Abstract:

Senior people in organizations are now often called leaders; and yet, it was only a few years ago that such individuals were generally known as managers, or even as administrators. On the face of it, this apparently mundane practice, might seem innocent enough. However, we argue that the discourse of leadership draws a veil over the structured antagonism at the heart of the employment relationship. It also speaks to neoliberal values by normalizing an appearance of harmony between those who wield power and those who are subject to it. In this paper, we demonstrate how the discourse of leadership can be understood as an identity resource that enhances elite power because the positive connotations of the term make the acquiescence and enthusiasm of workers (who can now be cast in a follower identity) more likely. We hope therefore that this paper will help to challenge hegemonic representational practices and pave the way for other, more progressive forms of identity to emerge in organizational life.

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Primary Track: Critical Management Studies

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Prof Mark Learmonth

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