Implicit leadership theory

Implicit Leadership Theory (ILT) is a cognitive theory of leadership developed by Robert Lord and colleagues. It is based on the idea that individuals create cognitive representations of the world, and use these preconceived notions to interpret their surroundings and control their behaviors . ILT suggests that group members have implicit expectations and assumptions about the personal characteristics, traits, and qualities that are inherent in a leader. These assumptions, termed implicit leadership theories or leader prototypes, guide an individuals perceptions and responses to leaders. The term implicit is used because they are not outwardly stated and the term theory is used because it involves the generalization of past experiences to new experiences. ILTs allow individuals to identify leaders and aid them in responding appropriately to leaders in order to avoid conflict.