Abstract
Afrocentric leader identity formation is essential for effective leadership in African contexts, yet leadership development frameworks remain largely Western. This study examines how Black Consciousness (BC) philosophy can shape leadership coaching to cultivate authentic Afrocentric identities. Using an integrative literature review, 15 studies were analyzed to identify key BC elements essential to cultivate Afrocentric leader identities, including resistance to colonial knowledge systems, affirmation of collectivist African identity, and psychological liberation. Findings show that decolonial coaching can help African leaders interrogate inherited leadership norms, reclaim cultural and intellectual heritage, and embed African values in practice. The study advances a coaching framework linking BC philosophy and leader identity development.
Keywords
Introduction
Developing a leader identity is essential for both leadership growth (Seyama-Mokhaneli & Belang, 2024) and leadership behavior (Day et al., 2005). A positive leader identity entails confidence in one's leadership abilities as well as the capacity to establish credibility in the eyes of others (Mosala & Bennett, 2024). Broader psychological discourse highlights identity as a fundamental developmental need (Stelter, 2009). Research further suggests that leader identity accelerates the adoption of leadership skills and enhances motivation to lead (Kragt & Guenter, 2018). Leaders with a well-defined sense of identity possess a clear understanding of their values, strengths, limitations, and goals (Day & Harrison, 2007).
Contemporary scholarship increasingly explores how social and cultural transformations influence identity development (Sánchez-Queija et al., 2024). Within leadership studies, a focus on identity provides richer insights than traditional trait-based models (Day & Harrison, 2007). Nevertheless, research on leader identity remains predominantly shaped by Western perspectives (Sánchez-Queija et al., 2024). At present, African organizations lack leader identity development models firmly grounded in indigenous cultural values. African leadership identity philosophies have been marginalized, partly due to persistent doubts regarding the legitimacy of African philosophy and the continued privileging of Western philosophical traditions (Cloete, 2019). African intellectual history has often been framed in response to colonial narratives (Eze, 2015), and African leadership philosophies are frequently overlooked in mainstream leadership discourse (Sachikonye & Ramlogan, 2024). Consequently, African leader identity continues to be shaped by colonial-era Western theories (Myeza & April, 2021).
Coaching has emerged as a promising approach for leader identity development. However, dominant leadership coaching frameworks have historically been grounded in functionalist paradigms that privilege tools and outcomes over socio-cultural context (Shoukry & Fatien, 2024). Increasingly, coaching is recognized as a potential means of interrogating and disrupting colonial legacies in leadership identity and development (Seyama-Mokhaneli & Belang, 2024). Scholars argue that coaching can address ethical dilemmas and power dynamics often neglected in mainstream practice (Shoukry & Cox, 2018). Leadership coaching may serve as a transformative process through which clients critique social systems and enact meaningful change (Shoukry, 2017). Thus, coaching should be understood as a political and social practice that both shapes, and is shaped by, its broader context (Shoukry & Cox, 2018).
This article advances the incorporation of Afrocentric leader identity elements into African leadership coaching. Reclaiming Afrocentric leader identity requires critical engagement with Africa's historical and intellectual traditions and a conscious rejection of colonial assumptions embedded in leadership discourse (Mungwini, 2022). Black Consciousness (BC) philosophy is proposed as a key foundation for developing Afrocentric leader identity. BC provides a culturally relevant framework for leadership identity development in which coaching can empower African leaders to affirm their BC and resist neoliberal values (Seyama-Mokhaneli & Belang, 2024). Recognizing that psychological liberation is central to overcoming oppression, BC emphasizes self-definition and psychological emancipation (Harris, 2017). By integrating BC philosophy, this study seeks to advance leadership coaching through an Afrocentric lens that affirms and honors African cultural heritage. Accordingly, the paper calls for a paradigmatic shift away from imposed Western norms towards African leadership coaching approaches that authentically reflect and nurture the identities of African leaders. The guiding research question is: What elements of Black Consciousness philosophy are essential for inclusion in leadership coaching aimed at developing Afrocentric leader identities among African leaders? This study addressed this question through an integrative literature review, in which 15 studies were systematically analyzed to identify the BC elements critical to leadership identity development.
