Staff profile

Tim is currently a PhD Student in Management at Durham University Business School and a member of the Centre for Leadership and Followership. Alongside his PhD, Tim is a Research Assistant for Professor Susanne Braun and Professor Olga Epitropaki focusing on leadership development, identity dynamics and measurement. Tim is also a Seminar Tutor at undergraduate and postgraduate level (modules include: Organisational Behaviour, Consulting, Dissertation and Research Methods). He is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), recognizing his commitment to teaching and learning in higher education.

Tim’s primary field of research is leadership. More precisely, his research focuses on leader identity (how individuals see themselves as leaders) and leadership impostorism (feelings of self-doubt in one’s own ability as a leader and fear of deceiving others into attaining that position). He has presented his work at international conferences such as the annual meeting of the Academy of Management and the Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Leadership Symposium.

Tim is a member of the organising committee for the ASQ Blog (Behind the scenes of the Administrative Science Quarterly). Tim is an active member of the Durham University Business School community and is currently the Research Chair for Management in the Business School’s Doctoral Society and the organiser of the monthly Reading Group for the Centre for Leadership and Followership. He also serves as the PhD Representative for the Management & Marketing Department and has previously represented his peers as both Faculty Representative and Academic Representative. 

Tim is a university-level rower and has undertaken key leadership roles during both his undergraduate and postgraduate studies including Men’s Captain, Treasurer and Club President. Prior to starting his Masters Degree, Tim was a full-time Sabbatical Officer and President of the Students’ Union at York St John University following successful completion of a Honours Degree in Business Management & Finance. He has experience of working in both Public and Private Higher Education Institutions as well as charitable organisations and entrepreneurial ventures. 

 You can contact Tim at timothy.g.holmes@durham.ac.uk.

Mini-Biography

Tim is a PhD Student in Management at Durham University Business School and a member of the Centre for Leadership and Followership. His research focuses on leader identity and leadership impostorism. He is also working as a Research Assistant on leadership development, identity dynamics and measurement. Alongside his research, Tim teaches as a Seminar Tutor at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA). 

• Identity
• Identity Integration
• Impostorism (also known as the impostor phenomenon)
• Leadership
• Multidomain Leadership

Chapter in book

• Holmes, T., Berghoff, N., & Kark, R. (2024). Behind the Mask: How to Tackle Challenges of Leadership Impostorism. In S. Braun, T. K. Hansbrough, G. A. Ruark, R. G. Lord, R. J. Hall, & O. Epitropaki (Eds.), Navigating Leadership: Evidence-Based Strategies for Leadership Development. Routledge