A Systematic Review of the Leader Identity Research: A Road Map for the Rigorous Study and Advancement of Leader Identity

Over the past twenty years, the construct of leader identity—the internalization of “leader” into one's self-concept—has experienced an exponential growth in attention among researchers and practitioners alike. This boom in research has yielded broad support for leader identity as an important predictor of leadership outcomes; however, this rapid growth has also created a disjointed construct space with theoretical and methodological challenges. In a systematic review of nearly 200 papers, we apply the existing theoretical framework of multi-dimensional leader identity ( Hammond et al., 2017 ; strength, meaning, level, integration) to organize factors affecting the leader identity construction process as well as three functions leader identity serves—motivation, interpretive lens, and a relational foundation. Finally, we offer guidance to create a road map for the rigorous study and advancement of leader identity research.