A literature review and emotion-based model of age and leadership: New directions for the trait approach - Research portal of Justus Liebig University Giessen:

Journal article

A literature review and emotion-based model of age and leadership: New directions for the trait approach

Authors list: Walter, Frank; Scheibe, Susanne

Publication year: 2013

Pages: 882-901

Journal: The Leadership Quarterly: An International Journal of Political, Social and Behavioral Science

Volume number: 24

Issue number: 6

ISSN: 1048-9843

eISSN: 1873-3409

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2013.10.003

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract:

Despite renewed interest in traditional trait approaches to leadership and despite recent demographic trends towards an aging workforce, research on leaders' age as a specific demographic trait variable has remained surprisingly sparse and fragmented. This article provides a comprehensive review of the empirical literature on this issue. Although a body of research relating leaders' age with their behaviors and outcomes has emerged, the existing findings exhibit little consistency and lack theoretical coherence. Integrating theories of emotional aging with research on emotions and leadership, we therefore develop a novel, emotion-based framework that explicates key mechanisms and boundary conditions underlying age-leadership linkages. Moreover, we outline opportunities for further theoretical extensions and provide recommendations for future empirical work. Overall, this article paves new ground for contemporary research on leadership traits by highlighting the relevance of leaders' age, summarizing current knowledge on this issue, and providing new theoretical and empirical directions.

Authors/Editors

- Uni.-Prof. Dr. Frank Heiko Walter

Citation Styles

Harvard Citation style: Walter, F. and Scheibe, S. (2013) A literature review and emotion-based model of age and leadership: New directions for the trait approach, The Leadership Quarterly: An International Journal of Political, Social and Behavioral Science, 24(6), pp. 882-901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2013.10.003

APA Citation style: Walter, F., & Scheibe, S. (2013). A literature review and emotion-based model of age and leadership: New directions for the trait approach. The Leadership Quarterly: An International Journal of Political, Social and Behavioral Science. 24(6), 882-901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2013.10.003