Self-Ideals and Prototypes: Psychoanalytic Dialogues of Identity and Leadership

Abstract

The author contextualizes recent developments in the leadership literature using psychoanalytic conceptions of self-identity. It is argued that psychoanalytic views of the self are complementary to contemporary social-cognitive approaches, although historical divergences in these literatures have impeded mutual dialogue. This initiative at dialogue examines charismatic, schema, and self- identity theories of leadership within a psychoanalytic framework, arguing that when self-identity is viewed broadly, convergences between these approaches become apparent. A broad view of the self makes central notions of authority in the construction of personal identities, highlighting the processes by which individuals construct normative ideals, and explaining notions of charisma that are difficult to reconcile with contemporary social-cognitive theories of identity.