to date, absent in Norway. This study provides original insights into how military leaders interpret diversity leadership and examines whether a course without explicit coverage of the topic contributed to their understanding.