TLFeBOOK Leadership Processes and Follower Self-Identity TLFeBOOK LEA’S ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT SERIES Series Editors Arthur P. Brief Tulane University James P. Walsh University of Michigan Associate Series Editors P. Christopher Early Indiana University Sara L. Rynes University of Iowa Ashforth • Role Transitions in Organizational Life: An Identity-Based Perspective Bartunek • Organizational and Educational Change: The Life and Role of a Change Agent Group Beach • Image Theory: Theoretical and Empirical Foundations Brett/Brasgow • The Psychology of Work: Theoretically Based Empirical Research Darley/Messick/Tyler • Social Influences on Ethical Behavior in Organizations Denison • Managing Organizational Change in Transition Economies Earley/Gibson • Multinational Work Teams: A New Perspective Garud/Karnoe • Path Dependence and Creation Lant/Shapira • Organizational Cognition: Computation and Interpretation Lord/Brown • Leadership Processes and Follower Self-Identity Margolis/Walsh • People and Profits? The Search Between a Company’s Social and Financial Performance Pearce • Organization and Management in the Embrace of the Government Peterson/Mannix • Leading and Managing People in the Dynamic Organization Riggio/Murphy/Pirozzolo • Multiple Intelligences and Leadership Thompson/Levine/Messick • Shared Cognition in Organizations: The Management of Knowledge TLFeBOOK Leadership Processes and Follower Self-Identity Robert G. Lord University of Akron Douglas J. Brown University of Waterloo LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES PUBLISHERS 2004 Mahwah, New Jersey London TLFeBOOK Copyright © 2004 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, microform, retrieval system, or any other means, without prior written permission of the publisher. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers 10 Industrial Avenue Mahwah, NJ 07430 Cover design by Kathryn Houghtaling Lacey Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lord, Robert G. (Robert George), 1946- Leadership processes and follower self-identity / Robert G. Lord, Douglas J. Brown. p. cm. — (Organization and management series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8058-3892-9 (alk. Paper) 1. Leadership—Psychological aspects. 2. Self-perception. 3. Identity (Psychology). I. Brown, Douglas J. II. LEA series in organiza - tion and management. HM1261.L67 2003 158’.4—dc21 2003040767 CIP Books published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associatesare printed on acid- free paper, and their bindings are chosen for strength and durability. Printed in the United States of America 10987654321 TLFeBOOK For their inspiration, companionship, love, and patience, we dedicate this book to Rosalie Hall, Lisa Keeping, Jason Lord, and Nicole Lord TLFeBOOK TLFeBOOK Contents Series Foreword ix Preface xi Chapter 1: Common Sense, Science, and Leadership 1 Chapter 2: The Working Self-Concept and Behavior 12 Chapter 3: Level and Self-Concept 33 Chapter 4: Temporary and Enduring Effects of Leaders 68 Chapter 5: Generating a Mental Representation of a Leader’s Behavior: Linking Perception to WSC Activation 100 Chapter 6: Leadership and Emotions 125 Chapter 7: Leadership and Organizational Justice with Christopher Selenta 155 Chapter 8: The Value Added by a Second-Order, Subordinate-Focused Approach to Understanding Leadership Processes 185 References 218 Author Index 237 Subject Index 245 vii TLFeBOOK TLFeBOOK Series Foreword When we began as editors of Lawrence Erlbaum Associates’Organization and Management Series, our lofty aim was to publish works, both theoreti - cal and empirical ones, that would nudge the boundaries of organization studies. Lord and Brown’s book admirably achieves this aim. The authors present an innovative theory that, we predict, will drive empirical research. The theory supplies a new way to think about an old topic, leadership. It does so by drawing heavily on ideas about social cognition and self-regula- tion. Reading Lord and Brown’s book is truly eye-opening. Enjoy the ad- venture. Arthur P. Brief Tulane University James P. Walsh University of Michigan ix TLFeBOOK [...]