The organizational fool: Balancing a leader’s hubris. (1990)

“.. explores the role of the sage-fool as means of creating a counter-vailing power against the regressive forces inherent in leadership, in other words, to reinforce the leader’s capacity for reality testing

Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries, Distinguished Professor of Leadership Development and Organisational Change, INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France.
Human Relations, 43(8), 751-770.

This paper explores the role of the sage-fool as means of creating a counter-vailing power against the regressive forces inherent in leadership, in other words, to reinforce the leader’s capacity for reality testing.

After a brief review of leadership theories, de Vries reviews some of the salient characteristics of the role of the sage-fool with a historical perspective.

He subsequently demonstrates how the fool, in playing the role of mediator between leader and followers, brings to the surface certain conflictual themes and thereby allows both parties to deal with the issues at hand.

In this context, the author examines the role of humor and joking relationships are examined. Finally, he presents two case examples of the fool in an organisational setting.

Access the full paper here: http://hum.sagepub.com/content/43/8/751.short