Am I a leader? Examining leader identity development over time

Integrating worthiness with leader identity development for college students

While leader identity development (LID) and meaning making are interwoven and essential for student development, little research has explicitly explored their intersection. In this article, we briefly summarize the work of two research projects that explored the intersection of LID and meaning making, including a review of the findings that "worthiness" is a central component of the LID process among college students. Next, we propose an Input-Process-Worthiness-Outcome model for LID that highlights the centrality of worthiness, conceptualizing inputs as developmental experiences; processes as meaning making, and outcomes as personal development. Finally, we close with a review of the scholarship behind the concept of worthiness and point out future research directions that require exploration regarding worthiness in LID, particularly among college students.

The interplay between the entrepreneurial leadership identity, entrepreneurial leadership competency and venture growth intentions of women in rural Australia

Cultivating business growth intentions in rural, regional, and remote women entrepreneurs is crucial, considering the unique challenges they face in rural areas. The growth intentions of rural, regional, and remote women entrepreneurs remain understudied. This study pioneers research on the interplay between entrepreneurial leadership competency, identity, and growth intentions of rural, regional, and remote Australian women. We surveyed rural, regional, and remote women entrepreneurs in Queensland, Australia, using structural equation modeling for analysis. Results revealed a positive relationship between entrepreneurial leader identity, business growth intentions, and entrepreneurial leadership competency. Moreover, entrepreneurial leadership competency positively correlated with growth intentions. The study indicated that entrepreneurial leadership competency partially mediates the link between identity and growth intentions. This research addresses a theoretical gap by introducing a new model showcasing the relationships between entrepreneurial leadership identity, entrepreneurial leadership competency, and venture growth intentions. From a practical standpoint, our findings strengthen the business case for improving tailor-made rural, regional, and remote entrepreneurial development programs.

What does it mean to follow? A critique of the followership literature and a conceptual model of the emergence of downward following

What does it mean to follow? In this paper, we systematically review the followership literature for the period 2017-2021. Our review shows that the followership literature suffers from three major issues that limit its validity. The followership field is dominated by a role-based approach equating direct reports with followers; empirical studies fail to study actual following behaviors, and there are no studies of downward following, which we define as any behavior or effort aimed at achieving a shared goal, carried out by an individual in a position of formal power who is influenced by one or more individuals in a position of inferior authority. Our manuscript builds on the process approach to study what it means to follow. We argue that the followership field needs to study actual followership behaviors at the micro "interaction episodes" and rely on quantitative behavioral coding. We then propose a conceptual, multi-level model that details antecedents and boundary conditions of the emergence of downward following. We conclude by discussing the organizational implications of our approach and model.

Developing engaged and 'teamful' leaders: A randomized controlled trial of the 5R identity leadership program

The social identity approach to leadership argues that leaders' capacity to influence and inspire others is grounded in a shared sense of social identity (or 'us-ness') that those leaders create, advance, represent, and embed for the groups they lead. The approach therefore argues that a key task for leaders is to develop insights and skills of (social) identity leadership that allow them to motivate and mobilize groups and transform them into a potent social and organizational force. In contrast to other approaches and programs which focus on leaders' leader identity (their 'I-ness'), the 5R leadership development program supports the development of leaders' social identity by raising awareness of the importance of social identity ('we-ness') for leadership and taking leaders through structured activities that help them build engaged and inclusive teams. The present research assessed the benefits of facilitated and learner self-directed versions of the 5R program (Ns = 27, 22 respectively) relative to a no-treatment control (N = 27). Results (including those of an intention-to-treat analysis; N = 76) indicated that, relative to leaders in the control condition, those who participated in both forms of 5R reported large increases in identity leadership knowledge, as well as medium-sized increases in both team engagement (a compound factor comprised of team identification, team OCB, team efficacy, and work engagement) and 'teamfulness' (comprised of team reflexivity, team psychological safety, team goal clarity, and inclusive team climate). We reflect on the importance of teamfulness for leadership and team functioning and on the value of programs that help leaders develop this.

