Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Top Leaders' Possible Selves - A Qualitative Exploration

Suraga, Claudia LU (2016) PSYK01 20201
Department of Psychology
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore top leaders' qualitative experience of their possible selves throughout their professional careers and the major influences on these. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three former CEOs of large global corporations. Critical Narrative Analysis served as the analytical approach towards the data and two major areas were identified: Characteristics, with themes Stability, Spectrum and Flexibility, and Ways of Functioning, with themes Personal Growth and Leadership. The leaders described their selves as dynamic and diverse structures anchored in a stable core with values set at an early age. Competence and personal development was emphasized as important self-drivers. A distinct duality emerged... (More)
The aim of this study was to explore top leaders' qualitative experience of their possible selves throughout their professional careers and the major influences on these. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three former CEOs of large global corporations. Critical Narrative Analysis served as the analytical approach towards the data and two major areas were identified: Characteristics, with themes Stability, Spectrum and Flexibility, and Ways of Functioning, with themes Personal Growth and Leadership. The leaders described their selves as dynamic and diverse structures anchored in a stable core with values set at an early age. Competence and personal development was emphasized as important self-drivers. A distinct duality emerged on the topics of social interaction and leadership, where both closeness and distance to people as well as both a rational and intuitive approach towards decisions, could be acknowledged. Personal development was depicted as a stepwise evolution of the self, shedding predefined categories. The findings confirmed previous research on the self, possible selves and personality and leadership and added four new perspectives: the simultaneous integration of seemingly contradictory possible selves, the interrelation between possible selves, the synchronized multiple positioning of the self and the avoidance of labels. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Suraga, Claudia LU
supervisor
organization
course
PSYK01 20201
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
possible selves, self-concept, leadership, CEO, personal development, qualitative research, critical narrative analysis
language
English
id
9008205
date added to LUP
2020-04-23 13:50:19
date last changed
2020-04-23 13:50:19
@misc{9008205,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study was to explore top leaders' qualitative experience of their possible selves throughout their professional careers and the major influences on these. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three former CEOs of large global corporations. Critical Narrative Analysis served as the analytical approach towards the data and two major areas were identified: Characteristics, with themes Stability, Spectrum and Flexibility, and Ways of Functioning, with themes Personal Growth and Leadership. The leaders described their selves as dynamic and diverse structures anchored in a stable core with values set at an early age. Competence and personal development was emphasized as important self-drivers. A distinct duality emerged on the topics of social interaction and leadership, where both closeness and distance to people as well as both a rational and intuitive approach towards decisions, could be acknowledged. Personal development was depicted as a stepwise evolution of the self, shedding predefined categories. The findings confirmed previous research on the self, possible selves and personality and leadership and added four new perspectives: the simultaneous integration of seemingly contradictory possible selves, the interrelation between possible selves, the synchronized multiple positioning of the self and the avoidance of labels.}},
  author       = {{Suraga, Claudia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Top Leaders' Possible Selves - A Qualitative Exploration}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}