Predicting leadership self-concepts: The role of memory in processing self-relevant and relational events

Abstract Leaders develop through experience, particularly self-relevant and relational events that facilitate the development of domain-specific cognitive structures. Building on event system theory, we argue that coherent memory of an event can provide developmental benefits for leadership. While memory proces3es may differ between individuals, little research has examined how such differences play a role in leadership development. Across one pilot study, one correlational survey (study 1), and one experiment (study 2) with UK students and working adults collected online ( N total = 373), we examined how event binding capacity (EBC), which refers to the ability to bind and integrate relevant features of an event in memory for later access, relates to leadership self-concepts (i.e., leader identity and leadership self-efficacy). In study 1, findings revealed that EBC moderated the relationship between prior leadership experience on leader identity, but not on leadership self-efficacy. Participants with more leadership experience and higher EBC expressed stronger leader identity. In study 2, we further examined the role of event characteristics (self-relevant and relational events) as moderators of the EBC–leadership self-concepts relationship. Participants reported higher levels of leader identity and leadership self-efficacy after experiencing highly self-relevant and relational events, and this relationship was moderated by EBC. We derive implications for event system theory and the practical applications of EBC for leadership self-concept formation.