Identities of the incumbent and the successor in the family business succession: Review and prospects

Introduction

The cognition and motivation of family business incumbents and the successors will directly influence succession behavior, yet they face identity challenges during succession due to the intersection of family and firm context, and their ability to overcome identity challenges will determine the success of the succession. However, as studies on their identity are fragmented and lack systematicity, there is a need to assess the relevant literature.

Methods

Drawing from social identity theory (SIT) and role identity theory (RIT), this article adopts a systematic literature review approach to analyze 99 SSCI-indexed articles to explore family business succession from an identity perspective.

Results

The article finds that the focus on the self-concept of the incumbent and the successor shifts from group identification to role identity perception and multi-roles, and succession behaviors are based on identity perception.

Discussion

This article summarizes a knowledge framework of the antecedents, connotations, and behavioral consequences of identity perception, revealing that family business succession from an identity perspective exhibits psychological and multidisciplinary characteristics, highlighting iterative and mutual features. Based on identity theories and succession research, this article proposes future directions from the research topics, research methods, and theoretical perspectives within the existing knowledge framework, such as cross-cultural and diachronic analysis, as well as from the theoretical perspectives of family, personality development, and pedagogy.

Proactive Personality and Innovative Work Behavior: Through the Juxtapose of Schumpeter's Theory of Innovation and Broaden-And-Build Theory

This study aimed to unfold the implicit interplay of open innovation (OI) and perceived insider status (PIS) between the relationship of proactive personality (PP) and innovative work behavior (IWB). The phenomenon studied the moderated mediation of OI and PIS through the combined optic of the theory of innovation and the broaden-and-build theory. The nature of this study was post-positivist. The two-step approach of structural equation modeling was implemented. First, quantitative data were collected through an online questionnaire from the employees of IT industries in China. The study sample consisted of 460 responses used for data analysis in SPSS and AMOS version 26. This study was based on mediated moderation, which was statistically similar to Model 15 of the process macro. There were six hypotheses based on the theoretical framework. The result of H6 was rejected, which demonstrated that the conditional direct effect of OI and PIS mediated moderation on PP and IWB. The results comprehensively testified to the theoretical framework.

When theory joins practice: A design-based research approach for leader identity development

INTRODUCTION

Inclusive educational leaders promote teacher team functioning. To support leader inclusiveness, we designed and implemented a faculty development programme focusing on leader identity formation. We investigated (1) how participants' leader identity developed throughout the programme and (2) how the design principles contributed to this process, according to participants.

METHODS

A design-based research approach was followed. Participants were 7 course coordinators, leading an interdisciplinary teacher team. To study leader identity development, participants repeatedly filled out a validated questionnaire. To investigate how design principles contributed, observational field notes, facilitator debriefings, a programme evaluation questionnaire and a semi-structured focus group were used. Thematic analysis was applied for qualitative data.

RESULTS

Participants gained broader views on leadership, moving from individual dominance towards engaging team members. Most participants initially experienced a deconstruction of their former leader identity and became motivated to improve leadership qualities. Competence-building, reflecting and receiving feedback on workplace experiences, and practicing in a safe environment were perceived to be key for identity development.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed and evaluated a leader identity programme which can convert teachers' classic leadership views towards views incorporating social interactions and relationships. We demonstrated how social interactions provide opportunities to learn from pe.ers in the work environment.

Leadership development through experimentation: a theoretical framework and empirical test

Purpose

Many theories have been proposed to understand and improve the process of leadership development. One useful way to structure the literature is around three complementary perspectives, briefly summarized as the “knowing, doing and being” dimensions of leadership. While the complementarities between these perspectives have been discussed, the mechanisms by which they are linked are less clear. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of experimentation as one such mechanism.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on interviews and prior literature, the authors argue that experimentation consists of two processes: task-prototyping focused on the work overseen by the leader and self-prototyping focused on how the leader relates to others. This study proposes a theoretical framework linking experimentation to action-taking (e.g. being entrepreneurial and taking on challenging assignments), which in turn links to leader effectiveness. The authors test the hypotheses on two groups of leaders (481 business school alumni and 310 financial services leaders).