Literature Review
Leader Identity
Identity refers to how individuals perceive and understand themselves subjectively (Lai & Passmore, 2024), influencing their sense of meaning, well-being, and success (Steyn & Barnard, 2024). Leader identity, a sub-component of an individual's overall identity, pertains to how people perceive themselves as leaders, influencing their perspectives on leadership development (Szekely et al., 2025). It refers to both how individuals view their own leadership identity and how others perceive it (Day & Dragoni, 2015), functioning as a dynamic self-concept that is activated in different contexts and evolves over time (Miscenko et al., 2017). Leader identity is shaped by both internal factors, such as self-perception, and external factors, such as validation from others (Haslam et al., 2020), and can be understood on three levels: personal, which includes leadership traits and cognitive frameworks; relational, which involves establishing leadership credibility through interactions; and communal, which focuses on a leader's role within a group or organization (Zheng & Muir, 2015).
Societal forces of colonization have deeply harmed colonized peoples, leading to a fractured sense of identity marked by self-doubt, self-deprecation, and inner conflict (Kirmayer et al., 2018). Historically, white males have been portrayed as the ideal representation of great leadership (Liu & Baker, 2016). Western leadership theories have been criticized as modern tools of colonialism that perpetuate Western ideologies (Bolden & Kirk, 2005). A lasting consequence of anti-black colonialism has been the internalization of white supremacy in the minds of the oppressed, to the point where its value system is accepted as Truth within the black psyche (Cloete, 2019). As a result, the black (African) individual internalizes a sense of alienation, rejecting their own identity by associating goodness with whiteness and feeling incomplete in their humanity, a belief rooted in childhood and reinforced throughout their life (Biko, 2005).
Advancing research on African leader identity is essential for building culturally relevant leadership coaching frameworks (Ngunjiri, 2016). Leadership development is intrinsically tied to growing identity maturity, as more developed leadership enables timely action, broader perspectives, and the ability to tackle more complex challenges (McGuire & Palus, 2018). Leader identity development should move beyond the typical goal of empowering the leader but to develop a new leader identity, focusing instead on encouraging and deepening decolonial leader identity.
Leader Identity Formation and Development
Identity formation is a lifelong process that becomes particularly important during late adolescence and emerging adulthood (McLean & Pratt, 2006). According to Skinner (2020a), leader identity formation progresses along a continuum from underdeveloped identity to forming and ultimately well-developed stages of internalization. Individuals develop understandings and schemas of leadership through early life experiences, which influence the extent to which they perceive themselves as leaders based on their personal backgrounds and self-definitions of leadership (Murphy & Johnson, 2011). Although earlier research primarily associated identity development with adolescence, more recent studies suggest it continues into emerging adulthood and throughout adulthood, where individuals may reassess or regress to earlier stages following identity-disrupting events (Fadjukoff et al., 2019).
Identity formation occurs through identity work, an ongoing and dynamic process that shapes self-concept to promote well-being and support social relationships (Steyn & Barnard, 2024). This continuous cognitive process enables individuals to navigate their self-concept in relation to social environments while maintaining a positively valued sense of self (Lai & Passmore, 2024). Leader identity formation is an evolving process of internalization shaped by enabling and constraining factors encountered by individuals (Skinner, 2020a). It develops through continuous reflection and internalization of personal characteristics, social context, and past, present, and anticipated life experiences (Skinner, 2014). The process integrates self-reflection with communication and action, incorporating intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions (Steyn & Barnard, 2024). Identity work also involves forming, repairing, maintaining, strengthening, or revising identities to navigate multiple, often conflicting identities across individual, relational, and organizational levels (Skinner, 2020b).
Coaching as a Leadership Development Method
Increasingly, coaching is recognized as essential for leadership development, which focuses on the evolution of leaders’ meaning-making capacities. Coaching is a core component of effective leadership development programs, supporting leaders in enhancing performance and delivering measurable business outcomes (Coetzee et al., 2023). Leadership coaching equips leaders to address current and future challenges by fostering new perspectives and strategies (Cavanagh and Palmer, 2009). A psychologically safe coaching environment, characterized by confidentiality, vulnerability, courage, compassion, and curiosity, enables deep insight and transformation (Braks, 2021).
