Staff profile

Susanne is Professor in Leadership at Durham University Business School and Associate Dean for Postgraduate Research Students. She received her PhD (2011) and Habilitation (2017) in Psychology from Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Germany. She held posts at TUM School of Management and LMU Center for Leadership and People Management as well as visiting scholarships at New York University and University of California in Berkeley before joining Durham University Business School in 2015.

Susanne’s research focuses primarily on leadership. She is interested in the bright sides and dark sides of leadership and how they affect productivity and wellbeing at the work-life interface. One of her current research foci is leader identity and its development. Her work also studies leader narcissism and leadership. She has published articles in outlets such as Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Journal of Organizational Behavior, The Leadership Quarterly, British Journal of Management, Human Resource Management, Journal of Business Ethics, and the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. She received the Emerald Citation of Excellence and The Leadership Quarterly's Highly Cited Research Award in 2016. She co-edited the book Leadership Lessons from Compelling Contexts with Birgit Schyns and Claudia Peus in the Monographs in Leadership and Management series (Emerald, 2016). She is Associate Editor (Organizational Psychology) of Frontiers in Psychology and Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Organizational Behavior and the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology.

Mini Biography

Susanne is a Professor in Leadership at Durham University Business School and Associate Dean for Postgraduate Research Students. 

• Leader and follower identity dynamics
• Narcissism in leadership
• Authentic leadership

Chapter in book

• Topakas, A., Gan, X., & Braun, S. (2024). Grandiose and vulnerable leader narcissism in context: the role of events. In B. Schyns, P. Neves, & K. Breevaart (Eds.), Research Handbook on Destructive Leadership (132-154). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035315925.00013
• Nieberle, K. W., Acton, B. P., Fu, Y. (., Lord, R. G., & Braun, S. (2024). Lead today, follow tomorrow? How to manage the ebb and flow of leader and follower identities. In S. Braun, T. Keller Hansbrough, G. A. Ruark, R. G. Lord, R. J. Hall, & O. Epitropaki (Eds.), Navigating leadership: Evidence-based strategies for leadership development (9–15). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003377450
• Robinson, M., & Braun, S. (2023). Managing in the collective: The practice of Big Science collaborations. In T. Das (Ed.), Managerial Practice Issues in Strategy and Organization (1-38). Information Age Publishing
• Schyns, B., Braun, S., & Wisse, B. (2019). Dark personalities in the workplace. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.553
• Braun, S., & Hornuf, L. (2018). Authentic leadership and followers’ cheating behaviour: A laboratory experiment from a self-concept maintenance perspective. In D. Cotter-Lockard (Ed.), Authentic leadership and followership : international perspectives (215-244). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65307-5_9
• Braun, S., Haas, K., & Frey, D. (2017). Führung und Kooperation in der modernen Arbeitswelt. In J. Sautermeister (Ed.), Moralpsychologie : Transdisziplinäre Perspektiven (214-232). Kohlhammer
• Hentschel, P., Braun, S., & Peus, C. (2017). Warum wird sie nicht Führungskraft? Geschlecht und Karriereentwicklung. In S. Kauffeld, & D. Spurk (Eds.), Handbuch Karriere und Laufbahnmanagement (1-31). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-45855-6_39-1
• Netzel, J., Braun, S., & Frey, D. (2017). Macht: Grundlagen, Folgen und Prozesse eines komplexen Phänomens. In H.-W. Bierhoff, & D. Frey (Eds.), Kommunikation, Interaktion und soziale Gruppenprozesse (493-542). Hogrefe
• Braun, S., Frey, D., Nübold, A., & Maier, G. (2017). Führung. In H.-W. Bierhoff, & D. Frey (Eds.), Kommunikation, Interaktion und soziale Gruppenprozesse (543-598). Hogrefe. https://doi.org/10.3139/9783446452749.006
• Braun, S., Hentschel, T., Peus, C., & Frey, D. (2016). Geschlechtsunterschiede und Geschlechtsstereotype (Gender differences and gender stereotypes). In H.-W. Bierhoff, & D. Frey (Eds.), Soziale Motive und soziale Einstellungen (759-793). Hogrefe. https://doi.org/10.1026/00564-000
• Braun, S. (2016). Narcissistic leadership. In A. Farazmand (Ed.), Global encyclopedia of public administration, public policy, and governance (1-9). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_1900-1
• Braun, S., Peus, C., Frey, D., & Knipfer, K. (2016). Leadership in academia: Individual and collective approaches to the quest for creativity and innovation. In C. Peus, S. Braun, & B. Chyns (Eds.), Leadership lessons from compelling contexts (349-365). Emerald. https://doi.org/10.1108/s1479-357120160000008013
• Braun, S., Schyns, B., & Peus, C. (2016). Conclusion: Leadership lessons from compelling contexts. In C. Peus, S. Braun, & B. Schyns (Eds.), Leadership lessons from compelling contexts (465-479). Emerald. https://doi.org/10.1108/s1479-357120160000008017
• Braun, S., Hentschel, T., Peus, C., & Frey, D. (2015). Chancengleichheit durch professionelle Personalauswahl in der Wissenschaft (Equality through professional personnel selection in academia). In C. Peus, S. Braun, T. Hentschel, & D. Frey (Eds.), Personalauswahl in der Wissenschaft : Evidenzbasierte Methoden und Impulse für die Praxis. = Personnel selection in academia : evidence based methods and ideas for practice (30-48). Springer Verlag
• Frey, D., Braun, S., & Peus, C. (2015). Herausforderungen der Personalauswahl in der Wissenschaft: Berufungsverfahren an deutschen Universitäten (Challenges of personnel selection in German universities). In C. Peus, S. Braun, T. Hentschel, & D. Frey (Eds.), Personalauswahl in der Wissenschaft : Evidenzbasierte Methoden und Impulse für die Praxis. = Personnel selection in academia : evidence based methods and ideas for practice (1-14). Springer Verlag
• Braun, S., & Frey, D. (2015). Führungstheorien (Leadership theories). In M. Galliker, & U. Wolfradt (Eds.), Kompendium psychologischer Theorien. = Compendium of psychological theories (133-136). Suhrkamp
• Heilman, M., Manzi, F., & Braun, S. (2015). Presumed incompetent: Perceived lack of fit and gender bias in recruitment and selection. In A. Broadbridge, & S. Fielden (Eds.), Handbook of gendered careers in management : getting in, getting on, getting out (90-104). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781782547709.00014
• Braun, S., Frey, D., Brodbeck, F., & Hentschel, T. (2015). Group processes in organizations. In J. Wright (Ed.), International encyclopedia of the social & behavioural sciences (408-415). (2nd). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-097086-8.73071-6
• Peus, C., Wesche, J., & Braun, S. (2015). Authentische Führung (Authentic leadership). In J. Felfe (Ed.), Trends der psychologischen Führungsforschung : neue Konzepte, Methoden und Erkenntnisse (15-26). Hogrefe
• Pawlowska, B., Braun, S., Peus, C., & Frey, D. (2010). Academic leadership: The effect of leader-follower incongruence and cognitive processes on perceptions of leader adversity. In T. Hansbrough, & B. Schyns (Eds.), When leadership goes wrong: Destructive leadership, mistakes, and ethical failures (479-512). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing

