Reframing organizations through leadership communications: the four-frames of leadership viewed through motivating language

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to integrate the Bolman and Deal’s (2017) Four Frames of Reframing Organizations with the Mayfield and Mayfield (2018) Motivating Language Theory so that those who lead organizations can better do so and those who guide the improvement and development of organizations can better prepare organizational managers/leaders.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the fusion of the Four-Frames Assumptions and Motivating Language Categorical Forms into one integration table, linkages and connections between the two frameworks are identified.

Findings

The findings of this work provide a “voice” to the Four Frames of Reframing Organizations and extend the field Motivating Language Theory as the medium of leader praxis.

Research limitations/implications

The implications for researchers are new opportunities for research and teaching.

Practical implications

The implications for those in the field are new opportunities for leader development and training leading to improved outcomes for employees and organizations.

Originality/value

This is the first integration of the Four-Frames and Motivating Language Theory extending and enriching both fields.

Citation

Holmes, W.T. and Scull, W.R. (2019), "Reframing organizations through leadership communications: the four-frames of leadership viewed through motivating language", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 33 No. 5, pp. 16-19. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-09-2018-0107