Exploring the utility, limitations, and possibilities of the leadership identity development (LID) model

Abstract

The article summarizes a conversation with early career scholars who utilize the LID theory and model in their scholarship and practice. Authors offer thoughts as to which aspects of leader and leadership identity development remain most useful to leadership education and development, as well as ways this body of scholarship might also be incomplete and insufficient. They reflect on how leader and leadership identity development theorizing is related to identity, equity, and power. The article concludes with ideas about how the scholarship and practice of leadership identity development may evolve in the future for deeper leadership identity development.

Leadership identity development

“…Individuals’ cognitive and psychosocial development influence the growth of their leadership identities. LID aligns well with existing models of student development theory commonly used by both student affairs and leadership educators (Bitton et al., 2023). Kegan's (1994) stages of consciousness is a foundational theory that informed the development of LID.…”

“…Kegan's (1994) stages of consciousness is a foundational theory that informed the development of LID. Kegan's view of how individuals shift from subject to object in their lives parallels LID study participants' shifting view of leadership (Bitton et al, 2023). The model of multiple dimensions of identity (MMDI; Abes et al, 2007;Jones & McEwen, 2000) also informs the individuals' development of leadership identity.…”

“…Kegan's (1994) stages of consciousness is a foundational theory that informed the development of LID. Kegan's view of how individuals shift from subject to object in their lives parallels LID study participants’ shifting view of leadership (Bitton et al., 2023).…”