Two decades of research. Evaluated in real organisational settings.
A peer-reviewed leadership programme
The 5R Leadership Development Programme is one of the few leadership development programmes explicitly based on social identity theory, grounded in over two decades of world-leading research and validated through peer-reviewed studies conducted by researchers at The University of Queensland and their international collaborators.
Rather than treating leadership as an individual skillset, 5R focuses on how leaders work with groups to CARE — create, advance, represent and embed a shared sense of “us”. This approach is supported by a substantial body of peer-reviewed research and has been evaluated through real-world implementation across a range of organisational contexts.
5R is designed not as a one-off training experience, but as a structured, developmental intervention that delivers measurable outcomes.
5R impact at a glance
Leaders and team members across formally evaluated programmes
of participants would recommend 5R to colleagues
#1 descriptor used by teams to describe their leaders post-5R
of identity leadership research underpinning the programme design
What the evidence shows
Across research and applied delivery, the pattern is consistent: when leaders actively involve their teams in identity work, clarifying who “we” are, where we are going, and how we will get there, teams are more aligned, more connected, and better able to coordinate action (especially in a crisis).
Practical work
5R involves practical activities leaders run with their teams, not just reflection in a room away from the day-to-day.
Adaptable delivery
5R has been evaluated under realistic constraints (e.g., online formats and delivery by trained facilitators).
Measurable impact
Research has examined whether 5R increases identity leadership ability relative to no-intervention control conditions.
Implementation matters
Leadership development succeeds when organisations treat it as an implementation process — not a “one-off event”.
The peer-reviewed research underpinning these findings is outlined below.
Why 5R looks different
Many leadership programmes focus exclusively on developing the leader as an “individual”.
5R develops leaders as members of, and for, a group, building the capability to CARE — create, advance, represent, and embed a shared sense of “us” through practical identity work conducted with the team.
| Dimension | Traditional approaches | 5R |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Developing the individual leader | Developing leaders as members of a group |
| Identity emphasis | Leader identity ("I") | Social identity and identity leadership ("we") |
| Learning approach | Predominantly reflective | Reflective and action-based |
| Where development happens | Away from the team being led | With the team being led |
| Who is involved | Leader-focused | Leaders and their teams |
| Social dynamic | Can increase distance between leaders and teams | Reduces distance through shared identity work |
| Delivery rhythm | One-off or episodic | Spaced, developmental, and cumulative |
| Developmental outcome | Increased individual awareness | Increased collective awareness and team capability |
Adapted from Haslam et al. (2023), PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286263
Research foundation
The 5R Leadership Programme is grounded in peer-reviewed research on leadership as a social identity process. This body of work demonstrates that leadership effectiveness depends on a leader’s capacity to build, represent, advance, and embed a shared sense of “us” within groups—and that these principles can be translated into structured, practical leadership development.
5R was developed specifically to operationalise this research in real organisational settings.
Key peer-reviewed research underpinning 5R
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Haslam, S. A., Steffens, N. K., Peters, K., Boyce, R. A., Mallett, C. J., & Fransen, K. (2017). Journal of Personnel Psychology, 16(3), 113–124.
https://doi.org/10.1027/1866-5888/a000176This paper introduced the 5R framework as a structured leadership development programme grounded in the social identity approach. It demonstrated that identity leadership principles can be operationalised through a staged intervention, strengthening leaders’ capacity to lead through shared group identity rather than individual authority.
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Haslam, S. A., Reutas, J., Bentley, S. V., McMillan, B., Lindfield, M., Luong, M., Peters, K., & Steffens, N. K. (2023).
PLOS ONE, 18(5), e0286263.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286263This paper reports the first randomized controlled trial of the 5R identity leadership programme. It demonstrates that participation in both facilitated and self-directed versions of 5R led to large increases in leaders’ knowledge of identity leadership, alongside medium-sized improvements in team engagement and “teamfulness” (including psychological safety, reflexivity, goal clarity, and inclusive climate), relative to a no-intervention control group. Importantly, the study shows that 5R strengthens leaders’ capacity to mobilise teams through shared social identity (‘we-ness’) without increasing leader identity pursuit or hubris, providing evidence that identity-based leadership development can be effectively delivered under realistic organisational conditions, including online formats and delivery by trained facilitators.
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Haslam, S. A., Steffens, N. K., Reicher, S. D., & Bentley, S. V. (2021). Social Issues and Policy Review, 15(1), 35–83.
https://doi.org/10.1111/sipr.12075This integrative review applied the 5R framework to leadership in crisis contexts, synthesising evidence from responses to COVID-19. The analysis showed that leaders who foster a shared social identity achieve stronger coordination, cooperation, and collective resilience under conditions of uncertainty and risk.
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Fransen, K., Haslam, S. A., Steffens, N. K., Peters, K., Mallett, C. J., Mertens, N., & Boen, F. (2020). All for us and us for all: Introducing the 5R Shared Leadership Program. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 51, 101762.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101762This paper introduces the 5R Shared Leadership Program (5RS), integrating shared leadership theory with the social identity approach to leadership.
In initial longitudinal qualitative implementations with both an organisational team and a competitive sport team, the program strengthened leadership legitimacy and confidence by formally appointing leaders based on peer recognition, increasing their motivation to step up and take responsibility.
Teams reported developing a clearer and stronger shared sense of “us,” which became a practical reference point for guiding behaviour and performance. Participants described improved collaboration, greater shared ownership of goals, enhanced integration of members, and reduced reliance on a single formal leader. Together, the findings provide early evidence that combining peer-endorsed shared leadership with identity-based development processes can enhance team cohesion, leadership effectiveness, and overall team functioning across contexts.
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Haslam, S. A., Jetten, J., Maskor, M., McMillan, B., Bentley, S. V., Steffens, N. K., & Johnston, S. (2022). Safety Science, 153, 105814.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2022.105814This review paper articulated a social identity model of high-reliability organisations (SIM-HRO), demonstrating that high reliability is fundamentally underpinned by a shared sense of “us” that supports psychological safety, coordination, learning, and collective responsibility in complex and safety-critical environments. Importantly, the paper identifies identity-based leadership development as a core capability for HROs, and presents the 5R Leadership Programme as a practical, evidence-based intervention for developing these capabilities in practice. As such, 5R is recommended as a core programme for building and sustaining high-reliability, contexts characterised by risk, uncertainty, and interdependence.
Implications for building relational and collective capability
A Queensland public sector review of relational leadership and capability development examined what organisations need to strengthen collective identity, relationships, and coordination across teams and systems.
The review identifies the 5R Leadership Programme as a recommended core approach for building relational capability and collective identity in practice, particularly in complex, interdependent environments. It highlights 5R’s focus on developing leadership through shared identity, leader-led team engagement, and structured identity work embedded in everyday practice.
Hastings, B., et al. (2025). Relational Leadership: An approach to public sector capability development. ANZSOG Research Insights, No. 41. Australia & New Zealand School of Government.
https://doi.org/10.54810/IHGS7293