ABSTRACT
Social change is a process through which social groups and societies alter their structure and culture over time. Leadership, looking through the lens of social identity theory, is an example of a mechanism for social change whereby leaders have the ability to positively shift patterns of behaviours in their followers with increased levels of psychological hardiness. A group assumes the personality of their leader. Therefore a leader who exudes the components of hardiness will positively influence fellow group members or subordinates to embrace hardiness and this leads to positive social changes. This article will explore factors of leadership and examine how great leaders’ use of psychological hardiness components can result in social level changes in those who follow them.
