Title: Testing a narrative methodology to explore the emergence of self-selected leaders in an online environment
Authors: Annick Janson, Lester Levy, Robert McQueen
Addresses: Excelerator: New Zealand Leadership Institute, The University of Auckland Business School, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. ' Excelerator: New Zealand Leadership Institute, The University of Auckland Business School, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. ' Management Systems, Waikato Management School, The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Abstract: A narrative psychotherapeutic methodology was extended to study emerging self-selected leaders in an online environment. The methodology developed included an interviewing protocol, a data analysis methodology and a change method. It assessed |dominant stories|, |unique outcomes| (contradicting the former) and alternative stories. Emerging leaders reported altruistic and personal motives for building their leadership online. Online leaders recognised changes in their communication patterns (unique outcomes), |re-authored| parts of their dominant stories and produced an |archetypal| success story inspiring others to engage in change processes. An interdisciplinary quest motivated this study with implications both as a research approach and a change catalyst.
Keywords: qualitative research; narrative methodology; virtual leadership; emerging leaders; online leaders; change catalysts.
International Journal of Learning and Change, 2006 Vol.1 No.2, pp.162 - 179
Published online: 04 May 2006 *
Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article