When professionals ascend into leadership positions, they experience more than just a change in title and responsibilities. They undergo a profound psychological transformation of their identity. This evolution challenges core perceptions of self, reshapes relationships, and demands new frameworks to navigate successfully. Understanding the psychology behind leadership transitions illuminates why some flourish while others struggle during these pivotal career moments.
The Inner Landscape of Transition
In taking on a leadership position, individuals enter a liminal state, the threshold between one identity and another. During this period of change, individuals exist between their former self-concept and an emerging identity still under construction. Like corridors in a building, liminal states represent change and transition. This can be invigorating and instill curiosity while at the same time create fear and uncertainty. Case in point is the anticipation and dread we feel watching Danny trundle along the long corridors of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining.
William Bridges, in his seminal work on transitions, describes this process in three phases: endings, neutral zones, and new beginnings. For ascending leaders, the ending phase involves releasing attachments to previous roles, often characterized by technical expertise or individual contribution. Research by Ibarra et al. (2010) indicates that this detachment process can trigger significant anxiety as professionals abandon well-established competencies that previously defined their value.
The neutral zone represents the ambiguous middle ground, when the old identity has been partially shed but the new one hasn't fully formed. During this phase, Harvard psychologist Robert Kegan's constructive-developmental theory becomes particularly relevant. Kegan's research shows that leadership advancement often requires a shift to what he terms self-transforming mind, where individuals can step back from their identity and examine it objectively, a capacity many new leaders have not yet developed.
Identity Reformation and Role Incongruence
The psychological phenomenon of role incongruence frequently emerges during leadership transitions. This cognitive dissonance occurs when an individual's self-concept clashes with new role expectations. As documented by Ibarra (2015) in her studies of professional identity, people carry working identities that may not align with senior leadership requirements.
Successful identity transition requires not merely adopting new behaviors, but fundamentally reconceptualizing oneself. This internal reconciliation often involves navigating conflicting values. For instance, a healthcare professional moving into administration may struggle with shifting focus from individual patient care to system-level outcomes.
Imposterism frequently intensifies during leadership transitions, where accomplished individuals struggle to internalize their achievements and fear being discovered as frauds. A study by the Institute of Leadership and Management found that 73% of leaders experience imposter feelings during transitions, with these feelings particularly pronounced among women and underrepresented groups.
Relationship Dynamics in Transition
Leadership advancement invariably transforms relationships. As Edgar Schein noted in his organizational culture research, new leaders must navigate complex social shifts with former peers, new direct reports, and senior colleagues simultaneously.
The transition from peer to leader creates what sociologists call boundary role conflicts. New leaders often face a challenging condundrum: maintaining social capital with former peers while establishing authority boundaries. Self-awareness and emotional intelligence become particularly critical during this period. Leaders who successfully navigate relationship transitions score significantly higher in social awareness and relationship management dimensions.
Mentoring relationships also undergo transformation. A longitudinal study by Kram and Isabella (1985) found that as professionals advance, mentorship dynamics frequently evolve from hierarchical guidance to more reciprocal peer relationships. This shift requires adaptation from both parties to prevent relationship strain.
The Organizational Context
Organizational context profoundly influences transition experiences. Success during a transition correlates strongly with organizational support mechanisms such as structured role clarification, which reduces adjustment time, and regular feedback cycles during the first six months. Cultural orientation into the organization showed variable results, according to a metanalysis by Bauer et al. (2007). Organizations that cultivate environments where new leaders can acknowledge their vulnerability and learning needs demonstrate significantly higher success rates in leadership transitions.
Toward a healthy leadership transition
Leaders have found the following strategies helpful as they wrestle with their identities during a transition.
Narrative identity work involves consciously crafting and revising the story of one's professional journey to integrate past experiences with present roles and future aspirations. Dan McAdams's extensive research demonstrates that our identities are fundamentally narrative constructions. We understand ourselves through the stories we tell about who we are. For transitioning leaders, this process involves several practical dimensions:
- Autobiographical reflection: Leaders benefit from intentional reflection on pivotal career moments that shaped their leadership philosophy. Research by Shamir and Eilam shows that authentic leaders actively engage with their personal histories to derive meaning and purpose.
