The Power of Choice: A Study Protocol on How Identity Leadership Fosters Commitment Toward the Organization.

Mafalda F Mascarenhas,David Izydorczyk,Jérémy E Lemoine,Felix Dübbers,Aylin Köseoğlu,Ralitsa Karakasheva,Ayse B Topal,Magdalena Hoszowska

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01677

Abstract

Identity leadership (IL) describes that the effectiveness of a leader will depend upon his capacity to represent a given group, to make the group go forward, to create a group identity, and to make the group matter. An identity leader may increase commitment among his followers by increasing the perception of shared identity and giving more weight in the decision process to his followers. We aim to explore the mechanisms through which a leader who creates a shared group identity can increase organizational commitment. In the first study, we plan to conduct a cross-cultural correlational study where we aim to test if the relationship between IL and organizational commitment is mediated by team identification and mediated-moderated by participation in decision making (PDM) and collective efficacy. In the second study, we aim to explore the direction of the causality between IL and PDM. To test this hypothesis, we will conduct an experimental study in which (1) we will manipulate IL to test its influence on the perception of PDM and (2) we will manipulate PDM to test its influence on the perception of IL. Thus, we will be able to identify the role of IL and the perception of PDM on organizational commitment.

Highlights

Leadership research in psychology theorizes about what makes successful leaders attract and bind their followers as well as keeping them committed to their goals
We further hypothesize that participation in decision making (PDM) is mediating the relationship between Identity leadership (IL) and organizational commitment (OC), because when there is a shared sense of social identity, the leader might create more opportunities for the members to participate and group members might be more willing to participate
This is proposed to happen in such a way that the positive effect of IL on OC mediated by PDM is higher for participants with higher collective efficacy (CE)

Summary

Introduction

Leadership research in psychology theorizes about what makes successful leaders attract and bind their followers as well as keeping them committed to their goals. Numerous theories behind leadership have evolved through very different paths (Day et al, 2014). At the very beginning of organizational psychology, it was common sense that someone was either born as a leader, or not, and that there was only one effective leadership style (Day et al, 2014). The task of the born leaders was to tell followers in an effective way what to do (Durue et al, 2011). More behavioral approaches alleged the contrary; leaders are made instead of born.

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