Public managers' leadership identity: concept, causes, and consequences. Issue 11 (1st November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Grøn, Caroline Howard; Bro, Louise Ladegaard; Andersen, Lotte Bøgh
• Is Part Of: Public management review. Volume 22:Issue 11(2020)
• Page Start: 1696
• Page End: 1716
• Publication Date: 2020-11-01
• Subjects: Leadership identity -- transformational leadership -- professional development leadership -- leadership training -- span of control; Local government -- Periodicals; Public administration -- Periodicals; 351.05
• DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2019.1645875
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1471-9037

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Unless public managers think of themselves as leaders, others will not follow them. A key question is whether their occupational identity is more central than their leadership identity. A representative survey shows that managers with more central leadership identities use transformational leadership more, while managers with balanced leadership-occupational identities tend to prioritize professional development leadership. If occupational identities dominate, managers exert less leadership. Managers with higher hierarchical positions, broader spans of control, and more leadership training have more central leadership identities. This highlights the relevance of studying leadership identity and finding better ways to develop it through leadership training.