Managing Leader Identity at Work: A Practice-Oriented Approach

Abstract

It is important for leaders to have a clear, credible and motivating view of who they are and who they want to become as a leader. Understanding and managing leader identity is a key practice area for leaders. After reviewing some relevant literature, a practice-oriented framework is offered which focuses on some key elements of leader identity and is operationalized through a management cycle. A review of the application value, implications and challenges of this approach is provided. With increasing accountability for organizational outcomes including stakeholder performance, well-being and well-doing, this approach offers practitioners a way to understand and manage key considerations relating to managing leader identity at work for positive impact.