A Conceptualization of a Joyful Leadership Style
ISBN: 978-1-83797-251-7, eISBN: 978-1-83797-250-0
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter proposes a conceptualization of joyful leadership as a unique leadership style and identifies a future research agenda to further explore the concept. While the concept of joyful leadership appears repeatedly in the nonacademic literature, including in blogs, vlogs, and podcasts, there is limited reference to joyful leadership in the academic literature highlighting a lack of academic rigor around the concept. Joyful leadership is proposed as a unique leadership style with specific patterns of behavior demonstrated by the leader. This research draws on understandings of emotion, positive affect, and leadership in the academic literature to develop a conceptualization of joyful leadership.
Design
The proposed conceptualization is based on an extensive literature review drawing from both the leadership field and the study of emotions including various theoretical perspectives from these diverse fields.
Findings
Based on discrete emotion theory a conceptualization of joyful leadership as a unique leadership style is presented, identifying key patterns of behavior associated with joyful leadership including discrete autonomic patterns, actions, nonverbal signals, and identified feelings.
Value
This research outlines a conceptual model to provide an understanding of the concept of joyful leadership as a unique leadership style. It draws on the current study of emotion, positive affect, and leadership and more specifically examines the concept of joyful leadership aligned to discrete emotion theory. This particular theory of emotion, when examined in relation to leadership, provides a basis for the concept of joyful leadership as a leadership style and the basis for its proposed characteristics and outcomes.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgments
The thoughts and insights of the participants of the 2022 Emotion in Leadership Symposium are greatly appreciated, where ideas in this chapter were first presented.
Citation
McIntyre, K., Graham, W., Mulcahy, R. and Lawley, M. (2024), "A Conceptualization of a Joyful Leadership Style", Ashkanasy, N.M., Troth, A.C. and Humphrey, R.H. (Ed.) Emotion in Organizations (Research on Emotion in Organizations, Vol. 19), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 219-243. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1746-979120240000019010
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024 by Emerald Publishing Limited