The Anarchist within: Clinical Reflections on Russian Character and Leadership Style

This article highlights a number of salient aspects of the culture and character of Russia (now the Russian Federation) in order to facilitate an informed understanding of the way Russians deal with organizations and approach leadership style. When appropriate, the clinical paradigm is applied, dimensions derived from cultural constructs are utilized, and examples are given of the author's fieldwork in Russian organizations. The article starts by examining how a number of contextual factors contribute to stoicism as a typical Russian character trait and make for a collectivist outlook. The implications of Russian child-rearing and educational practices are then discussed and the article analyses the development of a `false self' - a public self that is split from the true private self - particularly during the Soviet era. Other themes explored include emotional expressiveness, a particularistic outlook toward other people, Oblomovism and oscillation between order and disorder The destructive bureaucracy in Russia is shown to be a social defence; the Czar legacy and the wish for strong leadership are also analysed. The article ends by making a number of general comments about leadership and organizational practices in the context of stimulating the transformation processes that have recently taken place in Russia.