Coaching can either reinforce dominant norms or foster social change, depending on its application (Shoukry, 2017). However, traditional leadership coaching models often fall short of addressing the complex, evolving challenges leaders now face (Coetzee et al., 2023). The assumption of coach neutrality, common in mainstream literature, is increasingly challenged, especially in contexts of inequality, where neutrality may be unrealistic or ethically problematic (Shoukry & Cox, 2018). Coaches who claim neutrality may inadvertently uphold oppressive systems and political agendas (Fatien et al., 2022). Instead, coaching must be responsive to social context, raising critical questions about how tools are used for emancipation and whether they can heighten awareness of, and resistance to, hegemonic structures (Shoukry & Cox, 2018). On the African continent, there is an urgent need for coaching approaches that reflect the region's specific leadership challenges (Coetzee et al., 2023), where coaches support clients in reframing narratives and creating actionable pathways for change (Shoukry & Fatien, 2024).
BC Philosophy
BC emerged as a response to a crisis in black identity, a widespread issue across the African continent, resulting from colonialism. BC encouraged a strong sense of African identity, emphasizing group pride and the importance of self-determination (Harris, 2017), highlighting the significance of affirming Black culture and identity (Msila, 2013). BC philosophy is fundamentally humanist (Cooper & Ratele, 2018), emphasizing the importance of African humanism, the affirmation of Black identity, and the need for psychological freedom (Msila, 2013). BC is closely intertwined with the value of dignity in African culture, one that stems from human connectedness and the inherent respect individuals deserve simply by being part of the community (du Toit, 2008).
Biko, a proponent of BC, has defined BC as “not a matter of pigmentation” but a “reflection of a mental attitude,” and that true black people are those who can proudly defy oppression rather than surrender their identity to the white man (Biko, 2005, p. 52). Biko's understanding of nonracialism is based on three key concepts: black identity, which involves embracing one's blackness; black solidarity, which emphasizes collective efforts for black liberation; and true integration, which entails equal respect for both black and white cultures and their eventual merging (Harris, 2017).
Biko turned to African culture as a means of reclaiming black identity, not by reinventing it, but by affirming and embracing it without hesitation (du Toit, 2008). From the perspective of the black individual, Biko aimed to establish a new sense of black human identity, within the framework of black solidarity, breaking free from the grip of black dependency and fear caused by white oppression (Cloete, 2019). Within the framework of BC, black identity focuses on challenging the link between blackness and inferiority (Harris, 2017). There is still a need for research that is rooted in BC to explore how leadership coaching can support African leaders to reclaim their decolonial identities, anti-neoliberal values, and scepticism of Western leadership, leading to reshaping African leader identity, especially in light of the failures of dominant (Western) great man leadership models (Seyama-Mokhaneli & Belang, 2024).
Linking BC With Ubuntu Leadership Philosophy
The philosophy of Ubuntu, widely acknowledged in leadership studies, emphasizes interdependence, humanity, community-building, benevolence, respect, and responsiveness (Mbigi, 2005; Sipondo, 2025). As a foundational philosophy in sub-Saharan Africa, Ubuntu shapes African existence and social interactions despite cultural diversity (Nzimakwe, 2014). Ubuntu emphasizes the interconnectedness of individuals and communities, recognizing history, context, and relationships in shaping identity, while viewing the self as inherently social and interdependent (Oelofsen, 2015).
Ubuntu serves as a foundational cultural framework shaping African perceptions of identity and consciousness (Mbigi, 2005). According to Ubuntu, individual identity is metaphysically linked to the community, with each person contributing to and sustaining the collective (Metz, 2015). In African culture, communal living, collectivism, and human-centered approaches are central (Eyong, 2017). BC philosophy emphasizes community identity as central to African culture (du Toit, 2008). Ubuntu holds that individuals engage in collective activities while preserving identities linked to the community's collective will and actions (Mantzaris & Pillay, 2021). Belonging to the group is central to interdependent identity, where self-realization is understood through communal relationships (Oelofsen, 2015).
