Overview
Background
Nik is Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Business and Organisational Psychology (CBOP) at UQ's School of Psychology. After studying and working in Germany, the UK, and Spain, he completed his PhD at the University of Exeter (UK) and joined UQ in 2012.
His research unpacks the psychology of teams and organisations: how shared identity and team processes shape leadership and followership, motivation and creativity, and health and well-being. He combines experiments, field, survey, and archival research, intervention trials, psychometric development, and systematic reviews / meta-analyses to generate informative and practical insights.
His work has been supported by industry–research partnerships with public and private organisations, Government, and the Australian Research Council (including a DECRA fellowship). With colleagues and industry collaborators, he co-developed the 5R leadership programme—recognised with the APS Workplace Excellence Award (Leadership Development)—to help develop people's leadership ability and enhance team functioning and well-being (https://tinyurl.com/adfu7xbu).
He is a co-founder of the Global Identity Leadership Development (GILD) network and serves on the editorial boards of The Leadership Quarterly and the European Journal of Social Psychology. He is co-editor (with Michelle Ryan and Floor Rink) of Organisational Psychology: Revisiting the Classic Studies (SAGE, 2023) (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/organisational-psychology/book269849).
Through research–practice partnerships, he offers data- and evidence-based consulting and organisational coaching (certified by the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership), helping organisations translate research into performance and wellbeing gains.
Availability
- Associate Professor Nik Steffens is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Exeter
Works
Search Professor Nik Steffens’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Conference Publication
Mind(fulness) over matter: mechanisms of mindfulness to facilitate work functioning
Gupta, Alisha, Reina, Chris, Choi, Ellen, Gupta, Alisha, Kay, Adam Austen, Lyddy, Christopher James, Town, Sophia, Arnold, Kara Anne, Carleton, Erica, Goh, Zen, Good, Darren Jason, Hancock, Amanda J., Keller, Josh, Kudesia, Ravi S., Lange, Donald A., Li, Yiqiong, Ortynsky, Mikaila, Reina, Chris, Steffens, Niklas, Vogus, Timothy J. and Walsh, Megan Marie (2022). Mind(fulness) over matter: mechanisms of mindfulness to facilitate work functioning. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Unknown, Unknown. Briarcliff Manor, NY, United States: Academy of Management. doi: 10.5465/ambpp.2022.13546symposium
2022
Journal Article
A meta-analysis of retirement adjustment predictors
La Rue, Crystal J., Haslam, Catherine and Steffens, Niklas K. (2022). A meta-analysis of retirement adjustment predictors. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 136 103723, 103723. doi: 10.1016/j.jvb.2022.103723
2022
Journal Article
Athlete Leadership Development in Sport: A Systematic Scoping Review [Web of Science Core Collection]
Butalia, Radhika, Rupp, Kathi-Sue, Tuand, Krizia, Boen, Filip, Steffens, Niklas K., Loughead, Todd M., Cotterill, Stewart and Fransen, Katrien (2022). Athlete Leadership Development in Sport: A Systematic Scoping Review [Web of Science Core Collection]. searchRxiv, 2022. doi: 10.1079/searchrxiv.2022.00013
2022
Journal Article
Athlete Leadership Development in Sport: A Systematic Scoping Review [Cochrane Library]
Butalia, Radhika, Rupp, Kathi-Sue, Tuand, Krizia, Boen, Filip, Steffens, Niklas K., Loughead, Todd M., Cotterill, Stewart and Fransen, Katrien (2022). Athlete Leadership Development in Sport: A Systematic Scoping Review [Cochrane Library]. searchRxiv, 2022. doi: 10.1079/searchrxiv.2022.00049
2022
Journal Article
Publisher Correction: Situational factors shape moral judgements in the trolley dilemma in Eastern, Southern and Western countries in a culturally diverse sample
