The leader-poet: ethical growth through reflexive poetic engagement

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

9 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The pursuit of personal growth has been widely considered a desirable process in leadershipdevelopment. However, the capacity to improve ethical engagement remains enigmatic.Launching from Bendell and Little’s (2015) conceptualization of critical leadership studiesand Edwards, Elliot, Iszatt-White, and Schledlitzki’s (2015) call for creative techniques, thispaper assumes that rational, behavioural, knowledge and skills-based approaches toenhancing leadership capacity may fail to access deeper emotional experiences that can betterfacilitate profound inner transformation (van Buskirk, London, & Plump, 2015). We proposethat poetry and dialogue can be employed as tools for productive and reproductive reflection,as well as for research in developing ethical leadership capacity. Building on aninterdisciplinary approach of poetic inquiry (McCulliss, 2013) and reflexivity (Cunliffe,2009; Hibbert & Cunliffe, 2013) we present a phenomenological exploration of leadershipreflexive learning through the production and narration of poetry. This study aims tocontribute novel insight about ethical leadership learning that extends beyond traditional,rational approaches and taps into the emotional, spiritual, aesthetic and social process ofpersonal transformation.Keywords: poetry, leader development, ethical development, poetic
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 7 Sept 2018
EventThe Poetics of Leadership: Creativity, Art and Story in Enabling Meaningful Change - University of Cumbria, Ambleside, United Kingdom
Duration: 7 Sept 20188 Sept 2018
https://www.crossfieldsinstitute.com/research-conferences/

Conference

ConferenceThe Poetics of Leadership
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityAmbleside
Period7/09/188/09/18
Internet address

Keywords

  • leadership
  • reflexivity
  • ethics
  • poetry

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The leader-poet: ethical growth through reflexive poetic engagement'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this