Understanding leadershipOctober 2, 2015

Understanding leadership – Part 3: THE ONE UP THERE… the "father archetype"

We all know the patriarchal leadership style—the 1950s boss caring for "his people". Many current leadership ideas stem from the father–child image; requiring leaders to be role models or motivate staff reflects patriarchal thinking. Searching for: how do adults voluntarily submit to leaders? In 1995 I found archetypes shaping leadership relations.

The father archetype

Fathers as strict, knowing, sometimes despotic.

Manager ≠ leader

A department head has positional power; they become a leader when people follow—best by activating archetypes.

Leader = father?

Stylised fathers trigger child roles: "THE ONE UP THERE will fix it"—protection and disempowerment; love, hate, rebellion. Freud on longing for authority as longing for the father.

Personnel leadership = guardianship?

The term "Personalführung" implies employees need guardianship (Türk 1988). Father–child relations can stabilise; liberation often comes via other archetypes—Hero and Saviour next.

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