Narrative Leadership Style
Narrative leadership is interpreted as the leader who aspires to construct leadership by telling stories. Leadership is a task of persuasion, of winning people’s minds and hearts. Storytelling is thus inherently suited for the task of leadership. Learn about the narrative leadership style and how to use this style to inspire and motivate followers or to manage change.
What is Narrative leadership?
Narrative leadership is interpreted as the leader who aspires to construct leadership by telling stories. Because our lives are comprised of and lived in stories, leadership can be more effective when we take into account what those we lead are saying. The premise of narrative leadership is that storytelling has a significant role in leadership and organizational rationality. Narrative Leadership refers to the use of stories and narratives to increase employee morale, create a shared need to produce change, and lead collaboration. These stories, whether focusing on how the organization encountered and overcame difficulties or how it seizes new opportunities, are all designed to create a shared vision for those who are at present with the organization or those who will be employed in the future.
This means careful listening to the history and determining the boundaries erected by a story. Narrative Leadership is the willingness to learn the storied history of people and their organization then deliberately and cooperatively using those stories to fashion a future.
The breakthrough of the narrative approach in leadership and organization studies took place roughly two decades ago. Its theoretical underpinnings stem from the narrative paradigm, which says that all human beings are storytellers (homo narrans). Stories are engaged with power in organizations. Alongside knowledge, values, and emotions, stories convey leadership influence by mediating and shaping organizational reality. According to Bruner (1991), “most of our knowledge about human knowledge-getting and reality-constructing is drawn from studies of how people come to know the natural or physical world rather than the human or symbolic world.”
The application of the idea of constructing human and symbolic reality in David Boje’s study on narrative leadership (1991) became a kind of milestone in this field. He studied the dynamics of storytelling in a large office-supply firm and illustrated how people make sense of organizational storytelling. His empirical study indicated the potential of stories for leadership; and since the early 1990s, the discussion about storytelling and narrative leadership has meandered and increased greatly.
Storytelling leadership has become more popular in academic texts and particularly in normative texts that treat stories often instrumental in inspiring and motivating followers or to manage change. It is thus seen as a “managerial tool”. The stories make sense in the organizational flow, which takes place discursively in social interaction, both on formal and informal occasions.
Narrative leadership is a method and as such adaptable to all organizations. Generally, the term means two things. The first is to create or introduce change by relating the change initiative to stories. The second is to see that an organization has a story or stories that define it. In this use, before any change is initiated the leader will determine those stories and how they may impact what is proposed. Narrative leadership can be used in any organization. It is best used where change can take effect over time.
Narratives and stories are used to:
- Build trust.
- Create company branding.
- Instill organizational values.
- Encourage collaboration.
- Optimize knowledge sharing.
- Neutralize conflict.
- Create a shared vision toward the future.
Books to Read/References:
The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative by Stephen Denning (2011)
Related Links
You May Also Like
-
Appreciative leaders encourage contributions from those around them and facilitate the discussion to mutually solve problems. Understand the concept of Appreciative Leadership and learn about tools to create and ask powerful questions - that lead to new discoveries and possibilities. Instead of focusing on what’s wrong in the workplace, learn about, and build upon what works. Learn in this article the art to apply appreciative inquiry to specific situations and challenges at your workplace.
-
There are four characteristics of leadership that help us to understand the character of leadership as a concept. 1. Leadership is a process, 2. Leadership involves influence, 3. Leadership always occurs in a group context and 4. Leadership involves goal attainment. These are the four components that make up the character of the 'leadership' term and help us to define the leadership concept. All of these components of leadership have common characteristics.
-
Authoritarian Leadership Style
Although generally considered as a traditional, outdated, and non-preferred style of leadership, the autocratic style still can be used effectively in certain situations. It is a leadership style characterized by individual absolute control over a group. If you work for an autocratic leader, your job is usually to do what you're told. Learn more about this style and situations where this could be an effective style to use and when to avoid this type of approach. Analyze the characteristics of this style to evaluate if your followers consider you an authoritarian leader!
-
“Level 5 Leadership”, this term was coined by Jim Collins in his book “Good to Great” and it is all about achieving "Greatness" as a leader. This article will explain what we mean by Level 5 Leadership and what the characteristics of a Level 5 leader are. What it takes to achieve greatness as a leader, and what are the steps and strategies that one can use to move up to this top level of leadership.
-
Charisma is a certain quality of an individual personality, by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men. Charismatic Leader gathers followers, through dint of personality and charm. Understand the meaning and concept of Charismatic Leadership and the qualities of a charismatic leader. Gain an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of using charismatic leadership. Finally, explore the difference between charismatic and transformational leadership.
-
Facilitative Leadership is all about involving the employees in the decision-making process at all levels enhancing their sense of ownership, responsibility, and motivation. Facilitative leadership style uses a number of indirect communication patterns to help the group reach consensus and build commitment for the decision taken. To be effective in modern organizations, managers need to become facilitative leaders, learn what it means to be a one.
-
We define Lean as the systematic elimination of waste through a continual effort to decrease inefficiency; the lean leader strives to create a more efficient organization. Lean leadership is a philosophy. It is a consistent way of thinking and being in your role as a leader. The focus of this approach is on raising new leaders and help their team embrace a culture of continuous improvement. Learn what we mean by lean leadership style and its principles.
-
Narcissistic leadership is a leadership style in which the leader is only interested in him. Narcissists are good for companies that need people with vision and the courage to take them in new directions. Such leaders sometime might be highly successful, but is it a style to be followed. Learn the various types of narcissistic leadership and the characteristics of such leaders.
-
Understanding of how individuals of different cultures interact with each other is very important. Not all individuals can adapt to the leadership styles expected in a different culture whether that culture is organizational or national. In a fast-paced business environment, developing a richer understanding and sensitivity to other cultures is a skill that leaders must possess. Learn to be effective in a cross-cultural setting.
-
Participative leadership is one of the most effective styles and creates higher productivity, better contributions from group members, and increased group morale. The democratic leadership style consists of the leader sharing the decision-making abilities with group members by promoting the interests of the group members. Learn more about this leadership style and situations when it is effective.
