Leadership Identity

CLI Position:
Leader formation is not a refinement of leadership development; it is its necessary foundation.

Leader formation focuses on leaders becoming through:

• Intrinsic Motivation
• Discernment under ambiguity
• Purpose driven influence
• Moral clarity
• Integrity & Ethics
• Value congruence

Research integrating adult development and leadership theory indicates that leadership capacity expands as individuals progress through more advanced developmental stages, particularly in their ability to exercise ethical judgment, relational awareness, and responsibility under conditions of complexity. Leaders whose development has not kept pace with role demands may appear effective in stable environments but often struggle when ambiguity, moral tension, and sustained pressure increase.

CLI provides a framework for leaders to discover their formation identity and areas to strengthen.