Is Leadership a Part of Me? A Leader Identity Approach to Understanding the Motivation to Lead Guillen, Mayo, & Korotov. The Leadership Quarterly. 26 (2015) 802-820.
Drawing on social comparison and identity literature, the authors of this study suggest that individuals' comparisons of themselves to other leaders and to their own standards of leadership relate to their leadership motivation. They tested a model of motivation to lead (MTL) based on two types of self-to-leader comparisons: self-to-exemplar and self-to-prototype comparisons. They collected data from a sample of 180 executives, finding that self-comparisons with concrete, influential leaders of the past or present (self-to-exemplar comparisons) related positively to MTL. They also found that self-comparisons with more general representations of leaders (self-to-prototype comparisons in affiliation) related to MTL.
Here are a few practical tips from this research. As coaches, we may look to build leadership capacity with our clients by:
- Exploring the “inner narrative” and sense of self-identity that motivates them to lead
- Uncovering a client’s beliefs around what makes an effective leader through reflections on influential leaders from their past and present
- Expanding their repertoire of effective leadership attributes by comparing themselves with role models; using these reflections to uncover limiting beliefs
- Exploring the impact of negative experiences with leaders; e.g. how might a “bad boss” inhibit one’s motivation to lead?
- Helping clients understand how their family and professional history may have impacted their self-definition with regard to leadership – identity, success, and motivation.
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