Bago, Bence, Kovacs, Marton, Protzko, John, Nagy, Tamas, Kekecs, Zoltan, Palfi, Bence, Adamkovic, Matus, Adamus, Sylwia, Albalooshi, Sumaya, Albayrak-Aydemir, Nihan, Alfian, Ilham N., Alper, Sinan, Alvarez-Solas, Sara, Alves, Sara G., Amaya, Santiago, Andresen, Pia K., Anjum, Gulnaz, Ansari, Daniel, Arriaga, Patrícia, Aruta, John Jamir Benzon R., Arvanitis, Alexios, Babincak, Peter, Barzykowski, Krystian, Bashour, Bana, Baskin, Ernest, Batalha, Luisa, Batres, Carlota, Bavolar, Jozef, Bayrak, Fatih ... Aczel, Balazs (2022). Publisher Correction: Situational factors shape moral judgements in the trolley dilemma in Eastern, Southern and Western countries in a culturally diverse sample. Nature Human Behaviour, 6 (6), 897-898. doi: 10.1038/s41562-022-01403-w
2022
Journal Article
“Let's get physical” — or social: The role of physical activity versus social group memberships in predicting depression and anxiety over time
Jetten, Jolanda, Haslam, Catherine, von Hippel, Courtney, Bentley, Sarah V., Cruwys, Tegan, Steffens, Niklas K. and Haslam, S. Alexander (2022). “Let's get physical” — or social: The role of physical activity versus social group memberships in predicting depression and anxiety over time. Journal of Affective Disorders, 306, 55-61. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.027
2022
Journal Article
How national leaders keep ‘us’ safe: a longitudinal, four-nation study exploring the role of identity leadership as a predictor of adherence to COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions
Frenzel, Svenja B, Haslam, S Alexander, Junker, Nina M, Bolatov, Aidos, Erkens, Valerie A, Häusser, Jan A, Kark, Ronit, Meyer, Ines, Mojzisch, Andreas, Monzani, Lucas, Reicher, Stephen D, Samekin, Adil, Schuh, Sebastian C, Steffens, Niklas K, Sultanova, Liliya, Van Dijk, Dina, van Zyl, Llewellyn E and van Dick, Rolf (2022). How national leaders keep ‘us’ safe: a longitudinal, four-nation study exploring the role of identity leadership as a predictor of adherence to COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions. BMJ Open, 12 (5) e054980, e054980. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054980
2022
Journal Article
Situational factors shape moral judgements in the trolley dilemma in Eastern, Southern and Western countries in a culturally diverse sample
Bago, Bence, Kovacs, Marton, Protzko, John, Nagy, Tamas, Kekecs, Zoltan, Palfi, Bence, Adamkovic, Matus, Adamus, Sylwia, Albalooshi, Sumaya, Albayrak-Aydemir, Nihan, Alfian, Ilham N., Alper, Sinan, Alvarez-Solas, Sara, Alves, Sara G., Amaya, Santiago, Andresen, Pia K., Anjum, Gulnaz, Ansari, Daniel, Arriaga, Patrícia, Aruta, John Jamir Benzon R., Arvanitis, Alexios, Babincak, Peter, Barzykowski, Krystian, Bashour, Bana, Baskin, Ernest, Batalha, Luisa, Batres, Carlota, Bavolar, Jozef, Bayrak, Fatih ... Aczel, Balazs (2022). Situational factors shape moral judgements in the trolley dilemma in Eastern, Southern and Western countries in a culturally diverse sample. Nature Human Behaviour, 6 (6), 880-895. doi: 10.1038/s41562-022-01319-5
2022
Journal Article
Restless in an unequal world: Economic inequality fuels the desire for wealth and status
Wang, Zhechen, Jetten, Jolanda and Steffens, Niklas K. (2022). Restless in an unequal world: Economic inequality fuels the desire for wealth and status. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 49 (6), 1461672221083747-890. doi: 10.1177/01461672221083747
2022
Journal Article
Volunteering for a better future: a pilot Sustainability Ambassadors Training Program
Solly, Kane, Smyer, Michael A., Nichols, Kim, Steffens, Niklas K., Kastelle, Timothy H. and Pachana, Nancy A. (2022). Volunteering for a better future: a pilot Sustainability Ambassadors Training Program. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 41 (2), e13069-e209. doi: 10.1111/ajag.13069
2022
Journal Article
Perceptions of the targets and sources of COVID-19 threat are structured by group memberships and responses are influenced by identification with humankind