Edited book

• Braun, S., Keller Hansbrough, T., Ruark, G. A., Lord, R. G., Hall, R. J., & Epitropaki, O. (Eds.). (2024). Navigating Leadership: Evidence-based strategies for leadership development. Routledge
• Peus, C., Braun, S., & Schyns, B. (Eds.). (2016). Leadership lessons from compelling contexts Monographs in Leadership and Management. Emerald
• Peus, C., Braun, S., Hentschel, T., & Frey, D. (Eds.). (2015). Personalauswahl in der Wissenschaft: Evidenzbasierte Methoden und Impulse für die Praxis (Personnel selection in academia: Evidence based methods and ideas for practice). Springer Verlag

Journal Article

• Braun, S., Sleebos, E., Zou, L. L., & Wisse, B. M. (online). Sparking or smothering darkness: Motivational climates influence the leader grandiose narcissism–follower trust relation via leader self‐serving behaviour. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12555
• Braun, S., Schyns, B., Zheng, Y., & Lord, R. G. (online). When vulnerable narcissists take the lead: The role of internal attribution of failure and shame for abusive supervision. Journal of Business Ethics, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-024-05805-w
• Morgan, R., Braun, S., & Epitropaki, O. (2025). Pursuing a future leader self: A multi‐study investigation of leader identity and its motivational and behavioural outcomes. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 98(1), Article e70014. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.70014
• Nieberle, K. W., Acton, B. P., Braun, S., Lord, R. G., & Fu, Y. A. (2024). Leader Identity on the Fly: Intra-personal Leader Identity Dynamics in Response to Strong Events. Journal of Business and Psychology, 39(3), 755-778. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-023-09906-7
• Muñoz-Roman, P., Braun, S., Chowdhury, F., Barton, M., Jayne-Little, N., Komes, J., Rowland, J., Sykes, K., Smith, J., Talbot-Jones, C., & Taggart, A. (2023). The Deterioration of Self-Worth in Entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 20, Article e00430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbvi.2023.e00430
• Zheng, X. (., Nieberle, K. W., Braun, S., & Schyns, B. (2023). Is Someone Looking Over My Shoulder? An Investigation into Supervisor Monitoring Variability, Subordinates’ Daily Felt Trust, and Well-being. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 44(5), 818-837. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2699
• Schyns, B., Braun, S., & Xia, Y. E. (2023). What motivates narcissistic individuals to lead? The role of identity across cultures. Personality and Individual Differences, 206, Article 112107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112107
• Kipfelsberger, P., Braun, S., Fladerer, M. P., & Dragoni, L. (2022). Developing authenticity: A quasi-experimental investigation. Personality and Individual Differences, 198, Article 111825. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111825
• Schyns, B., Lagowska, U., & Braun, S. (2022). Me, me, me - narcissism and motivation to lead. Journal of Psychology, 230(4), 330-334. https://doi.org/10.1027/2151-2604/a000504
• Nieberle, K., Acton, B., Braun, S., & Lord, R. G. (2021). Modeling Identities in Context: A Dynamical Systems Approach to Leader-Follower Identities. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2021(1), https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2021.13413abstract
• Hentschel, T., Braun, S., Peus, C., & Frey, D. (2021). Sounds Like a Fit! Wording in Recruitment Advertisements and Recruiter Gender Affect Women’s Pursuit of Career Development Programs via Anticipated Belongingness. Human Resource Management, 60(4), 581-602. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22043
• Gloor, J., & Braun, S. (2020). Help When Dads Need Somebody? Follower Reactions to Leader Work-Family Conflict. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2020(1), https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2020.27
• Fladerer, M., & Braun, S. (2020). Managers’ resources for authentic leadership – A multi-study exploration of positive psychological capacities and ethical organizational climates. British Journal of Management, 31(2), 325-343. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12396
