Symbolism associated with leadership: A system-psychodynamic perspective

Abstract

This article focuses on the symbolic representations projected onto and into leaders in the South African organisational context. The aim is to explore the symbolic roles of leaders and the behavioural impact thereof. The research is conducted from a systems-psychodynamic perspective and a qualitative, explorative, social phenomenological study was conducted in an attempt to identify, analyse, describe and determine the impact of symbolic roles on leaders. The results seem to indicate that a number of symbolic roles, based on the diversity dimensions of race (black and white) and gender (male and female) and their different configurations, can be identified. The results are presented in the form of a number of working hypotheses on the impact of the symbolic roles on the conflict, identity, boundaries, authorisation, roles and tasks of leaders (CIBART).