Shaping What Shapes Us

Mediatization is a well-acknowledged phenomenon by academia that denotes the ways reality is stirred by the implications of digital nevertheless, there is little adaptive knowledge on the impacts of this phenomena in crucial organizational management concepts such as leadership. In response to these scientific uncertainties, the principal aim of the present inquiry was to explore the nuanced manners in which leaders harness digital media to foster positive transformations in their organizational environments and society. Based on this, the central research question reads as follows: How is Mediatized Leadership practiced by creative(s) roles to enhance “positive impact” within their organizational structures and in society? The general scope of positive impact outcomes demanded a separation into two (2) research focuses based on the nature of the improvement: 1) Positive impacts in organizations, and 2) Positive impact in society. Grounded on theory, a thematic analysis surrounding the strategic use of media in leaderships to foster beneficial outcomes in these two settings was studied. This helped to get a first glance on the mode of digital media employments by leaderships across the aisle. This study employed a qualitative methodology by means of semi-structured interviews conducted to fifteen (15) leaders in creative positions. Thereafter, a thorough transcription of the interviews was performed. A three-level inductive analysis in the form of an analytical code tree followed to identify general (relevant) patterns. Improvements in organizations by means of mediatized leadership practices aimed to reinforce artistic entrepreneurship, leadership practice reflexivity, and organizational synergy. improvements in the social sphere related to the formulation of social capital and social innovation. The implications of this research evidenced the strategic improvements and ethical considerations of employing digital media in organizational and society. It underscored the need for greater adaptive leadership strategies that enhance digital media's potential while navigating complexities. Future research was encouraged to explore the impacts of mediatized leadership practices on creativity and innovation, improve its methodological weaknesses by expanding the interview sample, and seek greater contextualization across different cultural and technological realities. In conclusion, this study developed a greater theoretical understanding of mediatized leadership's role in the progress of organizations and society. By involving digital media technologies in leadership strategies, creatives fostered innovation, enhanced communication, and promoted inclusive leadership in the digital era.