Findings

The authors find evidence that both forms of experimentation provide significant explanatory power in understanding why some individuals engage in higher levels of action-taking than others. Additionally, their study confirms the central role of action-taking in leadership development.

Originality/value

Conceptually, this study distinguishes two dimensions of experimentation and their connection to action-taking, knowledge development and identity development. Empirically, the authors show that these two experimentation activities were significant predictors of action-taking, even after controlling for all other factors, and that action-taking (along with self-prototyping) was an important predictor of leader effectiveness. The results offer a practical framework for leadership and development professionals to use in designing and evaluating leadership development activities.

The Science of Leadership: A Theoretical Model and Research Agenda

I review the empirical literature on leadership, focusing on papers published since 2010. To do so, I introduce a framework composed of two features: whether theories ( a) involve the study of leaders or leading (i.e., the person versus the process) and ( b) conceptualize leadership as a cause or a consequence (i.e., an independent versus dependent variable). This framework can enable future research to accumulate in a more programmatic fashion and help scholars determine where their own studies are located within the landscape of leadership research. I end the review by critically evaluating existing work, arguing that the most popular subcategory of leadership research—lumped conceptualizations of leading, in which scholars examine multiple leader behaviors within a single construct—has significant limitations and may need to be replaced by a greater focus on split conceptualizations of leading, wherein scholars isolate single leader behaviors.

Go for the gold: Hurdles and winning strategies for conducting longitudinal and nonlinear research in undergraduate leader development

This article makes a case for longitudinal and non-linear methods when researching or evaluating student leadership development. After a primer on longitudinal methodology, barriers and aligned solutions to methodological challenges are presented.

Being a Leader and Doing Leadership: The Cross-domain Impact of Family and Friends on Leader Identity and Leader Behaviors at Work

This research presents a cross-domain exploration of leader identity. Drawing from theory about multidomain leader development and leader identity social processes, we examine how endorsement as a leader by those internal and external to work can impact an individual's own self-internalized sense of identity as a leader at work. Specifically, we examine how the collective endorsement of one's leader identity by family and friends in addition to work colleagues (managers, peers, and direct reports) influences the individual’s own self-internalized sense of identity as a leader at work. We also examine the relationship of the individual’s self-internalized sense of identity as a leader at work to enacted transformational leadership and contingent reward behaviors as rated by colleagues in the work domain. Data from a multisource and multidomain 360° evaluation of 256 leaders by 3,255 raters in the United States and Ireland provide support for the hypothesized relationships. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Pedagogical Leaders and the Teaching-Learning Processes in COVID-19 Times

This study aimed to identify the main decisions made by pedagogical leaders, comprising institutional management teams, heads of departments, and teachers in general, in order to improve teaching-learning processes and promote the comprehensive education of students-in particular, secondary school students during the pandemic period, located in the regions of Andalusia and Madrid (Spain). An integrated mixed methodology was applied, composed of the contributions of discussion groups and content analysis of the corresponding open questions presented in each of the constitutive dimensions of the questionnaire. Such analyses were expanded by applying an ad-hoc designed questionnaire, which indicates the main actions developed by leaders and their implications in the educational community, when working on communication facilitation processes, using program planning through the support of technologies and decision making regarding the training of teachers, didactic resources, and the emergence of competences to be trained by the leaders participating in the research. The results highlight the dedication, commitment, and implication of pedagogical leaders during the COVID-19 period.

Why do you treat me in such ways? An attachment examination on supervisors’ early family environment and subordinates’ responses

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to fill important gaps by using the attachment theory and examining the effects of supervisors’ early family environment on their behaviors toward subordinates and subordinates’ responses.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used samples of 334 supervisor–subordinate pairs from a manufacturing company.

Findings

The study finds that supervisors’ harmonious family environment has a positive influence on subordinates’ responses (job satisfaction, work-to-family enrichment and task performance) through the effect of supervisors’ positive working model and caregiving behavior. On the contrast, supervisors’ conflicting family environment has a negative influence on subordinates’ responses through the effect of supervisors’ negative working model and aggressive behavior.

