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The Mysteries of Iconic Leadership on Zoom

In: Organizational Communication and Technology in the Time of Coronavirus

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  • Barry Brummett

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

Abstract

Institutional reactions to the Covid pandemic brought about a great many changes in work life. One important, complex change was in how people see each other and see leaders in organizations. This change was influenced by the rapid and widespread use of Zoom as a way to communicate. In particular, the appearance of (usually) small icons on a screen both created strangeness and mystery among organizational agents, and gave limited access to knowledge of others, especially leaders, in organizations. This chapter turns to some theories of the American scholar Kenneth Burke to explain how Zoom creates a push-pull of mystery yet attraction. Communication balances on the knife’s edge between strangeness and scanty knowledge, on the one hand, and access to the means, if limited, of achieving identification within organizations, on the other hand. This balance is ancient and comes down to us from an origin in religious symbolism.

Suggested Citation

  • Barry Brummett, 2022. "The Mysteries of Iconic Leadership on Zoom," Springer Books, in: Larry D. Browning & Jan-Oddvar Sørnes & Peer Jacob Svenkerud (ed.), Organizational Communication and Technology in the Time of Coronavirus, chapter 0, pages 49-62, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-030-94814-6_3
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-94814-6_3
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