Identity Leadership Inventory

Overview of the Identity Leadership Inventory*

The Identity Leadership Inventory (ILI) is a theory-driven, validated inventory that combines the assessment of four components of identity leadership - taking CARE. The four dimensions comprising identity leadership can be defined as follows:

Creating 'us' - Identity Entrepreneurship

This involves: Bringing people together by creating a shared sense of ‘we’ and ‘us’ within the group. Making different people feel that they are part of the same group and increasing cohesion and inclusiveness within the group. Clarifying people's understanding of what the group stands for (and what it does not stand for) by defining core values, norms, and ideals.

Advancing 'us' - Identity Advancement

This involves: Advancing and promoting core interests of the group. Standing up for, and if

threatened defending, group interests (and not personal interests or those of other groups).

Championing concerns and ambitions that are key to the group as a whole. Contributing to the realization of group goals. Acting to prevent group failures and to overcome obstacles to the achievement of group objectives.

Representing 'us' - Identity Prototypicality

This involves: Representing the unique qualities that define the group and what it means to be a member of this group. Embodying those core attributes of the group that make this group special as well as distinct from other groups. Being an exemplary and model member of the group.

Embedding 'us' - Identity Impresarioship

This involves: Developing structures, events, and activities that give weight to the group's existence and allow group members to live out their membership. Promoting structures that facilitate and embed shared understanding, coordination, and success (and not structures that divide or undermine the group). Providing a physical reality for the group by creating group-related material and delivering tangible group outcomes. Making the group matter by making it visible not only to group members but also to people outside the group. 

The ILI assesses distinct dimensions of identity leadership. For a global measure of identity leadership, the authors recommend using the Identity Leadership Inventory–Short Form (ILI–SF).  The ILI-SF assesses identity leadership by combining the assessment of the four dimensions into a single score. Nevertheless, users can also create an overall score on the basis of the ILI by summing the items and dividing the resulting score by the total number of items.  Note TEXL does all the calculations for you within the platform.

Within the ILI survey people are asked to rate the extent to which the individual engages in various behaviors and activities within a group.  ‘The group’ or ‘this group’ refers to the group of people that the leader has responsibility for (e.g., it may be a particular group, a team, a department, a branch, or an organization).  

* original accompanying academic publication:

Steffens, N. K., Haslam, S. A., Reicher, S. D., Platow, M. J., Fransen, K., Yang, J., Ryan, M. K., Jetten, J., Peters, K. & Boen, F. (2014). Leadership as social identity management: Introducing the Identity Leadership Inventory (ILI) to assess and validate a four-dimensional model. Leadership Quarterly, 25, 1001-1024. doi:10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.05.002

The Identity Leadership Inventory (ILI) is copyright © 2013 The University of Queensland. The ILI is not to be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of UniQuest Pty Ltd, who can be contacted on 61-7-33654037 or by email [email protected].