The Organizational Story as Leadership

Bibliographic Data

ID12883258
AuthorsKen Parry (0000-0002-3223-443X, Griffith University, corresponding author), Hans Lauge Hansen (0000-0003-1171-4968, Texas Tech University)
Year2007
Volume3
Issue3
Pages281-300
Publication date2007-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueLeadership (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1742-7150 • E-ISSN: 1742-7169
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1742715007079309
OpenAlexW2126853352
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited53

Leaders are often noted for providing a compelling vision that inspires followers to act to fulfill the vision, often by telling stories. Here, we begin a separation of the notion of `leader as person' from the notion of leadership as the discourse that represents such a vision. We transcend the notion that leaders tell stories, to the proposition that stories themselves operate like leaders. We suggest that people follow the story as much as they follow the storyteller or author, hence the story becomes the leader. In discussing the characteristics that stories share with leadership, we generate two propositions. First, within the context of organizational development, leadership development can move from `people' development to the development of the narratives that resonate within organizations. Second, we decouple leader as person or position, from leadership as process in order to illustrate stories as leaders. We conclude with specific messages that individuals can take away

Aesthetics · Business · Context (archaeology · Epistemology · Leadership · Leadership development · Leadership studies · Leadership style · Literature · Narrative · Neuroleadership · Order (exchange · Political science · Position (finance · Proposition · Public relations · Servant leadership · Shared leadership · Sociology · Transactional leadership · History · Management and Organizational Studies · Organizational Leadership and Management Strategies · Organizational Strategy and Culture