Defining Hybrid Heroes: The Leadership Spectrum from Scoundrel to Saint

by Inge Brokerhof, Stephan Sonnenburg, Greg Stone

Overview

Defining Hybrid Heroes: The Leadership Spectrum from Scoundrel to Saint defines the hero (and his or her journey) from a hybrid perspective, exploring the spectrum from scoundrel to saint. It utilizes a more dynamic and situational outlook, regarding heroism not only as a personal characteristic, but also as a series of heroic acts within a given situation.

The book examines the hybrid hero from several distinctive points of view, e.g. through lenses dominated by fiction, business, politics and psychology, and paints a new, more complex portrait that takes full advantage of the authors’ varied backgrounds. Inge Brokerhof has an academic background in psychology and has studied the impact of narrative fiction on workplace variables, such as career identity, employability and moral leadership. Stephan Sonnenburg has studied Joseph Campbell and the impact of the hero’s journey on creativity and innovation management. Greg Stone is a communications consultant who teaches executives and professors how to explain their work in clear and compelling language.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781839992896
Publisher:	Anthem Press
Publication date:	06/11/2024
Series:	Anthem Series on Thresholds and Transformations , #2
Pages:	90
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.26(d)

About the Author

Inge Brokerhof is a writer and researcher affiliated with the Vrije Universityies Amsterdam, with a special interest in fictional narratives, rhetoric, social psychology and storytelling.

Stephan Sonnenburg is Permanent Professor at ICN Business School, Paris-Nancy-Berlin, with a special interest in creativity training, creative flow, design thinking, business and idea development, and innovation management.

Greg Stone is a communications consultant in the Boston area. He began his career as a writer at Time Inc. in New York, and as a TV reporter in Minneapolis, Boston, and on PBS.

Table of Contents

Prologue; Introduction; 1. The Role of Hybrid Heroes in Popular Stories and Moral Leadership By Inge Brokerhof; 2. Isn’t Every Heroic Person on a Hybrid Journey? Joseph Campbell Revisited By Stephan Sonnenburg; 3. Hybrid Heroes in Extremis and at Work By Greg Stone; 4. The Meaning of Hybrid Heroes for Individuals, Businesses, and Society: A Concluding Round-Table Discussion ; Index

Editorial Reviews

Defining Hybrid Heroes is a must-read book because it reimagines Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey. Three authors develop a new approach to heroes that takes it off its pedestal. Heroes no longer need to be the ideal type, the perfect moral right-acting person who lives in a time when gangsters and errant politicians, such as Trump, are considered heroes in some parts of society. To understand the path of the hybrid is to understand that all human beings have some heroic possibility and make some difficult transformation that qualifies them to be heroes. We all wanna be heroes. We all want heroes to save the day. But heroes are not saints. The book is a fascinating read offering a balanced mix of practical advice, a summary of the available literature and some new ideas.” — Emeritus Professor David Boje, New Mexico State University, and Honorary Professor at Fisk University

“Defining Hybrid Heroes is a must-read for the heroism enthusiast and socially conscious practitioner and academic. This book artfully integrates insights from a wide range of disciplines, including film, philosophy, psychology, and leadership theory, to illustrate the complexities of heroism and the grey areas it traverses. In a world that desperately needs more heroes, we equally need rich work such as this one that illuminates its intricate layers to recognize how it can be applied in many different facets of modern life.”— Olivia Efthimiou, PhD, Murdoch University

“This book is a breath of fresh air in providing an insightful look into the field of heroes, villains, and hybrid heroes. The combination of an analysis and critique of Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey with a look at the world of TV drama, fiction, and film where this model has been much used, alongside real-world hybrid heroes, provides a thought-provoking look at these characters and roles and offers an enjoyable and entertaining read. The book is simply an informative and enjoyable read for anyone interested in the topic as well as a potential springboard for scholars and researchers.” — Professor Clare Hindley, International University of Applied Sciences, Germany

“This fascinating book on the little-known topic of the ‘hybrid hero’ takes us on an enthralling journey that helps us better understand the complicated pathways of leadership that are taken by paradoxical protagonists and morally hamstrung heroes. It’s a must-read for leaders of any organization.” — Professor Michael Burke, UniversityCollege Roosevelt, Utrecht University

“This is a great interdisciplinary book moving from literary studies to organization studies, in which the traditional notion of the ‘hero’ in stories is critically questioned. The discussions have strong implications for both social and organizational life, showing that a more complex assessment of heroes as ‘hybrid’ may enrich our understanding of life and work.” — Professor Matthijs Bal, University of Lincoln

“Providing a dynamic interpretation while showing the ambivalent status of (hybrid) heroes and heroism and their situated acting in perspective, this book offers original reflections and ‘applications’ of the same with intriguing twists. Linking to popular stories and moral leadership, going on a journey with Joseph Campbell, and discussing various roles and figures, including fools and sages, the book offers valuable, transformational potentials for the reader and our (post-)heroic times.” — Prof. Dr. Wendelin Küpers, Karlshochschule International University

From the Publisher