- Identity continuity: Effective narrative work maintains threads of continuity amid change. Studies by Ibarra and Barbulescu (2010) found that successful transitioners construct narratives that preserve core values while accommodating new role demands. For example, a technical expert might reframe their expertise as providing unique insight for strategic decisions.
- Future authoring: Jordan Peterson's research on self-authoring shows that writing about desired future identities enhances goal clarity and persistence. Leaders who articulate specific visions of their leadership identity demonstrate greater resilience during challenging transition periods.
Possible Selves Exploration. Building on foundational research by Hazel Markus and Paula Nurius, possible selves exploration involves systematically investigating multiple potential versions of one's leadership identity. This approach acknowledges that identity formation is not a linear path but rather a process of experimenting with various self-concepts. Key components of this exploration include:
- Identity experimentation: Intentionally trying on different leadership approaches in low-risk settings. Leaders who experiment with various styles before settling on a preferred approach show more authentic integration of their new roles.
- Role models portfolio: Rather than emulating a single idealized leader, research suggests developing a diverse board of directors—multiple role models who embody different aspects of leadership excellence. This prevents rigid identity foreclosure and encourages adaptive flexibility.
- Provisional selves: Creating temporary, experimental versions of your leadership identity. Longitudinal studies show that leaders who view their early attempts as provisional selves rather than permanent identity statements demonstrate greater learning agility and less anxiety during transitions.
Liminal Competence Development. This refers to the specific skills needed to function effectively during identity transitions. Unlike technical or managerial competencies, liminal competence focuses on navigating the psychological ambiguity inherent in leadership advancement by developing:
- Reflexive awareness: The ability to observe one's emotional responses to identity challenges without being overwhelmed by them. Mindfulness-based interventions show particular promise in developing this capacity, with studies demonstrating reduced transition stress among leaders who practice regular reflection.
- Paradoxical thinking: The cognitive ability to hold seemingly contradictory aspects of identity simultaneously. Leaders who develop comfort with paradox exhibit greater creativity and adaptability during transitions.
Relationship Renegotiation. Leadership transitions fundamentally alter relationship dynamics across multiple domains. Successful transitions require explicit renegotiation of key relationships rather than assuming natural adjustment. This involves:
- Explicit contracting: Formal conversations with key stakeholders about changing relationship parameters. Leaders who proactively establish new psychological contracts with former peers experience fewer relationship conflicts during transitions.
- Relational scaffolding: Building temporary support structures during relationship reconfiguration. Establishing transition mentors, people uninvolved in daily work who can provide perspective, significantly reduces transition stress.
- Network reconfiguration: Intentionally reshaping professional networks to align with new leadership identities. Women and minorities particularly benefit from strategically expanding networks during leadership transitions to include more senior sponsors and peers at equivalent levels.
In summary
The psychological dimensions of leadership transitions often go unaddressed by organizations despite their profound impact on leader effectiveness and wellbeing. The identity reconstruction process represents both a significant challenge and an opportunity for growth. By understanding the psychology of identity shifts, organizations can better support transitioning leaders, and individuals can approach these pivotal moments with greater awareness and intentionality. As leadership demands continue to evolve in complexity, recognizing the profound inner work of transition becomes increasingly important, not just for individual leaders, but for business success.
References
Bridges, W. (2009). Managing transitions: Making the most of change. Da Capo Press.
Ibarra, H., Snook, S., & Guillen Ramo, L. (2010). Identity-based leader development. In N. Nohria & R. Khurana (Eds.), *Handbook of leadership theory and practice* (pp. 657-678). Harvard Business Press.
Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2009). *Immunity to change: How to overcome it and unlock the potential in yourself and your organization*. Harvard Business Press.
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Petriglieri, G., & Petriglieri, J. L. (2010). Identity workspaces: The case of business schools. *Academy of Management Learning & Education, 9*(1), 44-60.
Bauer, T. N., Bodner, T., Erdogan, B., Truxillo, D. M., & Tucker, J. S. (2007). Newcomer adjustment during organizational socialization: A meta-analytic review of antecedents, outcomes, and methods. *Journal of Applied Psychology, 92*(3), 707-721.
