Professor Lovelace researches the social and cognitive influences that shape leader behavior, leader-follower relationships, and performance at the individual and firm level.

In his general leadership research, Professor Lovelace explores the factors that influence how leaders make sense of their environment and subsequently provide direction to people and organizations. As a specific extension of this broader research stream, he utilizes an Upper Echelons Theory Perspective to examine the sensemaking processes of senior leaders, focusing on the influence of variables like celebrity, status, and reputation on leader cognition, behavior, and performance in dynamic environments.

Professor Lovelace has published journal articles, books, and book chapters in a variety of outlets, including Academy of Management Review; Academy of Management Journal; Journal of Management; and The Leadership Quarterly. Professor Lovelace is an International Research Fellow for the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

He teaches classes on leadership, power and influence, and organizational change at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He also has experience running corporate education workshops for a variety of organizations in the public and private sectors. Prior to his academic career, he served as an Officer in the United States Army from 2002 until 2014.