Bolander et al: Learning to become manager: the identify work of first-time managers

Question 1

What is this article about in short?

Answer 1

Becoming a manager is not just about learning skills and tasks but also about shaping a new identity.
The study follows six first-time managers over their first 1–16 months in a managerial role.
They experience identity struggles, oscillating between confidence and uncertainty, progress and setbacks.
Some managers grow into their roles, while others struggle to adapt or even reject the managerial identity.
Their journey is shaped by interactions with subordinates, peers, and senior managers.
The study highlights that becoming a manager is a continuous process, not a one-time event.

Question 2

What method did they use?

Answer 2

Longitudinal Study Design

The study followed six first-time managers over a period of 1 to 16 months after their promotion.
The goal was to track how their identity work evolved over time rather than relying on a single snapshot.
Recurrent In-Depth Interviews

Each manager was interviewed nine times over the study period.
The first and last interviews were semi-structured, while the in-between interviews were more open-ended to let managers reflect on their current experiences.
The interviews focused on:
How they saw themselves as managers.
Their biggest challenges and successes.
How they related to others (employees, peers, bosses).
Narrative Analysis (Small Stories Approach)

The researchers used Paul Ricoeur’s narrative identity framework to interpret how managers made sense of their new roles.
They constructed “small stories” from interview data—short narratives reflecting moments of identity formation, struggle, and adaptation.
These stories were then categorized into four types:
Growing into the managerial role (feeling aligned with the new role).
Struggling with managerial identity (uncertainty and self-doubt).
Adopting managerial identity (successfully integrating a new self-image).
Abandoning managerial identity (rejecting the role and returning to previous ways of thinking).
Interpretive Approach

Instead of quantifying responses, the study focused on meaning-making—how managers explained their experiences and navigated their changing identity.
The analysis emphasized the oscillating nature of identity work—how managers move between confidence and doubt, knowing and not-knowing