Thought self-leadership: The impact of mental strategies training on employee cognitions, behaviors, and emotions
Thought self-leadership: The impact of mental strategies training on employee cognitions, behaviors, and emotions
In various literatures, cognitive based perspectives for human behavior in organizations have been mentioned. Perhaps the most notable one is the schema-based information processing view. These views focus on mental processing that occurs with little immediate self-controlled thought. Specifically, most of this work does not significantly address nor test the ability of employees to control and/or alter their own thinking. In short, these viewpoints typically assume that thought unfolds in a largely automatic as opposed to self-controlled manner. However, several other viewpoints suggest that thought can be self-controlled. Recently, it has been pointed out that employees in organizations can influence or lead themselves by utilizing specific cognitive strategies that include individual self-dialogue, mental imagery, beliefs and assumptions, and thought patterns (Manz & Neck, 1991; Neck & Manz, 1992). This paradigm is called “thought self-leadership” (TSL). This theory demonstrates that constructive thought management through the effective application of these cognitive strategies can develop individual performance in organization.
Several viewpoints indicate that thought can be self-controlled. Likewise, an underlying assumption of this proposal is that individuals do have the ability to control their own thinking. This assumption is based on a point that one of the most significant findings in psychology in the last twenty years is that individuals can choose the way they think (Seligman, 1991, p. 8). This position is especially relevant given the recent trends towards empowering people to be more autonomous.
Gradually, Manz (1983, 1986, 1992) has developed TSL, expending on the process of self-leadership. Self-leadership is defined as the “the process of influencing oneself to establish the self-direction and self-motivation needed
In various literatures, cognitive based perspectives for human behavior in organizations have been mentioned. Perhaps the most notable one is the schema-based information processing view. These views focus on mental processing that occurs with little immediate self-controlled thought. Specifically, most of this work does not significantly address nor test the ability of employees to control and/or alter their own thinking. In short, these viewpoints typically assume that thought unfolds in a largely automatic as opposed to self-controlled manner. However, several other viewpoints suggest that thought can be self-controlled. Recently, it has been pointed out that employees in organizations can influence or lead themselves by utilizing specific cognitive strategies that include individual self-dialogue, mental imagery, beliefs and assumptions, and thought patterns (Manz & Neck, 1991; Neck & Manz, 1992). This paradigm is called “thought self-leadership” (TSL). This theory demonstrates that constructive thought management through the effective application of these cognitive strategies can develop individual performance in organization.
Several viewpoints indicate that thought can be self-controlled. Likewise, an underlying assumption of this proposal is that individuals do have the ability to control their own thinking. This assumption is based on a point that one of the most significant findings in psychology in the last twenty years is that individuals can choose the way they think (Seligman, 1991, p. 8). This position is especially relevant given the recent trends towards empowering people to be more autonomous.
Gradually, Manz (1983, 1986, 1992) has developed TSL, expending on the process of self-leadership. Self-leadership is defined as the “the process of influencing oneself to establish the self-direction and self-motivation needed