Lessons From the Decolonizing Psychology Scholarship
Decolonizing psychology scholarship offers important lessons for decolonizing coaching, particularly in challenging the dominance of Western epistemologies and assumptions of universality within professional practice. Psychology is among the disciplines challenging the dominance of Western epistemological paradigms and confronting its colonial inheritances (Dudgeon et al., 2021; Sonn et al., 2024). Decolonizing psychology seeks to develop more globally relevant and inclusive approaches that better serve marginalized and underserved populations (Hagenaars, 2023). Similar to coaching, much of mainstream psychology was constructed within Western, ethnocentric frameworks, predominantly by middle-aged White men, resulting in theories and practices that often marginalize alternative perspectives (Phiri et al., 2023). Consequently, decolonization requires reconstructing psychological knowledge to include Indigenous psychologies while critically transforming teaching, research, and professional practice (Dudgeon et al., 2021).
A central concern is whether psychology perpetuates existing inequalities or actively contributes to repair and liberation (Hagenaars, 2023). The assumption that psychology is objective, value-free, and universally applicable has constrained understandings of human experience and excluded non-Western epistemologies from mainstream discourse (Dudgeon et al., 2021). Decolonizing psychology therefore calls for contextually grounded research and teaching that reflect the lived realities of racialized populations and foreground African and Global South knowledge systems (Gillborn et al., 2023; Macleod, 2018).
Central to the decolonization project are identity, intersectionality, reflexivity, and accountability within decolonial struggles (Malherbe & Ratele, 2022). Decolonizing psychology also seeks to address the enduring psychological and social impacts of colonialism, including racism, trauma, and unequal power relations, while promoting healing, dignity, and collective liberation (Hagenaars, 2023; Sonn et al., 2024).
Methodology
This study used integrative literature review principles (Torraco, 2005) to synthesize diverse academic sources, allowing for the consolidation of multiple types of research and theoretical contributions. The article adopted a broad, multidisciplinary scope, concentrating on scholarly work that interrogates BC and leadership identity within academic contexts. To achieve this, searches were directed toward the intersecting domains of BC philosophy and leadership identity formation.
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
Studies were included if they met the following conditions:
peer-reviewed academic publications. a focus on BC philosophy within the African context. published in English.
The following were excluded:
publications not in English. non-peer-reviewed sources.
Data Extraction
A systematic search strategy was designed, guided by keyword searches of titles and abstracts. Searches were conducted across four databases: Stellenbosch University's multisource database, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, and Scopus, using combinations of search terms such as “Leadership Identity AND decolonisation AND Africa” and “Leadership AND Black Consciousness AND Africa.” The initial search yielded 143 publications. Titles and abstracts were screened for relevance, with duplicates removed in EndNote 21/2023, leaving 120 records. Of these, 50 full-text articles were assessed in detail. Additional studies were retrieved through reference tracking. Ultimately, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria and were retained for analysis. Table 1 lists a summary of included studies.
Summary of Included Studies.
Data Analysis
Data analysis was guided by Torraco's (2005) integrative review procedures. Each article was read multiple times to assess the clarity and quality of its arguments, reduce and compare data, and identify recurring patterns and variations. A data matrix was developed to organize extracted information categorically, which facilitated iterative cross-study comparisons. The quality and relevance of the literature were evaluated according to the extent to which the relationship between BC philosophy and leadership identity decolonization was clearly articulated. A qualitative content analysis was subsequently undertaken. This involved immersive reading to generate initial insights, followed by the identification and condensation of meaning units. These units were then coded and grouped into broader categories, which enabled the uncovering of recurring themes across studies. Frequency counts were employed to indicate the relative prominence of specific codes and themes, thereby enriching interpretation. Through repeated refinement, the themes were reviewed for consistency, conceptual depth, and analytical rigor. This iterative process ultimately enabled the identification of the defining qualities of BC decolonized leader identity and the synthesis of diverse findings into coherent thematic narratives.
