Institution, Human, Technology

​This session is part of the Introduction to Political Technology course at Newspeak House, open to faculty and fellowship candidates only.

​In this second seminar, Dr Six Silberman turns our attention to leadership and the human experience of organisational life. We will examine what leadership is, how it differs from related functions like management or decision-making, and whether it is always necessary. The session explores different styles and approaches to leadership, the conditions under which they flourish, and the possibility of distributing leadership across many people.

​From there, we shift focus to the individual in the organisation: how communication, anxiety, psychological safety, and self-determination shape people’s experience of work and collective endeavour. We will discuss how contexts can support or thwart basic psychological needs such as autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and how this affects engagement and performance.

​Finally, the seminar investigates boundaries, diversity, and contested terrain in organisations. We consider the value of psychological distance, the role of participation in generating legitimacy, and the dynamics of hype, bubbles, and crashes. Throughout, we ask: what makes for healthy organisational life, and how can leadership contribute (or fail to contribute) to it?