Title: Rethinking Organizational Leader Identity Development
Description: I propose a nuanced theoretical approach to understanding leader identity development in organizations. Past identity work has ignored or tangentially addressed phases of development that I term `leader identity stagnation' and `leader identity destruction'. Analysis of survey and network data examining West Point cadets' identities and friendship, leadership, and trust networks adds insight into the leader identity development process. Ethnographic research of the institution offers further understanding and helps confirm the new theoretical model of the phases of leader identity development. A concluding chapter examines the application of new social networking technologies and mixed-media interaction to enhance organizational leader identity construction. A gap exists in management literature pertaining to the creation and use of social network technologies for this purpose.