Reluctance to lead: Conceptualization and contextualization

Abstract

Recent studies indicate a potential trend of waning enthusiasm for leadership positions. This increasing trend of avoiding leadership roles has prompted a new area of research, concentrating on agentic perspectives in leader emergence and self-selection biases. This study focuses on a key concept in this emerging field: “reluctance to lead” (RTL). Only recently has reluctance in the leadership context received limited attention from a few scholars. These efforts primarily concentrated on RTL before the role occupancy by defining it as individuals' hesitations to accept a leadership role when presented with the opportunity. This paper broadens the conceptualization of RTL by extending its definition as the hesitation of a high-potential individual both before and after role occupancy (i.e., individuals’ hesitations about their fit to the role while it is practiced). Prior studies also adopted a person-centered approach, focusing on identity- and competency-related factors while overlooking the contextual aspects in explaining RTL. This paper integrates contextual foci into the discussion of RTL, specifically exploring how spatial and technological, organizational, leadership, socio-cultural, and historical contexts (with a focus on Europe) interface with RTL. We conclude by proposing a research agenda and discussing the theoretical and practical implications of this new line of research.