Originality/value

Existing studies mainly explore the influence of organizational environment on supervisors’ treatment of their subordinates. However, few have examined the relationship between supervisors’ early family environment and their treatment of their subordinates.

A two-nation investigation of leadership self-perceptions and motivation to lead in early adulthood: the moderating role of gender and socio-economic status

Purpose

Drawing on the social-cognitive and motivational literature of leadership, the present study examines the influence of young adults' self-perceptions of leadership on their leadership self-efficacy (LSE) and motivation to lead (MTL) in their future career. The authors further examine gender and socio-economic status (SES) as important moderators of the proposed relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

The present investigation consists of a two-study research design, based on data collected from young adult samples across two culturally different countries, namely the UK (N = 267) and Japan (N = 127).

Findings

The study presents evidence of self-perceptions of leadership influencing LSE and MTL. The results further support the mediating role of leader self-efficacy. Regarding the moderating role of gender, results in both samples showed that the effects of leader self-efficacy on MTL were stronger for males. SES was found to moderate the effects of leadership self-perceptions of negative implicit leadership theories (ILTs) on LSE in the UK sample and the effects of leadership self-perceptions of positive ILTs on LSE in the Japanese sample.

Originality/value

This study fills the gap of empirical research focused on early adulthood influences on leadership development. In particular, this study has a three-fold contribution, by, firstly, developing a conceptual model that examines the role of young adults' self-perceptions of leadership on their self-efficacy as leaders and MTL; secondly examining contingencies of the proposed relationships; and thirdly testing the conceptual model in two countries.

Latent Change Score Models for the Study of Development and Dynamics in Organizational Research

The empirical study of change has proven to be one of the most vexing challenges in organizational science. Fortunately, contemporary methodologies originating from developmental psychology may provide a potential solution and are consequently working their way into the literature. In particular, organizational researchers are increasingly employing variations of latent change score (LCS) models to address questions regarding change, development, and dynamics. Although these models may indeed be used to reliably study change, development, and dynamics, many studies utilizing these models—and published in premier outlets—are characterized by questionable methodological choices, improper modeling procedures, and suboptimal research designs. Thus, the purpose of the present article is to (a) provide a critical review of LCS models, (b) outline appropriate modeling procedures (with corresponding Mplus and R syntax), (c) compare and contrast LCS modeling with other analytical techniques, and (d) delineate best practices. Ultimately, we endorse the use of LCS models by organizational researchers interested in studying longitudinal phenomena. However, we also heed researchers to do so judiciously because their misuse may lead to their unwarranted rejection by the field.

Predicting Leadership Competency Development and Promotion Among High-Potential Executives: Role of Leader Identity

We propose that distinct leadership competencies differ in their development over time. Extending the integrative model of leader development (Day et al., 2009), we further propose that leader identity will form complex relationships with leadership competencies over time. To test these propositions, we use longitudinal data (i.e., 5 months, four measurement points) of the 80 in total high-potential executives in a corporate leadership development program. We find a significant difference in the initial levels and the changes of eight distinct leadership competencies. We also find that leader identity relates to the development of certain – but not all – leadership competencies. Finally, we demonstrate the importance of developing leadership competencies by linking them to career advancement (i.e., job promotion). These findings are discussed in light of their theoretical and practical implications.

From mentors to leaders: leader development outcomes for mentors

Purpose

The present study examines leader development as one of the potential outcomes for mentors and investigates whether the provision of mentoring contributes to developing mentors' leader identity and leader self-efficacy.

Design/methodology/approach

Relying on a quasi-experimental design, data were collected at four points in time over eight months from a mentor (n = 46) and an equivalent nonmentor group (n = 25). Participants in the mentor group were volunteer mentors from a doctoral mentoring program that was implemented at a large Canadian university.

Findings

Participants in the mentor group experienced a more positive change in leader identity and leader self-efficacy, compared to the participants in the nonmentor group. Further analysis of the participants in the mentor group suggests that the extent to which mentors provide career and psychosocial support explains the growth rate in the development outcomes.

