Becoming a leader with Julia Lee Cunningham
May 3, 2023
Center for Positive Organizations Faculty Co-Director Julia Lee Cunningham and her co-authors Sue Ashford and Laura Sonday share “The First Step to Becoming a Leader: Believing You Can Be One,” in this Entrepreneur article.
Julia discusses the different layers of leadership, leadership roles, and the identities surrounding it. She explains that many people feel since they do not sit at the top within their organization, that leadership roles do not fall onto them. Many people also do not see themselves as a leader. Even if you do not hold a leadership role, Julia shares that employees who embrace and envision being a leader will become valuable to organizations.
In this article, you will learn about the evolution of leadership and the three primary types of reputational fears that may avert one from leadership.
Julia Lee Cunningham is an Associate Professor of Management and Organizations at the University of Michigan.
Susan J. Ashford is the Michael and Susan Jandernoa Professor of Management and Organizations at the University of Michigan.
Laura Sonday is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.