Followers accept influence when target leaders meet their perception of what it means to be a leader. Impression management (IM) is an important means of influencing these perceptions. However, extant literature on leader IM is fragmented and lacks a clear explanation of how the influence process occurs. I unify the literature in this area by creating a multidimensional typology and multi-level model of IM in leadership. I examine the multidimensional nature of IM as composed of information processing, communicative, and goaldirected components, creating eight IM archetypes. Further, I develop an instrument used in experimental studies to test the IM model within transformational leadership theory, highlighting followers' cognitive categorization processes and testing how the addition of a moderator, ethical work climate (EWC), impacts causal predictions from the model. Across two empirical studies, I find that authentic IM behavior leads to greater transformational leadership perceptions (TL perceptions) than inauthentic and pro-social IM behavior leads to greater TL perceptions than pro-self. There is no significant difference between automatic and controlled IM behavior and TL perceptions. Also, an EWC strengthens the positive effects of authentic communication on TL perceptions. Finally, I provide a cognitive explanation for the IM influence process by showing that certain IM behaviors are implicitly associated with transformational leader behaviors. I integrate my results within existing literature and explain how the model can be used in future research.