Embracing relational vulnerabilities at the top: a study of managerial identity work amidst the insecurities of the self

Satama, Suvi, Seeck, Hannele and Garcia-Lorenzo, Lucia (2023) Embracing relational vulnerabilities at the top: a study of managerial identity work amidst the insecurities of the self. Culture and Organization. ISSN 1475-9551

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Abstract

This study aims to revitalise the concept of relational vulnerability in advancing the theory of managerial identity work. Drawing on 35 semi-structured interviews and 12 podcast interviews with top managers in Finland, we identify two entwined themes through which top managers practise identity work by negotiating their vulnerabilities in the workplace. Our study illustrates the embodied subtlety of relational vulnerabilities in top managers’ identity negotiations by showing they can function as a tool for the managers’ professional development. Our study contributes to the broader discussion on a more humane working life by investigating the ways in which top managers can foster workplaces in which vulnerabilities are used as a starting point for improvement rather than as a tool for disparaging the self and the others. This is an aspect of managerial identity work that deserves to be more profoundly considered in both academic debate and managerial practice.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/gsco20
Additional Information:	© 2023 The Author(s)
Divisions:	Psychological and Behavioural Science
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management H Social Sciences
Date Deposited:	04 Jan 2024 10:33
Last Modified:	30 Jan 2024 11:30
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/121149

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