Title
"Now He Belongs to the Ages”: The Heroic Leadership Dynamic and Deep Narratives of Greatness
Abstract
In this article, we review the psychology of hero development and hero worship. Heroes and hero narratives fulfill important cognitive and emotional needs, including the need for wisdom, meaning, hope, inspiration, and growth. Hero stories provide epistemic benefits by providing scripts for prosocial action, by revealing fundamental truths about human existence, by unpacking life paradoxes, and by cultivating emotional intelligence. To energize us, heroes promote moral elevation, heal psychic wounds, inspire psychological growth, and exude charisma.
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
2014
Publisher Statement
Purchase online at Palgrave Macmillan.
Recommended Citation
Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals. ""Now he belongs to the ages”: The heroic leadership dynamic and deep narratives of greatness" Conceptions of leadership: Enduring ideas and emerging insights. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Ed. Goethals, G. R., Allison, S. T., Kramer, R. M., & Messick, D. M.. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. 167-183.