Beneath the mask:: Examining the relationship of self-presentation attributes and impression management to charismatic leadership

We tested several hypotheses derived from Gardner and Avolio’s [Acad. Manage. Rev. 23 (1998) 32.] self-presentational theory of charismatic leadership. We collected multisource field data in an information technology (IT) consulting firm and examined linkages among managers’ self-system attributes (i.e., desired charismatic identity, self-monitoring), pro-social and self-serving impression management of managers, charismatic leadership of managers, and two measures of performance. Eighty-three managers provided self-reports of self-system attributes. Six months later, 249 subordinates rated the focal managers’ impression management and charismatic leadership styles. Superiors of the focal managers provided performance ratings 7 months after collecting the subordinate ratings. Results indicated that complexity of desired charismatic identity was positively related to self-monitoring. Self-monitoring was negatively related to ratings of pro-social impression management and positively related to ratings of self-serving impression management. Pro-social impression management related positively to charismatic leadership, which predicted managerial and unit performance. D 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved. 1048-9843/02/$ – see front matter D 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved. PII: S1048 -9843 (02 )00102 -9 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-610-648-3254. E-mail address: [email protected] (J.J. Sosik). 1 Tel.: +1-607-777-2544. 2 Tel.: +1-619-594-0208. The Leadership Quarterly 13 (2002) 217–242