Exploring Identity Within the Context of Leadership
Abstract
Identity has emerged as a compelling force in understanding leadership. Situated within the identity approach to leadership, this study explored identity within the context of leadership for both assigned (e.g., positional) and emergent (e.g., nonpositional) student leaders. A mixed-methods design across three component studies aided in understanding the identities possessed by student leaders that are most active in their leadership, as well as how these personal, relational, and collective identity levels manifest in their group contexts of student organizations, faith communities, employment, and academic projects. Findings from this study suggest that a distinct set of a leader’s identities is active in leadership, that leaders possess a stronger personal identity orientation compared to other identity levels, and three ways in which identity influences leadership. By making connections between identity and leadership, educators and practitioners may strengthen their understanding of how their curriculum and workshops may serve as identity workspaces for leaders. As scholars have posited, identity salience can be understood as the likelihood that a particular identity will be invoked in diverse situations. More dialogue and research are warranted to understand how leaders consciously consider identity within diverse leadership contexts.
Citation
Grabsch, Dustin Kurt (2018). Exploring Identity Within the Context of Leadership. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A & M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /173958.