Practical implications

By documenting benefits of mentoring for mentors, program administrators may be able to recruit mentors who are more engaged in the process. In addition, they can encourage their members to volunteer as mentors to gain leader development outcomes.

Originality/value

This longitudinal study connects the areas of mentoring and leadership development. While the majority of mentoring studies focus exclusively on mentoring outcomes for protégés, the present study shows that mentoring can benefit mentors as well.

An exploration of the professional and leader identity of IT professionals transitioning to a permanent hybrid role: a longitudinal investigation

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of professional and leader identity and the maintenance of identity, through identity work as IT professionals transitioned to a permanent hybrid role. This study therefore contributes to the under-researched area of permanent transition to a hybrid role in the context of IT, where there is a requirement to enact both the professional and leader roles together.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilised a longitudinal design and two qualitative methods (interviews and reflective diaries) to gather data from 17 IT professionals transitioning to hybrid roles.

Findings

The study findings reveal that IT professionals engage in an ongoing process of reconciliation of professional and leader identity as they transition to a permanent hybrid role, and they construct hybrid professional–leader identities while continuing to value their professional identity. They experience professional–leader identity conflict resulting from reluctance to reconcile both professional and leader identities. They used both integration and differentiation identity work tactics to ameliorate these tensions.

Originality/value

The longitudinal study design, the qualitative approaches used and the unique context of the participants provide a dynamic and deep understanding of the challenges involved in performing hybrid roles in the context of IT.

Implicit Leadership Theories, Implicit Followership Theories, and Dynamic Processing of Leadership Information

We offer a comprehensive review of the theoretical underpinnings and existing empirical evidence in the implicit leadership and implicit followership theories domain. After briefly touching on the historical roots of information-processing approaches to leadership and leader categorization theory, we focus on current contextualized and dynamic perspectives. We specifically present neural network approaches and adaptive resonance processes that guide leadership perceptions. We further address measurement issues, emerging areas of study such as implicit leadership theories, and identity and cross-cultural issues. We offer specific avenues for future research in the form of a systematic list of unanswered research questions and further outline leadership development implications.

Developmental Trajectories of Leader Identity: Role of Learning Goal Orientation

This study examines within-person change in leader identity (LI) over the course of a formal leader development program and how that change relates to learning goal orientation (LGO). Results of multilevel modeling of 299 data points from 39 leaders over 5 months indicate a positive, linear increase in LI across 12-time points. LGO was predicted and found to have both trait-like and state-like components. Trait-like LGO was positively associated with the mean change in LI over time, whereas state-like LGO was associated with within-person variance in LI over time. State-like, but not trait-like LGO positively related to differences in LI growth rates. However, we found larger rates of LI growth for leaders reporting lower levels of state-like LGO. This study adds to the body of research on leader development by providing a prospective and longitudinal test of LI development. Future research may investigate the aspects of leader training that most facilitate growth and change in LI.

Why and when leadership training predicts effectiveness

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to build and test an integrative model of leader identity as an important mechanism explaining why reactions to leadership training associate with leader effectiveness. It is proposed that this mediation relationship is conditional on leadership experience (i.e. time in a formal managerial role), such that it will be weaker for more experienced leaders because they already possess complex leadership-related knowledge and skills.

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses were tested using a sample of German managers (n=196) in formal leadership positions (i.e. with direct subordinates) across a range of industries. Data were collected using online questionnaires. The proposed first-stage mediation model was tested using the structural equation approach.

Findings

Leader identity was found to mediate the relationship between reactions to leadership training and leader effectiveness. This mediation was conditional upon leadership experience, such that the indirect effect only held for less, but not for more, experienced leaders.

Research limitations/implications

The findings should be interpreted with caution because all data are self-report and cross-sectional.

Practical implications

Leadership training for senior leaders should qualitatively differ (in terms of content and length) from that for novice leaders.

Originality/value

Leadership training can substantially improve managers’ ability to lead effectively. The present study is the first to establish leader identity as a motivational mechanism that explains this relationship. This is also the first study to test for the role of leadership experience in leader development.