The construction of positive leader identity: Acquiring a leadership position and being accepted by others

Abstract

One key to effective leadership is possessing positive leader identity that is derived from acquiring a leadership position and being accepted by others. We conducted a research to further the understanding about identity construction. Based on the social identity perspective, we assume that leader group prototypicality, leadership self-efficacy, leader endorsement, and leader group-oriented behavior are likely to form a positive leader identity. To minimize common method bias, we collected data from two different sources (leaders and followers), and analyzed 80 pairs of leaders and followers using multiple moderated regression. Analysis shows: (1) positive leader identity is influenced by leadership self-efficacy and leader group prototypicality; and (2) leader group-oriented behavior powerfully moderates the relationship between leader group prototypicality and positive leader identity. These findings indicate that leaders are able to construct a positive identity even when their characteristics are not group prototypical, as long as they are perceived to be group oriented. Our results suggest a promising future for non-prototypical leaders, and explain how they are able to construct a positive leader identity. Further, although previous research has supported the role of leader endorsement on positive leader identity, our data set does not. We discuss the contribution of this research and related managerial implications, especially in a high power distance country like Indonesia.