Smiling is contagious, and so is an attitude of hope and positivity. The most effective leaders are those who are luminous candles, who can light up others to be the same.
As we learned in our PSYCH 485 course lesson, the “psychodynamic approach results in an analysis of the relationship between the leader and the follower” (PSU WC, 2016). The psychodynamic approach to leadership posits that when leaders are able to self-reflect, and are engaged in finding insight in their own psychology, they will be more effective leaders overall, and in understanding the psychological makeup of those who follow them. Psychiatrist Carl Jung (1934-1954) philosophized on the concept of archetypes, which is based on the idea that through knowing that humanity shares a collective unconscious, which is an inherent type of knowledge, common sense if you will, and from this framework we can identify patterns of human behavior. Jung (1934-1954) then identifies numerous archetypes which can a means of aiding one to understand themselves and then recognize themselves in others.
The psychodynamic approach to leadership teaches that its important for leaders to get in touch with their subconscious reactions, or actions that they may not be aware of how they are perceived by others. The approach also promotes the idea that by cultivating greater self-awareness, leaders are better able to control and accept reality, and therefore be more effective in responding to the needs of their followers because they understand potential emotive responses/ reactions (PSU WC, 2016).
Energy spent on worrying and distress over what may not happen and what ifs is wasted energy that could be used to effect positive change. Colin Powell, in advice on leadership, states that “perpetual optimism is a force multiplier” (as cited in Harari, 1996). A leader needs to be an example for his followers, needs to let people believe in what they’re doing, and the only way to show this is to be enthusiastic, and carry a wave of optimism that washes over everyone else. If the leader is down, people lose hope, if the leader thinks they’ll fail, how are the followers expected to believe they will succeed?
This thought leads us to a second lesson from Chairman Powell- “The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership” (Harari, 1996). The lesson commentary warns against “the shadow self” or “negative aspects about oneself” that persons might not be aware of within themselves (PSU WC, 2016) My wife was watching an episode from the television series *Downton Abbey* last night, and I was reminded of a scene where a wealthy upper-class lady prods her servant to open up to her about her problems saying she wants to help. The series is set about a century ago, highlighting classism and a time where the divide between rich and poor were starkly separate worlds. Yet, the working class relied on the upper classes for employment, and in a household such as Downton, the employers are successful and harmony and balance is achievable when the staff members felt they could rely on the higher-ups for confidence, as well as assistance when needed.
“Real leaders,” Oren Harari writes in commentary of Powell’s advice, “real leaders make themselves accessible and available” (Harari, 1996). A leader unaware of their shadow self might not recognize or understand how others perceive them, so being able to see their shadow selves can be helpful for leaders to prevent or understand imbalance or misconception between them and their followers (PSU WC, 2016).
That being said, you can’t please everyone, and to try is a “sign of mediocrity” (Harari, 1996). The King knows his subjects won’t always be pleased with his decisions, and there will always be complaints. Some even will even need to think the King is harsh, because the King won’t be able to make everyone happy, all the time. “Being responsible,” Powell says “sometimes means pissing people off”. The King needs to know when to stick to his principles or make a decision he knows to be best, or even if he doesn’t know “you don’t know what you can get away with until you try” (Harari, 1996). “Ironically […],” Harari comments, “by trying not to get anyone mad, and by treating everyone equally ‘nicely’ […] you’ll simply ensure that the only people you’ll wind up angering are the most creative and productive people in the organization”.
Understanding how followers respond to leadership or a leader’s personality Northouse (loc. 6199, 2016) discusses transferential processes, which are behaviors followers often exhibit toward leaders. By understanding the psychological responses of followers, leaders can understand when they need to change their approach, set limits, and know when to encourage what to discourage.
To recap, the psychodynamic approach helps illustrate the importance and affect of a leader’s psychological makeup on followers. Lessons to direct inspiring and effective leadership behavior: be happy and encourage hope and dreams, be relatable and approachable to people, and please some people but never try to please everyone at once; so don’t be afraid to stand alone in a crowd.
References:
Harari, Oren. (1996, December). Quotations from Chairman Powell: A Leadership Primer. Management Review, 00251895, Vol. 85, Issue 12
Penn State World Campus (2016). PSYCH 485: Leadership in Work Settings. Lesson 3: Psychodynamic Approach. Retrieved from: <https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1803831/modules/items/21139803>
Northouse, Peter G.. Leadership: Theory and Practice (Kindle Location 6203). SAGE Publications. Kindle Edition. 2016.