... we know about leadership (Burns, 19 78) Leaders may indeed be people who can be understood in terms of traits and behavioral styles, but leadership is a social process that involves both a leader and a follower (Graen & Scandura, 19 87; Hollander, 19 92; Hollander & Offermann, 19 90; Lord & Maher, 19 91) Although great advances have been made in terms of understanding the leader component of leadership, much... Linville, 19 87), motivation (Carver & Scheier, 19 81; Kendzierski & Whitaker, 19 97), self-regulation (Carver & Scheier, 19 98; Higgins, 19 96), the development of interpersonal relationships (Baldwin & Sinclair, 19 96; Murray, Holmes, & Griffin, 19 96), information processing (Hilton, Klein, & von Hippel, 19 91; Markus, 19 77), attributions and judgments regarding others (Catrambone & Markus, 19 87), and (as... of noncommissioned officers (NCOs) and recruits in these experimental and control platoons Results showed significant differ- FIG 1. 1 Leader (A) and follower- centered (B and C) approaches to understanding leadership TLFeBOOK 1 COMMON SENSE, SCIENCE, AND LEADERSHIP 5 ences in several NCO development variables (self-efficacy, collectivist orientation, extra effort, and critical independent approach)... theoretical insights and more successful leadership intervention Namely, the typical focus on leadership inquiries can be reversed, emphasizing the follower and factors in followers that produce desired effects like high performance or organizational commitment (e.g., Path B in Fig 1. 1) We can then work backwards and ask how leaders can impact these follower processes (e.g., Path C in Fig 1. 1) Unlike traditional... to advance our understanding of followers and the psychological processes and mechanisms that link leaders and followers Such questions as how or why leaders affect outcomes remain largely uncharted and poorly understood In part, we think that the neglect of processes and mechanisms that link leaders and followers stems from the primary focus of prior research As Bobby J Calder (19 77) noted over 20 years... influence these processes That is, we should focus on Paths B and C in Fig 1. 1 Once follower- centered mechanisms and processes are understood theoretically (Path B), sound linkages can be made to associated leader behaviors or qualities (Path C) TLFeBOOK 1 COMMON SENSE, SCIENCE, AND LEADERSHIP 7 In searching for the appropriate subordinate process to examine, we want characteristics and processes that... book presents a follower- centered perspective on leadership We focus on followers as the direct determinant of leadership effects because it is generally through followers’ reactions and behaviors that leadership attempts succeed or fail Leadership theory, therefore, needs to be articulated with a theory of how followers create meaning from leadership acts and how this meaning helps followers self-regulate... THE WSC AND BEHAVIOR CHAPTER 2 2 The Working Self-Concept and Behavior We explained in chapter 1 that our approach to understanding leadership was to work backwards, using well-established psychological theories as a basis for analyzing potential leadership activities and their consequences for followers We also suggested that the key to understanding effective leadership was to understand follower. .. & Lord, 19 81) , attempts to understand or influence outcomes of events often focus on the qualities of TLFeBOOK 1 COMMON SENSE, SCIENCE, AND LEADERSHIP 3 leaders Thus, much of the prior leadership literature has taken a relatively one-sided view, emphasizing the leader’s traits and behaviors but neglecting aspects of followers that moderate their responses to leadership Early approaches to leadership. .. rather from social and cognitive theory pertaining to followers’ self-identity, self-regulatory processes, motivation, values, cognitions, emotions, and perceptions of social justice Leaders may have profound effects on these aspects of followers, and it is by analyzing such indirect, follower- mediated leadership effects that we develop most of our ideas regarding leadership theory and practice Due to . styles, but leadership is a social process that involves both a leader and a follower (Graen & Scandura, 19 87; Hollander, 19 92; Hollander & Offermann, 19 90; Lord & Maher, 19 91) . Although. (NCOs) and recruits in these experimental and control platoons. Results showed significant differ- 4 CHAPTER 1 FIG. 1. 1. Leader (A) and follower- centered (B and C) approaches to understanding leadership. TLFeBOOK ences. understanding the leader component of leadership, much less has been done to advance our understanding of followers and the psychological processes and mech- anisms that link leaders and followers.