Quality Appraisal
This integrative review followed the methodological framework proposed by Whittemore and Knafl (2005), which emphasizes systematic and transparent processes to enhance rigor in integrative reviews. Methodological rigor was ensured through a structured review process across all stages of the review. The search process and sampling decisions were fully documented to enhance transparency and reproducibility. An audit trail documenting methodological and analytical decisions was maintained throughout the review process to strengthen dependability, transparency, and overall trustworthiness of the study.
Results
Fifteen relevant studies were identified, with a primary focus on the philosophy of BC and leader identity. The findings are presented narratively and organized around six key themes: colonized leader identity; dismantling colonial impositions; resistance to the dominance of whiteness; resistance to colonial knowledge systems; the dynamic, evolving nature of African culture; the affirmation of a collectivist African identity; and reclaiming black identity.
Colonized Leader Identity
The greatest harms inflicted by colonization were the forced erasure of the colonized people's identities, which were systematically and violently replaced with elements of the colonizers’ identity (Myeza & April, 2021). Colonization forced Africans to adopt white cultural norms across various institutions, compelling them to suppress their identities, resulting in the burden of constantly regulating their behavior to conform in white-dominated spaces (Seyama-Mokhaneli, 2024). A lasting consequence of anti-black colonialism has been the internalization of white supremacy in the minds of the oppressed, to the point where “white” value system is accepted as Truth within the black psyche (Cloete, 2019). Societal forces of colonization have deeply harmed colonized peoples, leading to a fractured sense of identity marked by self-doubt, self-deprecation, and inner conflict (Kirmayer et al., 2018).
Second-generation colonialism has led to the colonization of African people's minds through fields such as education, science, economics, and law (le Grange, 2018). Forms of epistemic subjugation still persist under the guise of historical decolonization (Olivier, 2019). Colonial hierarchies positioned Whiteness as superior and Blackness as inferior, linking racial identity to social status (Kirmayer et al., 2018). This dynamic has produced psychological and structural entrapment for Black Africans, as whiteness remains the normative ideal (Cooper & Ratele, 2018), perpetuating a weaponized sense of inferiority (Harris, 2017). The enduring dominance of the “Great (white) Man” model in the Global South continues to shape leadership practice (Seyama-Mokhaneli, 2024).
Dismantling Colonial Impositions
Decolonization extends beyond political independence to include dismantling all colonial impositions, reversing imperial domination, and reclaiming what is authentically African (Eze, 2015). A key phase in this process is rediscovery and recovery, where colonized peoples reclaim their history, culture, language, and identity (le Grange, 2018). Psychological decolonization is a necessary first step toward liberation, especially for Black (African) individuals who must overcome the psychological legacy of colonialism (Oelofsen, 2015). This involves critically examining the assumptions long accepted as truths, across individual, familial, community, and organizational levels, and dismantling the structures that reinforce them (Myeza & April, 2021).
Resistance to the Dominance of Whiteness
Decolonizing African leader identity also entails resisting the enduring dominance of the coloniality of whiteness (Seyama-Mokhaneli & Belang, 2024). BC has been defined as the need for Black people to unite around shared experiences of oppression, reclaim pride in their identity, and free themselves from psychological servitude (Habibi, 2014). According to BC, true liberation required becoming a “free self” (Cooper & Ratele, 2018), and that psychological freedom was the first phase of resistance, enabling Black individuals to shed inferiority and reclaim their identity (Ahmed, 2023). Identity, from this perspective, is not inherited but constructed (Olivier, 2019). BC's call to embrace African culture is not about invention, but affirmation (du Toit, 2008). This includes fostering a culture of self-assertion in which Black people tell their own stories and counter white-dominated narratives (Seyama-Mokhaneli & Belang, 2024). For BC, Black identity aims to disrupt the association between blackness and inferiority (Harris, 2017), arguing that blackness is not just pigmentation, but a sociopolitical condition shaped by structural injustice.
