This work offers a psychodynamic insight into Thanatic behaviours and considers the implications for organizational studies. To further inform organizational leadership theory and praxis there is a requirement to uncover the origins of these destructive behaviours, which the authors believe reside in the realm of the unconscious.

ADRIAN N. CARR is Principal Research Fellow in the School of Social, Community and Organizational Studies at the University of Western Sydney, Australia. His main research interest is the application of insights from Psychology and Sociology in order to provide a critical understanding of human behaviour in formal organizations.CHERYL A. LAPP has a Masters of Education in Adult and Higher Education degree and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta, Canada. She is also a Canadian Certified Human Resource Professional who has been an instructor, researcher and practitioner of organizational leadership, followership, management and change for more than 20 years in universities and the telecommunications industry. As President and Principal Consultant for Labyrinth Consulting, she has co-researched and co-authored numerous manuscripts published and presented around the world.

Contemplating Death: Introduction and Overview The Death Instinct and Destruction: Sigmund Freud and Melanie Klein Expanding on the Death Instinct: Sabina Spielrein and Destructive Reconstruction Moving Graveyards: Herbert Marcuse and the Death Instinct Turning into One Another: The Death Instinct in Group Study Leadership is a Matter of Organizational Life and Death Conclusions