Media Narratives of Leadership: A Decade of German Newspaper Discourse

This study employs a ten-year dataset (2009-2019) from six national newspaper publications to analyse implicit leadership prototypes in German newspaper narratives within the framework of Culturally Endorsed Implicit Leadership Theories (CLT). It explores how cultural values and media discourses shape perceptions of leadership, examining the distribution and representation of six CLT dimensions across German newspapers with a focus on their alignment with societal leadership expectations. The findings reveal an emphasis on Autonomous and Humane-oriented Leadership, corresponding with Germany's cultural preference for independence and empathy. Charismatic and Participative Leadership traits also feature prominently, indicating an evolving preference for value-added and collaborative leadership frameworks. Conversely, Team-oriented and Self-protective Leadership receive less representation. A comparative analysis of the framing of editorials reveals a distinct preference of business-focused newspapers which emphasise autonomous and charismatic leadership traits, while those of a more generalist and sensationalist nature offer less nuanced descriptions. The study advances Implicit Leadership Theories by integrating cultural and media-specific contexts, underscoring the media's dual role in reflecting and shaping leadership perceptions in the population. It calls for a cross-cultural analysis, drawing parallels between leadership illustrations in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America to enhance leadership strategies in an increasingly globalised media landscape. By comparing leadership representations in these countries, it identifies both universal and culturally contingent leadership attributes, enriching the broader discourse on leadership perception and media framing. The study concludes with a call for leadership frameworks aligned with cultural norms and media discourses.