The Polyployee. On the lived experience of Polymaths' Engagement with Leadership Styles in Organisational Settings

Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation , 2022 , 406 Pages , Grade: 1.5

Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance

Build a niche. Algorithm yourself. Hyperspezialize. The work environment of the 21st century becomes a place of boxes, labels and tags, with leaders on top who are far beyond the capability to direct or steer, but rather react on risk scenarios, market losses and an overarching change aversion.

However, as the Universe medal has two sides by nature, there is an opposing force that came to light in the last years: Generalism. Not only as a term. Through the centuries unique individuals were able to learn faster, adapt rapidly and synthesize ideas quicker than others, namely: Polymaths. These individuals are part of the working world. Unfortunately, most of them live unheard and uncared for in organisational settings around the world.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Abstract
• Foreword
• CHAPTER 1 – Introduction
  • 1. Overview
  • 2. Research Background
  • 3. Gap in Research
  • 4. Aims of the research
  • 5. Methodological Approach and Conceptual Framework
  • 6. Significance of the Study
  • 7. Assumptions and Limitations
  • 8. Chapter Framework
  • 9. Summary
• CHAPTER 2 – Literature Review
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Engagement from the Leadership Perspective
  • 3. Engagement from the Employee Perspective
    • 3.1. Effects of Leadership Style on Engagement
    • 3.2. Value of Employee Engagement for an Organisation
    • 3.3. Communication as a Key Factor
  • 4. Polymaths or Multi-disciplinaries - A Description
    • 4.1. Trained or Inherited - A Differentiator
    • 4.2. Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Skills
    • 4.3. Pros and Cons of Polymaths in Organisations
  • 5. Summary
• CHAPTER 3 - Methodology
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Phenomenological Research Approach
  • 3. Research Philosophy
  • 4. The Role of the Researcher
  • 5. Sample size
  • 6. Data Collection
  • 7. Data Analysis
  • 8. Reliability and Validity
  • 9. Ethical Implications
  • 10. Summary
• CHAPTER 4 - Data Analysis
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Online Questionnaire Participants and Recruiting
  • 3. Polymath Interview Participants
    • 3.1. Characteristics of Participants
    • 3.2. Interview Schedule
    • 3.3. Interview Conduction and Transcription
    • 3.4. Data Analysis Process
  • 4. Researcher Reflections
  • 5. Summary
• CHAPTER 5 - Findings
  • 1.1. Overview
  • 1.2. Theme Generation Process for the Online Questionnaire and Interview Questions
    • 1.2.1. Prevailing Leadership Style in the Workplace
    • 1.2.2. Finding a Meaning in One's Work
    • 1.2.3. Autonomy in the Workplace
    • 31.2.4. Leadership Strategies to Facilitate Polymaths' Performance
    • 1.2.5. Negative Perceptions of Leaders
    • 1.2.6. Importance of Praise
    • 1.2.7. The Impact of Micromanagement on Polymaths' Performance
    • 1.2.8. Communication in the Workplace
    • 1.2.9. Polymaths' Input in Developing organisational Objectives, Mission, and Vision
    • 1.2.10. Teamwork Skills
    • 1.2.11. Demographic Information of Participants in the Interviews
  • 1.3. Inductive Themes emerging from the Online Questionnaire
    • 1.3.1. Diverse Developmental Model of Polymathy (Araki, 2018)
    • 1.3.2. Trait Polymathy and Resilience
    • 1.3.3. Polymathic Strategies of Adaptation to a Changing Work Environment
    • 1.3.4. The Polymathic Workplace of the Future
  • 1.4. Summary of the Online Questionnaire Results
  • 2. Theme Generation Process Polymath Interviews
    • 2.1. Polymath's self-characterization themes
      • 2.1.1. Polymaths Define Themselves as Experts across Disparate Disciplines
      • 2.1.2. Polymath Identity Emerges from not Fitting in a Box
      • 2.1.3. Being Polymathic Impacts One's Social Experiences
      • 2.1.4. Polymaths Have Difficult Career Choices
      • 42.1.5. Financial Resources Can Both Hinder and Promote Polymathy
      • 2.1.6. Polymaths are Shaped by Their Families
      • 2.1.7. Polymaths are Voracious Learners
      • 2.1.8. Polymaths are Quite Confident but May Also Experience "Imposter Syndrome"
      • 2.1.9. Polymaths Self-Identify as Highly Creative
      • 2.1.10. Polymaths Cannot be Happy as Narrow Specialists
      • 2.1.11. Effective Polymaths are Effective Time Managers
      • 2.1.12. Polymathy is due to Both Nature and Nurture but Polymathic
    • 2.2. Deducted Themes from Online Questionnaire
      • 2.2.1. Autonomy in the Workplace
      • 2.2.2. Input Developing Organisation Skills
      • 2.2.3. Communication in the Workplace
      • 2.2.4. The Impact of Micromanagement
      • 2.2.5. Importance of Praise
      • 2.2.6. Teamwork Skills
      • 2.2.7. Negative Perceptions of Leaders
      • 2.2.8. Leadership Strategies to Facilitate Polymathic Experiences
      • 2.2.9. Finding a Meaning in One's Work
      • 2.2.10. Prevailing Leadership Style
    • 2.3. Inductive Themes from Online Questionnaire
      • 2.3.1. The Polymathic Workplace of the Future
      • 2.3.2. Strategies of Adaptation
      • 2.3.3. Trait Polymathy and Resilience
      • 2.3.4. Diverse Developmental Models

  Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

  This dissertation explores the lived experiences of polymaths in the workplace and their engagement with leadership styles. The research aims to understand how polymaths' unique skills and perspectives impact their engagement and performance within organizational settings.

  • The impact of leadership styles on the engagement and performance of polymaths.
  • The challenges and opportunities faced by polymaths in navigating organizational structures.
  • The characteristics and traits that define polymathy and their influence on workplace dynamics.
  • The potential benefits and drawbacks of employing polymaths within organizations.
  • The evolving nature of work and the role of polymaths in shaping the future of organizational leadership.

  Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

  The first chapter introduces the research topic and provides context for the study. It defines the concept of polymathy, outlines the existing literature gap, and establishes the research objectives and methodological approach.

  The second chapter presents a comprehensive review of the relevant literature, exploring various aspects of engagement and leadership styles. It delves into the concept of polymathy and its implications for organizations, examining both the potential benefits and challenges associated with multidisciplinary talents.

  The third chapter details the research methodology employed, outlining the phenomenological approach and the rationale behind its selection. It discusses the role of the researcher, the sample size, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques used in the study.

  The fourth chapter presents the data analysis process, describing the online questionnaire and interview participants. It outlines the characteristics of participants, the interview schedule, and the data analysis methods used to extract meaningful insights from the collected data.

  The fifth chapter delves into the findings of the research, presenting the themes and insights uncovered through the analysis of both the online questionnaire and the interview data. This chapter explores the experiences of polymaths in various organizational settings and provides a deeper understanding of how their unique skills and perspectives influence their engagement and performance within the workplace.

  Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

  The primary focus of this dissertation is the lived experience of polymaths in organizational settings. Key terms and concepts include: polymathy, leadership styles, employee engagement, multidisciplinary skills, organizational structures, workplace dynamics, and the evolving nature of work.

• Grade: 1.5
• Author: Dr. Florian Stummer (Author)
• Publication Year: 2022
• Pages: 406
• Catalog Number: V1285722
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346767233
• ISBN (Book): 9783346767240
• Language: English
• Tags: Polymathy, Employee Engagement, Leadership Style, Change Management, Management Innovation