Resistance to the Colonial Knowledge Systems
The liberation of the African mind requires resistance to the dominance of Western knowledge and education systems (Cloete, 2019). In leadership literature and practice, African voices and perspectives remain marginalized, reinforcing dominant leadership paradigms and excluding alternative, relational leadership models (Myeza & April, 2021). Knowledge production is inherently political, shaped by identity and worldview. Without a deliberate focus on African anti-colonial thought, African epistemology will remain overshadowed by Eurocentric frameworks, reinforcing racism and marginalization within organizations (Seyama-Mokhaneli, 2024). However, decolonization is not about discarding all colonial influences but about rejecting their authority over African thought, particularly in defining leadership and shaping its development pathways (Myeza & April, 2021).
The Dynamic, Evolving Nature of African Culture
Culture is dynamic and Afrocentric leader identity must evolve alongside changing social contexts. BC's Biko rejected the notion of a static African culture, urging individuals to connect the past with the present to reflect the modern African experience (Msila, 2013). Identity is shaped by intersecting factors such as socioeconomic status, gender, and ethnicity, which influence how interdependence is experienced (Kirmayer et al., 2018). Still, Biko affirmed the enduring presence of core African cultural elements in contemporary life (du Toit, 2008).
The Affirmation of a Collectivist African Identity
BC represents a bold commitment to both individual and collective responsibility. BC is closely intertwined with the value of dignity in African culture, one that stems from human connectedness and the inherent respect individuals deserve simply by being part of the community (du Toit, 2008). BC encourage a strong sense of African identity, emphasizing group pride and the importance of self-determination (Harris, 2017), highlighting the significance of affirming Black culture and identity (Msila, 2013).
Traditionally, African identity is grounded in communal life, where individuals find dignity, respect, and esteem (du Toit, 2008). While Africa is culturally diverse, a shared history and sense of belonging unite its people, rooted in being born on the continent (Msila, 2013). Interdependence is key as individuals understand themselves through relationships with others, and self-realization is achieved through communal identity (Oelofsen, 2015). BC promotes unity, emphasizing that collective strength was essential for liberation and mutual support. In this interdependent view, others are not peripheral but integral to one's sense of self (Kirmayer et al., 2018).
Reclaiming Black Identity
BC promotes a critical awareness of the world and how it diminishes personal identity, well-being, and human dignity (du Toit, 2008). BC provides a pathway for Black people to reclaim their identity by rejecting the fragility imposed on them and re-embracing the African identity, including its attitude, spirituality, and culture (Seyama-Mokhaneli, 2024). The essence of BC is to foster self-reliance and dignity among black (African) people, cultivating a psychological mindset that encouraged new initiatives (du Toit, 2008). Biko views BC as a mindset and a way of life, essential for Black (African) people to liberate themselves from the effects of colonization (Harris, 2017).
Discussion
The objective of this study was to examine the elements of BC philosophy that are integral to leadership coaching for the development of Afrocentric leader identities among African leaders. The findings pertaining to the incorporation of BC elements into coaching for leader identity are discussed in greater detail below.
Developing a Decolonial Leader Identity
In the context of this study, leader identity development moves beyond the typical goal of empowering the leader to lead but towards developing a new leader identity and focusing instead on encouraging and deepening decolonial leader identity. African leadership coaching should promote decolonial identity, which entails redefining Blackness, Africanness, and Black identity in ways that reflect and validate the lived realities of Black and African people today (Seyama-Mokhaneli & Belang, 2024). Central to BC philosophy is a reassertion of what it means to exist as fully human in a world that has long dehumanized Black identities (Cloete, 2019). BC proposes three key concepts in decolonizing leader identity: embracing black identity, which involves embracing one's blackness; black solidarity, which emphasizes collective efforts for black liberation; and true integration, which entails equal respect for both black and white cultures and their eventual merging (Harris, 2017).
Eradicating Inferiority Complex
The current study demonstrated that BC encouraged the eradication of the inferiority complex among Africans. BC is characterized as a reflective process intended to cultivate pride and dignity in individuals (Wilson, 2012). Biko, a proponent of BC, endeavored to reclaim the term “black,” transforming it into a positive identity (Habibi, 2014). African leadership coaching should support African leaders to eradicate the inferiority complexes, enabling them to acknowledge both their own humanity and the humanity of white people on an equal footing (Habibi, 2014). Embracing their black identity will foster a natural drive for self-liberation, with the next step being the separation of inferiority from black identity and culture (Harris, 2017), with Black identity instead viewed as a source of strength rooted in shared historical struggles and distinct experiences (Myeza & April, 2021).