Frenzel, Svenja B., Junker, Nina M., Avanzi, Lorenzo, Erkens, Valerie A., Haslam, S. Alexander, Haslam, Catherine, Häusser, Jan A., Knorr, Daniel, Meyer, Ines, Mojzisch, Andreas, Monzani, Lucas, Reicher, Stephen D., Schuh, Sebastian C., Steffens, Niklas K., van Zyl, Llewellyn E. and van Dick, Rolf (2022). Perceptions of the targets and sources of COVID-19 threat are structured by group memberships and responses are influenced by identification with humankind. Psychologica Belgica, 62 (1), 75-88. doi: 10.5334/pb.1043
2022
Journal Article
Identity leadership and social identification within sport teams over a season: a social network analysis
Bruner, Mark W., McLaren, Colin D., Mertens, Niels, Steffens, Niklas K., Boen, Filip, McKenzie, Laura, Haslam, S. Alexander and Fransen, Katrien (2022). Identity leadership and social identification within sport teams over a season: a social network analysis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 59 102106, 102106. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.102106
2022
Journal Article
Cracks before the crisis: polarization prior to COVID‐19 predicts increased collective angst and economic pessimism
Crimston, Charlie R., Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Álvarez, Belén, Jetten, Jolanda, Bentley, Sarah, Casara, Bruno Gabriel Salvador, Ionescu, Octavia, Krug, Henning, Steffens, Niklas K., Tanjitpiyanond, Porntida and Wibisono, Susilo (2022). Cracks before the crisis: polarization prior to COVID‐19 predicts increased collective angst and economic pessimism. European Journal of Social Psychology, 52 (4), 669-678. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2845
2022
Journal Article
Social identity makes group-based social connection possible: implications for loneliness and mental health
Haslam, S. Alexander, Haslam, Catherine, Cruwys, Tegan, Jetten, Jolanda, Bentley, Sarah V., Fong, Polly and Steffens, Niklas K. (2022). Social identity makes group-based social connection possible: implications for loneliness and mental health. Current Opinion in Psychology, 43, 161-165. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.07.013
2022
Journal Article
Understanding responses to an organizational takeover: introducing the social identity model of organizational change
Mühlemann, Neela S., Steffens, Niklas K., Ullrich, Johannes, Haslam, S. Alexander and Jonas, Klaus (2022). Understanding responses to an organizational takeover: introducing the social identity model of organizational change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 123 (5), 1004-1023. doi: 10.1037/pspi0000386
2022
Journal Article
Group? What group? A computational model of the group needs a psychology of “us” (not “them”)
Wiles, Janet, Haslam, S. Alexander, Steffens, Niklas K. and Jetten, Jolanda (2022). Group? What group? A computational model of the group needs a psychology of “us” (not “them”). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 45 e125, 53-54. doi: 10.1017/s0140525x21001266
2021
Journal Article
Unlocking collective cooperation in the midst of COVID‐19: the role of social support in predicting the social class disparity in cooperation
Tanjitpiyanond, Porntida, Álvarez, Belén, Jetten, Jolanda, Bentley, Sarah V., Casara, Bruno Gabriel Salvador, Crimston, Charlie R., Ionescu, Octavia, Jarukasemthawee, Somboon, Krug, Henning, Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Steffens, Niklas K., Wang, Zhechen and Wibisono, Susilo (2021). Unlocking collective cooperation in the midst of COVID‐19: the role of social support in predicting the social class disparity in cooperation. British Journal of Social Psychology, 61 (3), 940-951. doi: 10.1111/bjso.12514
2021
Other Outputs
Cross-sector Systems of Support (SOS) program: clinical data evaluation
Robinson, R.N.S., Steffens, N. and Zhaunerchyk, K. (2021). Cross-sector Systems of Support (SOS) program: clinical data evaluation. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2021
Journal Article
Identity leadership, employee burnout and the mediating role of team identification: evidence from the global identity leadership development project
