Self-identity is important when it comes to leadership. It has been shown in research that seeing yourself as a leader is an important first step on the way to becoming one. Why do people find it hard to think of themselves as a leader?
There are many factors that can affect a person's decision to pursue their goals at work. We wanted to know if perceived risk to people's reputations could affect their sense of identity as a leader. We conducted a series of studies with more than 1,700 people and found that the more people worried about the risks of being a leader the less likely they were to identify.
There are three common reputational fears that prevent people from seeing themselves as a leader.
The participants in our study were concerned about being seen as domineering if they were to take on a leadership role. One person said that he wouldn't want to seem pushy or take advantage of people. I wouldn't want to be warm. In our studies, both men and women were afraid of coming across as bossy, despite the fact that many have written about it.
If you were to act as a leader, you would get too much attention for being different from other people, even if it was positive. One person said that they don't want to be looked up to. At the same time, I want to be on the same level as everyone else. People worry that if they become leaders they will have to give up their sense of belonging.
Many of our participants said that they were afraid that others would view them as unsuitable for leadership, regardless of whether or not they actually saw themselves as qualified One shared, "I know people associate men with leadership roles, so that makes me a bit uneasy." I worry that people won't take me seriously if I try to lead in my field.
For underrepresented groups such as women and people of color, there are very real experiences that inform these fears. It is important to understand how these fears affect us. People who reported higher levels of fear about these risks were less likely to be a leader. They were less likely to act as leaders because of this.
This may seem strange at first. Is it possible that your identity is influenced by your perception of riskiness? This effect is not surprising. No one likes to think of themselves as being driven by fear. People change their identities to justify avoiding leadership. If you tell yourself that you are just not a leader, you are more likely to admit that you are afraid of what others might think.
Our research shows that managers can use psychological interventions to reduce the impact of these fears and encourage more people to identify as leaders. Our research shows that it is possible to change peoples perception of risk. In one study, we found that people who listened to a podcasts that said leadership was risky were less likely to act as leaders than people who said leadership was low risk. Managers can help employees feel more comfortable seeing themselves as leaders by presenting leadership as less risky and lower-stakes.
Managers can address employees' concerns about their reputation. People wouldn't want to align themselves with an identity that's stereotypically associated with being domineering, different, or unqualified It is important for organizations to demonstrate that anyone can be a leader and that taking on leadership roles will be viewed favorably.
No intervention will be able to eliminate all of the fears. When students viewed leadership as an innate ability, they perceived greater reputational risk less than students who viewed leadership as a skill. People who view leadership as a learnable skill may feel more comfortable with setbacks, whereas people with a fixed view may assume that any mistakes they make as leaders permanently damage their reputation and show that they aren't meant to lead. Managers can challenge the idea that leaders are born not made by explicitly challenging the idea that they are. Providing employees with guidance and opportunities to develop their leadership skills, recognizing their progress in developing these skills, and openly sharing stories of leadership failures along with successes are all part of that.
We often resist the concept of leadership. It doesn't seem right to think of ourselves as leaders. It can be an evasion to insist that leadership is not everyone's vocation if it is true that we are made for community. Establishing a culture that celebrates leadership and makes it accessible, regardless of gender, race, age, or other identity, can help everyone feel more comfortable.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
