Abstract
This chapter argues that positive leadership that grows out of positive psychology and strengths-based leadership theories has its own blind spot, which must be overcome in order to understand the process of authentic change and workplace transformation. Various philosophical, religious, and cultural worldviews are used to indicate the interconnected and interdependent nature of positivity and negativity that exists in the physical, biological, and spiritual world. Such an honest, balanced, and integrative approach to what is perceived to be positive (yang) and negative (yin) may overcome the blind spot of positive leadership and pave the way for mutually inclusive yin-yang leader-follower relationships in organizations toward authentic change and workplace transformation.
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Notes
- 1.
See BBC articles on “Is failure the new literary success?” (Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20190703-why-suffering-setbacks-could-make-you-more-successful) and “Why suffering setbacks could make you more successful?” (Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20190620-is-failure-the-new-literary-success).
- 2.
The butterfly life cycle. The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. Retrieved from https://ansp.org/exhibits/online-exhibits/butterflies/lifecycle/
- 3.
It is Okay to NOT be Okay (January 14, 2015). In Authentic Alaska. Retrieved from https://authenticalaskan.com/2015/01/14/its-okay-to-not-be-okay/
- 4.
Carbon. Retrieved from https://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/phys/carbon.htm#Intr
- 5.
Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-electricity-4019643
Petros and his wife Annie have lived together for 35 years. She is an authentic pessimist and Petros is an authentic optimist. His outlook to the world is positive in most cases. Her outlook to the world, in most cases, is negative. When he sees a painting, for instance, he spontaneously appreciates the artwork. When his wife sees the same painting, she spontaneously critiques and tries to find errors. Petros sees the glass half full. Annie sees the same glass half empty. They complement each other, and as magnets, +/−, they attract each other. Their friends and family, including their two grown children, consider them a good match.
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Malakyan, P.G., Wang, W., Niles, S.P. (2020). Overcoming the Blind Spot of Positive Leadership: Authenticity Amidst Change. In: Dhiman, S., Marques, J. (eds) New Horizons in Positive Leadership and Change. Management for Professionals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38129-5_5
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