Understanding leadershipDecember 26, 2015
Understanding leadership – Part 15: What is your image of humanity?
Our image of humanity shapes our social behaviour
Our image of humanity shows how we see "people". We perceive real people through that grid and behave accordingly—a manager's image also shapes behaviour toward those they lead.
Our image is shaped by life experiences, especially early years: How does the world meet me? Do I get what I need? Do I feel secure with others? Can I trust people? We form images confirmed and reinforced over life—from "I" to "one". Generalisations help us act quickly but also stereotype the world: women are like this, men like this, managers, works councils, civil servants like this, as in the picture.
Do people cheat? Are they greedy and self-interested? If you say yes, you have had such experiences—but you may also create circumstances that confirm them.
Our image of "people" depends on cultural, economic and political conditions. Leadership literature uses "image of humanity" for varied assumptions about "the" human; these implicit views shape recommended methods. Motivation theory often assumes people avoid work unless pushed. Under another image—work as purposeful shaping of nature—work is a basic human need and job loss feels like loss of meaning.
Prejudgements
Efforts to explain human nature are attempts to describe, predict and control behaviour in a reductive way. Our image of humanity is always shaped by pre-judgements from conscious and unconscious experience—simplified statements about human nature as we feel it.Personality theory
The concept links to implicit personality theory: everyone develops assumptions about personality and behaviour in general. These act as stereotypes guiding action; every leadership act includes assumptions about who the led person is, what they intend and how they pursue goals.Subjective perception and self-fulfilling prophecy
Perception is subjective and selective and shapes our actions. If a manager holds a certain image and evaluates situations through it, that perception has real consequences.Example: If you assume staff are unmotivated, dependent and unwilling to take responsibility, your resulting leadership behaviour will often confirm those assumptions—again vicious circles and "self-fulfilling prophecy".Next posts introduce important images of humanity in working life. Finally the humanistic psychology image, basis of modern leadership approaches.
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