Leadership-as-Sentiments: An afrocentric perspective

This paper examines how sentiments shape perceptions and practices of leadership in 20 local community councils in four African nations: Cameroon, Nigeria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Theorizing emerged from data derived through interviewing, observation and historical culture analysis. Applying psychoanalytical discursive approaches and exploring through narrative encounter, microstoria and interpretation, findings indicate that sentiments is central to the conceptualization and practice of leadership in context. This makes reciprocity, respect, resilience, and representation essential for effective leadership. The sentiments perspective to leadership poses a challenge to the dominant focus on leader traits, behavior, and leader-follower dialogic dominant in mainstream accounts of leadership. The paper adds impetus to the new discourse on sentiments in leadership in cross-cultural leadership studies and locates avenues for future research.