Abstract
Purpose: This article describes how the aspiration to be a leader can be influenced paradoxically by the weight of the word “leader”. On the one hand becoming a leader is often viewed as a logical and natural ambition in society but, on the other hand, the weight of what it means to be a leader and the perceived associated social risk and responsibility may negatively influence a leader’s development trajectory.
Design/methodology/approach: Set in the context of healthcare in Ireland this longitudinal action research study shows the lived experiences of leaders and their leader identity development process, in particular, the overlooked and curious paradox of the word “leader”.
Findings: Qualitative data collected showed that (a) surprisingly, as the strength of a leader’s identity grew their report of using the term leader to describe themselves decreased, (b) using the term leader is associated with social risk, cultural risk, and responsibility risk, (c) the strength of a leader’s identity and, the meaning of a leader’s identity have a strong co relational effect.
Research implications: A conceptual framework is proposed in which individual and societal factors influence the psychological experience with the word “leader” and the resulting effect on the leader identity development process.
Social implications: The research used the action based research methodology which meant that the leaders in the healthcare group we developed as part of this process. Also the findings have been incorporated into the leader development practices in this healthcare group.
Originality/value: Value in the study lies in a first longitudinal, empirical study detailing the risks associated with the word leader and the co-relational effect of strength and meaning as a leader develops their identity. Although there is much research in the promising area of leader identity development to date little has been done to look at this concept of social risk which contributes to the paradoxical nature of the word leader.
Keywords
Leader; Leadership, Leader Identity, Development, Healthcare Leadership