BC's concept of psychological liberation should be incorporated into African leadership coaching as it is a necessary foundation for leaders’ freedom, enabling a confident assertion of black humanity, pride, and selfhood. African leadership coaching should be grounded in BC's psychological foundations to understand both the inner experiences of the oppressed black majority and the external conditions created by colonialism (Cooper & Ratele, 2018). The BC inspired leadership coaching will aim to transform the black man's sense of inferiority into self-confidence and pride, both psychologically, by awakening consciousness through self-reflection to reassess the leader's situation and complicity, and practically, as the first step toward conscientizing the black individual (Ahmed, 2023).
Cultivating Interconnectedness
This study demonstrated the interconnection between BC and collectivist African leadership principles. Ubuntu philosophy understands individual identity as arising from relationships, thus nurturing collective unity (Sipondo, 2025). A collectivist perspective on self-definition involves understanding oneself as inherently connected to others, where one's identity can change depending on the individuals they are interacting with at a given time (Metz, 2015). African leadership coaching frameworks should promote African leader identity that is based on engaging in and shaping shared beliefs, practices, and systems to achieve collective outcomes, emphasizing meaning-making for collective action in complex, systemic contexts (McGuire & Palus, 2018). In Ubuntu philosophy, self-realization is deeply interconnected with community well-being, meaning an individual cannot truly thrive in an unprosperous society; thus, the ultimate goal is both personal and communal flourishing, where the self contributes to the collective (Oelofsen, 2015). True freedom is not found in isolation from others but in one's connection and mutual reliance within the broader community (Elonga Mboyo, 2019).
However, it is important to highlight that the communal nature of African culture does not imply that the individual's well-being is sacrificed for the sake of the group. In a true community, individuals do not forgo their own well-being for the sake of the common good; instead, they achieve personal well-being through contributing to the common good (Lutz, 2009). African identity involves the meanings that individuals assign to themselves through social interactions, answering questions such as “Who am I?,” “Who do I want to become?,” and “How should I relate to others?” (Brown, 2015, p. 23). Therefore, African leadership coaching frameworks should encourage leaders to strike a balance between engaging in collective activities while maintaining their sense of self, which is deeply connected to the collective will and actions of the community (Mantzaris & Pillay, 2021).
Cultivating Internal Self-Liberation
The core leader identity development lies in highlighting the value of expressing decolonial identities, enabling leaders to embrace their authentic selves while challenging dominant narratives (Seyama-Mokhaneli & Belang, 2024). Awareness and awareness-based practices are essential competencies for leaders and their coaches, as traditional knowledge and skills are no longer sufficient (Siminovitch, 2019). African leadership coaching frameworks should encourage leaders to cultivate a stronger connection with their evolving sense of self, address and heal shadow aspects as they arose, and embody their aspirational self (Braks, 2021). BC philosophy focuses on self-liberation, with Biko asserting that freedom will not be granted externally but must come from within (Mantzaris & Pillay, 2021). Distinguishing between personality from the inside, or how one perceives themselves, and personality from the outside, or how others perceive them, is crucial, as both offer valuable but distinct insights into identity (Hogan & Roberts, 2004).
Challenging Deeply Rooted Colonial Values and Beliefs
For leaders to reach the highest level of identity development, they have to reflect on their own thinking, recognize the limitations of their worldviews, value others’ perspectives, and understand that their identity is shaped by the interplay between the opposing perspectives (Frkal & Lewis, 2024). Enhancing leadership effectiveness necessitates the cultivation of broader perspectives, a deeper understanding of leadership tasks within complex adaptive systems, the development of strong interpersonal relationships, the capacity to influence others, and the advancement of self-regulation (Susing, 2016). According to Gumede (2017), African leaders must engage in unlearning, relearning, unthinking, and rethinking prevailing mindsets, a process that encompasses thought leadership, liberation, and the development of critical consciousness. African leadership coaching frameworks should support leader identity development by promoting the leaders’ ongoing journey of emancipation through valuing their unique perspective and offering a platform to clearly and confidently express their values, facilitating a deeper understanding of their purpose and potential impact (Seyama-Mokhaneli & Belang, 2024).
