Organizational leadership roles as a source of self-esteem : A terror management theory

This thesis presents research undertaken in order to construct a theory of organizational leadership roles as a source of self-esteem within the context of terror management theory (TMT). It begins with a review of TMT literature, complementary theories, and literature discussing the correlations between suicide and job loss, and ill health and job loss. This is followed by a description of philosophical underpinnings and methodology. Intensive interviewing and grounded theory methodology was employed. Leaders from healthcare, energy and not-for-profit organizations were asked to discuss the leadership expectations of their organization and how they experienced their roles. Theory construction proceeded on a tripartite basis, in that it was constructed from collected data, and informed by TMT literature and the researcher's philosophical underpinnings. Recommendations for the incorporation of attention to self-esteem into leader performance management, leadership development, and one's personal leadership practice, as well as recommendations for future research, are provided.

Author dc:creator

• Morin, Thomas

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Nasmyth, Guy
• Pulla, Siomonn

• Ernest Becker
• Existential Psychology
• Leadership
• Organizational Leadership
• Self-esteem
• Terror Management Theory

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10170/830

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.viurrspace.ca/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Anull%3A10170%2F830