What are Leadership Archetypes, and Where did they Come from?
Oct 27, 2023
As you may know Elaine and I have created a short 5 minute Leadership Archetype Quiz which you can take here: Archetype Leadership Quiz.
Whilst this quiz gives you an idea of what might be one of your dominant archetypes, the full assessment goes much deeper. The full assessment gives you an understanding of how you sit in relation to all 12 archetypes and focusses on your 3 most dominant ones so you can get a greater understanding of how you relate to others in a leadership sense.
What are Archetypes and Who discovered them?
Archetypes are human storylines that we can all recognise and relate to. They are like fingerprints; nuanced and unique. They are deep, multi-layered, and detailed profiles of both individuals and organisations.
Carl Jung first postulated that ‘Archetypes’ exist. A Swiss psychiatrist prominent in the early to mid-1900’s, Jung was also an expert in myth and symbology. He studied cultures across the ages, noting many shared patterns, themes and symbols that were also present in the day-to-day experiences and struggles of his patients.
Jung proposed that the human mind is not exclusively the product of personal experience, but rather contains elements, which are common to all humans. These elements he called the ‘Archetypes’ and he proposed that while unconscious, these ‘cognitive categories’ influence our thoughts, behaviours, and the way we look at the world.
“Archetypes,” he wrote “are images and thoughts which have universal meanings across cultures.”
Jung said these story lines provide structure for human experiences. He believed becoming aware of how Archetypal patterns are playing out in our own lives is the path to expanding consciousness.
Many philosophers and teachers from Joseph Campbell to Carolyn Myss have expanded on Jung’s concept, creating their own names, categories or systems for applying Archetypes to help us answer the age-old questions of ‘who am I?’ and ‘where do I belong?’
But it was Carol Pearson who brought Archetypes into the modern business world. A researcher, author and educator, she led women’s and leadership studies programs at the University of Colorado, the University of Maryland and Georgetown University among others. She later became the president of Pacifica Graduate Institute which specialises in post graduate Jungian studies.
Through her academic research and work, Pearson uncovered 12 Archetypes that were most common in leadership and organisational settings. She has published numerous books about how to apply Archetypal narrative intelligence towards personal growth and organisational alignment. It is Pearson’s 12-Archetype framework that we use in our work at Business By Design Duo.
Applying Archetypes to Develop People and Organisations
Whether we are working with individuals, leaders, teams or even across an organisation, Archetypes provide a solid foundation for personal growth and organisational change. Here are four key concepts when working with Archetypes:
1) ARCHETYPES ARE STORIES.
Neuroscience shows that ‘story’ is the way our brains process information. Even when given a list of facts - our brains translate facts into stories in order to make them memorable and meaningful. In brain imaging studies our neural networks get lit up on stories.
2) EACH ARCHETYPE HAS STRENGTHS AND SHADOWS.
Just like human beings – Archetypes are rich and colourful, but also flawed and relatable. They each have their own motivations and strengths, but they also have and blind spots or shadows traits.
3) WE HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR ALL 12 ARCHETYPES.
One or more of these Archetypes may be related to an individual’s or organisation’s core identity, while others may shift over time in response to phases of life or business – or in response to situations encountered.
4) LATENT ARCHETYPES CAN BE ACTIVATED.
Knowing which Archetypes are less active in an individual or organisation can shed light on perspectives and skills that are missing.
The 12 Leadership Archetypes