Implications for Coaching Theory and Practice
This study contributes to leadership and coaching theory by conceptualizing African leader identity development as a decolonial, relational, and psychologically transformative process. The findings suggest that coaching in African contexts should extend beyond competency and performance towards identity consciousness, self-liberation, and collective responsibility. The identified dimensions of decolonial leader identity development offer guidance for coaches’ stance, process, and identity work.
Developing a decolonial leader identity requires coaching approaches that affirm Blackness, Africanness, and lived African realities. Coaches should adopt culturally conscious practices that validate coachees’ historical and social experiences while facilitating critical reflection on identity, belonging, and leadership meaning-making. Identity work should support authentic decolonial identities grounded in dignity, self-definition, and collective liberation.
Eradicating inferiority complex foregrounds the psychological dimension of leader identity development. Coaching should create reflective spaces for interrogating internalized oppression, self-doubt, and colonial narratives. The process should prioritize consciousness-raising, emotional awareness, and self-reflection to strengthen self-worth, pride, and confidence. Identity work involves reconstructing Black identity as a source of strength and resilience.
Cultivating interconnectedness reinforces Ubuntu's relational foundations. Coaching should therefore move beyond individualistic conceptions of leadership and foreground community, relationality, and collective flourishing. Identity work should help leaders balance authentic selfhood with communal responsibility and interconnectedness.
Cultivating internal self-liberation positions coaching as a process of deep self-awareness and authentic self-expression. Coaches should facilitate critical introspection, challenge externally imposed identities, and align inner values with leadership behavior. Identity work thus becomes a process of reclaiming agency, authentic selfhood, and psychological freedom.
Challenging colonial values and beliefs highlights the role of transformative learning in leader identity coaching. Coaches should encourage coachees to question dominant assumptions, inherited Western worldviews, and neoliberal leadership ideals. The coaching process should support unlearning, relearning, and critical consciousness, enabling leaders to redefine leadership on their own terms and develop more adaptive ways of thinking and leading.
Limitations of the Study and Agenda for Future Research
This study has several limitations. First, it is primarily conceptual and theoretical, relying on existing literature rather than empirical data. Consequently, the proposed insights and coaching implications have not yet been tested in practice, limiting conclusions about their effectiveness across contexts.
Second, the study is grounded mainly in African philosophical perspectives and experiences shaped by colonialism and apartheid. While this provides an important decolonial contribution, it may limit the transferability of the findings to non-African or culturally different settings. Leadership identity development may also vary across organizational, social, and political contexts.
Third, the study does not examine the organizational and systemic barriers that may hinder the implementation of decolonial leadership coaching approaches within institutions that continue to operate according to dominant Western and neoliberal leadership paradigms.
Future research should empirically examine how the proposed decolonial coaching approach influences leader identity development, psychological liberation, relational leadership, and collective meaning-making across different organizational and cultural contexts. Longitudinal studies may provide valuable insight into how decolonized leader identity transformation unfolds over time through coaching.
Conclusion
This article highlights the need for a decolonial approach to leader identity development, particularly in African contexts. Applying BC in leadership coaching frameworks offers a transformative process that empowers African leaders to reclaim their authentic selves, rooted in their cultural heritage and personal experiences. By challenging the dominance of Western leader identity models and emphasizing the interdependence between individual and collective identity, the proposals encourage leaders to engage deeply with their historical and cultural contexts.
Incorporating BC into African leadership coaching frameworks not only promotes psychological liberation but also advocates for a collective movement towards self-realization and communal flourishing. This study contributes to the broader discourse on leadership development by advocating for a more inclusive, culturally grounded African leader identity.
Footnotes
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Data Availability Statement
No primary data was collected as the article relied on secondary data.