Le processus de développement de la conscience de gestionnaires individualistes et stratèges : une investigation collaborative autour de l’expérience du pouvoir

Abstract

This thesis documents the transformations that occur in the expérience of power by managers evaluated to be in the first two stages of postconventional consciousness, namely Individualist and Strategist. Although reaching thèse stages of consciousness appears essential to stimulate organisational learning and development, their respective capacities and their processes of development are not well defined. A training/research program was thus set up to support the development of six Individualist managers and six Strategist managers concerning their expérience of power; that is, to identify, critically examine and support the transformation of their way of seeing, thinking about and using power. In keeping with the collaborative and developmental spirit of the inquiry, the data analysis consisted of grounded theorisation. Thus, it was possible to shed light on the dynamic structure and the components of the process of development at thèse stages, to write a narrative of the process of each participant and to présent a summary of the process typical of each stage. The analysis of thèse results shows that the process of development at the Individualist and Strategist stages is shaped by three major challenges: the conciliation of self-expression and self-sacrifice; the development of a more differentiated and integrated vision of self, others and the world; and involvement in relationships marked by intimacy and generativity. In addition, the results show that the Individualists' and Strategists' developmental processes culminate, respectively, with the récognition of the interdependent and mutually influential nature of relationships with others and with the clarification of the systemic long-term vision to which one wants to commit oneself. Moreover, the results also reveal that the development of consciousness contributes to the development of leadership, authority and political skills displayed by managers. Likewise, it appears that the psychological dynamic of the Individualist and Strategist stages can explain, respectively, servant leadership and transformational leadership. Finally, the results show that Individualist managers need to be supported in their development in order to stimulate organisational learning and development, in contrast to Strategist managers, who are able to do so from the start.