cfp: Everybody Hurts, Sometimes – Emotions and Dysfunctional Leadership

CALL FOR PAPERS: European Journal of International Management

Special Issue: Everybody Hurts, Sometimes – Emotions and Dysfunctional Leadership


Guest Editors: Jeanette Lemmergaard, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark and Sara Louise Muhr, Lund University, Sweden




Organizational
dysfunction characterizes a facet of today’s workplace that is often
hidden or ignored. In general we expect, albeit naively, that business
leaders will do the right thing. They are expected to act honourably,
in accordance with organizational and institutional values, as well as
acting ethically. The ideal leader of the 21st century can integrate
all the necessary subordinates and know how to build a team while
making themselves dispensable. They know how to lead a diverse
workforce, possess strategic skills, have a learning focus, as well as
an international orientation. They offer constructive criticism when
things go wrong and resolve conflicts diplomatically, respecting
subordinate’s expectations and ambitions. Also, ideal leaders are
expected to be passionate about their jobs. They are supposed to show
emotional commitment and devotion and are expected to involve their
personal lives in the organization, thereby integrating their own
‘selves’ into the life of the organization. They are one with the
organization; a symbol of its being.


However,
such leaders are mostly mythical creatures. In reality most leaders
gain their position due to technical expertise rather than an ability
to work with human resources, and consequently tend to be strong in
operational and technical skills, but less so in
relations-building-skills. Moreover, leaders’ performance tends to be
measured on a cost-efficiency basis, and when pursuing functional
objectives, leaders can often be dysfunctional for the well-being of
those who are charged with delivering this functionality.


Leaders’
incompetence manifests itself in various ways, such as indecisiveness
and over-controlling behaviour or an overriding concern for production
and efficiency at the expense of the human resources. Opinions on
leadership and leaders are thus often constructed on the basis of
diverse rather than shared meanings. Also, many ‘successful’ leaders
may have psychopathic, narcissistic, and histrionic personality
disorders, which, although they may sometimes help them in climbing the
ladder of success, eventually will result in a dysfunctional workplace
of others.


Leaders
are people like the rest of us, human beings with emotions, fears, and
desires. Leaders make mistakes, their actions have different
consequences than intended, and sometimes they do not act at all. The
aim of this special issue is on this view to capture the ‘other side’
of leadership, to challenge the ideal image of the heroic and
charismatic leader almost displayed like a superhero. We want to invite
contributions that investigate current state of emotions and
dysfunctional leadership around the globe, applying unique
perspectives, and analyses. Qualitative and quantitative as well as
conceptual approaches are encouraged. Papers also should point to the
future of leadership with particular emphasis on how best to advance
the arguments, methods, and effectiveness of leadership.


Subject Coverage


Examples of topics appropriate to the theme of emotions and dysfunctional leadership include:


· Leaders as the disruptive force in their organizations
· The passionate leader
· The loving and caring leader
· Emotional ignorance
· Emotional workplace bullying
· Trust-breaking
· Tyrannical behaviour towards subordinates
· Leadership fantasies
· Micro leadership, with emphasis on roles and implications of roles
· Manic leadership
· Inaccessibility of leadership
· The invisible leader
· Manipulative leadership
· Management of meaninglessness
· Gossip and rumours
· Managerial cowardliness
· The ‘successful psychopath’
· Consequences of workaholic tendencies of individuals in organizational
  power positions
· Prevention and intervention strategies – who sets them, how are they
  enforced?
· Whistleblowing – usefulness and effectiveness
· Feedback phobia
· Pushing employees outside their comfort zone – promises and challenges




Notes for Authors


Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.


All
papers are refereed through a peer review process. A guide for authors,
sample copies and other relevant information for submitting papers are
available on the Author Guidelines page http://www.inderscience.com/mapper.php?id=31


Important Dates:


Extended abstract submission deadline: August 15, 2009


Full paper submission deadline: December 1, 2009


No changes can be made to the papers after: April 30, 2010


Publication release: November 2010 (Vol. 4, No. 4)




Editors and Notes:


You may send one copy in the form of an MS Word file attached to an e-mail (details in Author Guidelines) to:


Jeanette Lemmergaard, University of Southern Denmark, e-mail: jla@sam.sdu.dk and Sara Louise Muhr, Lund University, e-mail: saralouisemuhr@gmail.com


With an email copy only to:


EJIM Editorial Team, e-mail: editors@ejim-global.org and IEL Editorial Office, e-mail ejim@inderscience.com


Please include in your submission the title of the Special Issue, the title of the Journal and the name of the Guest Editors.

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