The Oxford Handbook of Leadership, Followership, and Identity

Abstract Leadership and followership are not just roles, but dynamic identities shaped by complex identity construction and deconstruction processes that define who leads, who follows, and how individuals navigate managerial transitions and changes in their roles. In The Oxford Handbook of Leadership, Followership, and Identity, Olga Epitropaki and Ronit Kark bring together prominent scholars to cast light on the evolving field of leader and follower identity. They explore how our self-perceptions as leaders and followers can shape personal, team, and organizational outcomes, as well as how these identities evolve over time. Chapters highlight a wide range of themes, including intrapersonal identity processes and identity development across diverse contexts; the influence of relational and contextual factors on leader and follower identities; the challenges of navigating multiple identities and identity tensions; intergroup leadership; cultural influences on identity integration; the role of vision communication in shaping collective identity; and the need for leadership development to extend beyond formal roles. Over the course of the book, chapter authors cover emerging themes, such as temporality, context, relational and collective elements, intersectionality, and critical perspectives, that capture the complexity of leader-follower identity processes and open new pathways for theoretical and empirical research. By synthesizing cutting-edge research and offering forward-looking perspectives, the Handbook serves as a resource for leadership and organizational scholars and a springboard for innovative approaches to leadership development. Whether one’s goal is to gain a deeper understanding of leadership and followership identity processes or to apply a novel approach to leadership development, this volume offers an essential roadmap for navigating the complexities of leadership, followership, and identity in modern organizations.