In this chapter, I will highlight the limitations of analyzing leadership from a quantitative perspective, while demonstrating how a qualitative approach can provide a deeper, more context-sensitive understanding of leader-follower interactions. I primarily critique the use of pre-defined questionnaires and items in quantitative leadership research, as these methods restrict open dialogue from the outset. As a result, I argue that quantitative psychology is less capable of exploring the processes of meaning-making and their transformations. In the second part of the chapter, I introduce alternative validity criteria for qualitative leadership research—specifically, trustworthiness and authenticity. To illustrate these concepts, I provide examples of how these criteria can be effectively applied to strengthen the quality of this manuscript's qualitative research.