Incompatible ‘archetype’ could limit leader’s effectiveness
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Michel Nugawela
A main cause of team or organisational dysfunction, or even executive failure, could be incompatibility between a leader’s “archetype” and the organisation in which they operate, leading to limited effectiveness, according to top brand development consulant Michel Nugawela.
Mr. Nugawela made these comments at a recently concluded Chevron Lubricants Asia Pacific leadership team meeting, which was held during February 14-17, 2016, in Colombo. Further, he noted that, “Leadership Archetyping, a disruptive Jungian psychological approach to individuation and leadership, (is) based on 12 archetypal dimensions of leadership that are able to significantly enhance and transform executive and team performance by connecting cognitive functions with the unconscious mind.
The 12 archetypes – Innocent, Orphan, Warrior, Caregiver, Explorer, Lover, Destroyer, Creator, Ruler, Magician, Sage and Jester – reflect the various roles that leaders can play in organisations and put a human face to the attitudes, interactions, and recurring patterns of behaviour that influence their effectiveness”. Additionally, Mr. Nugawela was quoted as commenting that the “basic requirements of the Warrior leader in its positive pole are mental toughness, professional competence, emotional control, realistic decision-making and motivating others to the highest levels of achievement.
But leaders who lack consciousness of the fullest potential of the Warrior archetype can also slide into its negative pole and see their role as a ‘win at any cost’ version of leadership. There is also a very real problem when leaders overextend their stay in the Warrior. They then unconsciously deny or repress other archetypes that are vital to the leadership role”. The Chevron featured the attendance of “global, functional and country leaders including global Supply Chain Head Kevin Luke, Head of Lubricants Asia Pacific Region Farrukh Saeed, Country Heads Joseph Bronfman, Chutintorn Pugkhem, Louie Zhang and Asim Ali Khan, regional leaders Kishu Gomes, Christopher Walden, Lennard Kwek and Joanne Koh, together with over 75 regional extended leadership members.
(JH)