van Dick, Rolf, Cordes, Berrit L., Lemoine, Jérémy E., Steffens, Niklas K., Haslam, S. Alexander, Akfirat, Serap Arslan, Ballada, Christine Joy A., Bazarov, Tahir, Aruta, John Jamir Benzon R., Avanzi, Lorenzo, Bodla, Ali Ahmad, Bunjak, Aldijana, Černe, Matej, Dumont, Kitty B., Edelmann, Charlotte M., Epitropaki, Olga, Fransen, Katrien, García-Ael, Cristina, Giessner, Steffen, Gleibs, Ilka H., Godlewska-Werner, Dorota, González, Roberto, Kark, Ronit, Laguia Gonzalez, Ana, Lam, Hodar, Lipponen, Jukka, Lupina-Wegener, Anna, Markovits, Yannis, Maskor, Mazlan ... Kerschreiter, Rudolf (2021). Identity leadership, employee burnout and the mediating role of team identification: evidence from the global identity leadership development project. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (22) 12081, 12081. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182212081
2021
Journal Article
When the final whistle blows: Social identity pathways support mental health and life satisfaction after retirement from competitive sport
Haslam, Catherine, Lam, Ben C.P., Yang, Jie, Steffens, Niklas K., Haslam, S. Alexander, Cruwys, Tegan, Boen, Filip, Mertens, Niels, De Brandt, Koen, Wang, Xinyan, Mallett, Clifford J. and Fransen, Katrien (2021). When the final whistle blows: Social identity pathways support mental health and life satisfaction after retirement from competitive sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 57 102049, 102049. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.102049
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Nik Steffens is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
From Privilege to Autocracy: The Hidden Costs of Inequality in Resource Distribution on Leadership Behaviors
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alex Haslam
-
Doctor Philosophy
The Role of Social Identity in Leadership Coaching
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alex Haslam
-
Doctor Philosophy
Social identity processes affecting retirement from sport
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Catherine Haslam, Professor Alex Haslam
Completed supervision
-
2025
Master Philosophy
Leadership in Group Exercise
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alex Haslam
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding what it means to be 'us': Collective identity content and clarity.
Principal Advisor
-
2023
Master Philosophy
What Does it Mean to Follow? Exploring Theories, Definitions, and Measures of Followership
Principal Advisor
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
How leaders fall: Exploring the process of leadership destabilization
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alex Haslam
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Identity leadership in action: An ethnographic approach to identify leadership behaviours in a professional football team
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alex Haslam, Professor Cliff Mallett
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Scaling identity leadership: Pathways to the implementation of a social identity-based leadership development program
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alex Haslam
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
From Intent to Impact: Spotlighting the Understudied Role of Employee Inclusivity
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Stacey Parker, Professor Tyler Okimoto
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Social Connectedness and Retirement Adjustment: The Contribution of Social Participation and Social Group Memberships
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Catherine Haslam
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
An Examination of Players' Shared Leadership in the Australian Men's Professional Football League
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Steven Rynne, Professor Cliff Mallett
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Who Aspires to Have More? The Impacts of Social Class and Economic Inequality on People's Desire for Wealth and Status
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jolanda Jetten
-
2017
Master Philosophy
A Social Identity Perspective on the Management of Confidential Information in Organisational Contexts
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alex Haslam
Media
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