Leadership and personality: reflections on psychic suffering at work

Abstract

The present article is a theoretical study on leadership, personality and psychic suffering at work based on the work of Chisthophe Dejours. The current scenario of the world of work and the idealized demands for the occupation of leadership positions together with the psychic structuring of the subject are facilitators for the emergence of psychic suffering at work. The changes in work caused by the speed of technology, speed of information, globalization of the economy and unemployment are present in the life of the leaders in the organizations. The leader is required to be prepared to deal with these changes and coexist with uncertainties that are favorable to the onset of anxiety and decreased self-esteem.The professional profile demanded by the organizations for the leaders contains high requirements of professional skills and competences besides pressures on results, the ability to decide and to live with constant unemployment threats. These demands of work organization are triggering factors for psychic suffering. Another factor contributing to the onset of psychic suffering concerns the subject's life history and personality traits. Exercising leadership positions may according to the organization of the work and the personality of the leader cause psychic suffering and further studies on this subject are necessary.