Healing Discourse in It Management: Unveiling the Power of the “Leader Is Healer” Metaphor

This paper explores the “Leader is Healer” metaphor in the context of Information Technology (IT) leadership amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Using conceptual metaphor theory as a framework, we investigate how the metaphor of a leader as a healer – viewing the organization as a body, crises as ailments, and leadership as a healing process – can guide IT leaders to foster resilience, well-being, and recovery in their teams. Drawing on examples from the IT industry, we analyze the potential benefits of this metaphor, such as promoting a supportive work environment, enhancing mental health, and facilitating adaptability and growth. We also discuss potential drawbacks, including the risk of oversimplification, boundary violations, overreliance on leaders, and neglect of systemic issues. The paper suggests that the “Leader is Healer” metaphor offers a compassionate, human-centric lens for understanding and practicing leadership in the challenging landscape of the post-COVID world. Future research could explore the applicability of this metaphor in other industry contexts or compare it with other leadership metaphors.