• Braun, S., Schyns, B., Zheng, Y., & Lord, R. (2019). Vulnerable narcissists in leadership? A bifactor model of narcissism and abusive supervision intent. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2019(1), Article 11224. https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2019.160
• Hentschel, T., Braun, S., Peus, C., & Frey, D. (2019). The communality-bonus effect for male transformational leaders – leadership style, gender, and promotability. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 27(1), 112-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432x.2017.1402759
• Braun, S., Peus, C., & Frey, D. (2018). Connectionism in action: Exploring the links between leader prototypes, leader gender, and perceptions of authentic leadership. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 149, 129-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2018.10.003
• Braun, S., Kark, R., & Wisse, B. (2018). Editorial: Fifty Shades of Grey: Exploring the Dark Sides of Leadership and Followership. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 1877. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01877
• Braun, S., Aydin, N., Frey, D., & Peus, C. (2018). Leader Narcissism Predicts Malicious Envy and Supervisor-Targeted Counterproductive Work Behavior - Evidence From Field and Experimental Research. Journal of Business Ethics, 151(3), 725-741. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-016-3224-5
• Braun, S., & Peus, C. (2018). Crossover of work-life balance perceptions: Does authentic leadership matter?. Journal of Business Ethics, 149(4), 875-893. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-016-3078-x
• Braun, S., & Nieberle, K. (2017). Authentic leadership extends beyond work: A multilevel model of work-family conflict and enrichment. The Leadership Quarterly, 28(6), 780-797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2017.04.003
• Braun, S. (2017). Leader Narcissism and Outcomes in Organizations: A Review at Multiple Levels of Analysis and Implications for Future Research. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, Article 773. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00773
• Shaughnessy, B., Braun, S., Hentschel, T., & Peus, C. (2016). Diverse and just? The role of quota-based selection policies on organizational outcomes. European Journal of Social Psychology, 46(7), 880-890. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2208
• Peus, C., Braun, S., & Knipfer, K. (2015). On becoming a leader in Asia and America: Empirical evidence from women managers. The Leadership Quarterly, 26(1), 55-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.08.004
• Braun, S., Peus, C., Weisweiler, S., & Frey, D. (2013). Transformational leadership, job satisfaction, and team performance: A multilevel mediation model of trust. The Leadership Quarterly, 24(1), 270-283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2012.11.006
• Peus, C., Braun, S., & Frey, D. (2013). Situation-based measurement of the Full Range of Leadership Model - development and validation of a situational judgment test. The Leadership Quarterly, 24(5), 777-795
• Braun, S., Wesche, J., Frey, D., Weisweiler, S., & Peus, C. (2012). Effectiveness of mission statements in organizations. A review. Journal of Management and Organization, 18(4), 430-444
• Peus, C., Braun, S., & Frey, D. (2012). Despite good intentions: The role of follower attributions in adverse leadership. A multilevel model of social contagion processes
• Peus, C., Wesche, J., Streicher, B., Braun, S., & Frey, D. (2012). Authentic leadership: An empirical test of its antecedents, consequences, and mediating mechanisms. Journal of Business Ethics, 107(3), 331-348
• Braun, S., Peus, C., & Frey, D. (2012). Is beauty beastly? Gender-specific effects of leader attractiveness and leadership style on followers’ trust and loyalty

Report

• Peus, C., Braun, S., & Aydin, N. (2015). Führung anders denken. Neid in Unternehmen: Fluch oder Fortschrittsmotor? (Thinking differently about leadership. Envy: curse or driver of progress?). [No known commissioning body]