Showing papers in "Leadership & Organization Development Journal in 2015"

Ambidextrous leadership and team innovation

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the first empirical test of the recently proposed ambidexterity theory of leadership for innovation (Rosing et al., 2011). This theory proposes that the interaction between two complementary leadership behaviors – opening and closing – predicts team innovation, such that team innovation is highest when both opening and closing leadership behaviors are high. Design/methodology/approach – Multi-source survey data came from 33 team leaders of architectural and interior design firms and 90 of their employees. Findings – Results supported the interaction hypothesis, even after controlling for leaders’ transformational leadership behavior and general team success. Research limitations/implications – The relatively small sample size and the cross-sectional design are potential limitations of the study. The findings provide initial support for the central hypothesis of the ambidexterity theory of leadership for innovation. Practical implications – The results sugge...

Leadership style and the process of organizational change

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify processes which may contribute to followers’ positive reactions to change. By focusing on the relationship between change antecedents and explicit reactions, the authors investigate the direct and indirect relationships between leadership styles (transformational and transactional) and followers’ appraisal of change through manager engagement. Design/methodology/approach – Using data from a longitudinal survey among 351 followers in two Danish organizations, the study tracked the planned implementation of team organization at two different times. Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. Findings – Transformational and transactional leadership styles were positively related to the engagement of managers. Managers’ engagement was associated with followers’ appraisal of change. The two leadership styles also had a direct, long-term effect on followers’ change appraisal; positive for transformational leadership and negative for transactional le...

Seeking and measuring the essential behaviors of servant leadership

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to clarify the nature of how servant leadership is established and transmitted among members of an organization. The second goal was to identify and evaluate the unique actions by a leader essential to establishing servant leadership. The authors’ efforts resulted in identification and validation of ten leader behaviors that seem to be essential to servant leadership. Design/methodology/approach – The authors’ methodology consisted of two stages. In the first stage, The authors developed an item pool of 116 items drawn from previously developed operationalizations of servant leadership. The authors then engaged a panel of 23 researchers attending a conference focused exclusively on the study of servant leadership to evaluate the. Each participant was asked to independently rate each item using a four-point scale where 1=not useful in describing servant leaders and 4=contributes greatly to describing servant leaders. The authors retained only the most highly rated ite...

Antecedents of shared leadership: empowering leadership and interdependence

Abstract: Purpose – Shared leadership describes leadership as a collective and reciprocal activity distributed among the members of a team (Carson et al., 2007). The purpose of this paper is to investigate variables assumed to be antecedents for this leadership approach. In particular, the authors examine the importance of external empowering leadership and task and goal interdependence for shared leadership as well as the relationship between shared leadership and team performance. Design/methodology/approach – In order to test the hypotheses, the authors applied structural equation modeling using a field sample of 81 knowledge and manufacturing teams from a Danish company. Findings – Results indicated that an external empowering team leader and interdependence in the team significantly predicted the extent of shared leadership, which, in turn, was positively related to team leader ratings of team performance. Research limitations/implications – Overall, the study supports previous findings that the act of sharing...

The effects of authentic leadership on turnover intention

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between employees’ perception of authentic leadership and their turnover intention as mediated by employees’ work-group identification (WID) and work engagement. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data from 623 Spanish employees. Findings – Results show that authentic leadership has a negative effect on turnover intention and positive effects on work engagement and WID. The direct relationship between authentic leadership and turnover intention was found to be partially mediated by employees’ work engagement. Practical implications – One of the strongest implications that may be drawn from this study is that authentic leaders can influence employees’ turnover intentions by positively enhancing their engagement. Thus, the study highlights authentic leadership as a key element for retaining valuable employees through the promotion of employees’ work engagement. Originality/value – To the author...

Situational leadership theory: a test from three perspectives

Abstract: Purpose – Ambiguity surrounding “follower competence and commitment” of Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory (SLT) has rendered validation difficult. The purpose of this paper is to address this difficulty by presenting different perspectives for determining follower development level and applies these perspectives for testing the validity of SLT. Design/methodology/approach – The study population was drawn from 80 supervisors and 357 followers. Financial organizations were chosen because much of the existing research on SLT has so far focussed on service-oriented organizations in education, healthcare, and armed services. Findings – Measuring the degree of agreement between leader rating of follower competence and commitment and follower self-rating was found to be a core issue for determining follower competence and commitment. SLT predictions are more likely to hold when leader rating and follower self-rating are congruent, rather than using leader rating alone, which has been applied i...

Linking managerial practices and leadership style to innovative work behavior: The role of group and psychological processes

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a theoretical model linking individual perceptions of participative leadership style and managerial practices (ie teamwork and information sharing) to individual innovative behavior through the mediating mechanisms of: perceptions of team support for innovation and team vision; and psychological empowerment Design/methodology/approach – Self-report data were collected from 394 employees working in five organizations Structural equation models were conducted to empirically test the hypothesized research model Findings – As hypothesized, participative leadership, teamwork and information sharing positively predicted perceptions of team support for innovation and team vision, which in turn fostered psychological empowerment The latter was further positively associated with innovative performance Practical implications – The results of the present study inform management of the group processes (ie team vision and support for innovation) that

Leadership in a time of financial crisis: what do we want from our leaders?

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to gain a nuanced understanding of what employees want from leaders in an organizational crisis context. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a mixed methods approach to explore employee leadership preferences during organizational crisis and non-crisis times using the Multi Factor Leadership Questionnaire (Avolio and Bass, 2004), and qualitative interviews. The authors also investigate sex roles using the Bem Sex Role Inventory (Bem, 1981). Findings – The mixed method approach reveals some potential limitations in how leadership is typically measured. The qualitative findings highlight employees’ expectations of leaders to take action quickly while simultaneously engaging in continuous communication with employees during crisis. None of the components of transformational leadership encapsulate this notion. Originality/value – The mixed methods approach is novel in the crisis leadership literature. Had the authors relied solely on the quantitative measures, ...

An investigation into the leadership practices of volunteer leaders

Abstract: Purpose – While numerous studies of leadership have been conducted in the corporate and public sectors, there are lots of people leading in civic, social, and community service organizations and little is known about either how they lead or how their leadership practices are similar to or different from those leading in other sectors. The purpose of this paper is to fill that gap by examining leadership practices unique to leadership that occurs within organizations where both leaders and followers are volunteers. Design/methodology/approach – The sample involved surveying over 60 percent of the volunteer (n=569) leaders across a national youth sports organization based in the USA. Findings – Volunteer leaders engaged more frequently in leadership behaviors than did paid leaders. Some differences in leadership behaviors were found on the basis of respondent gender, age, educational level, and employment status. Leadership behaviors were systematically related to quality of respondents’ volunteer leadershi...

Volunteer age, job satisfaction, and intention to stay: A case of nonprofit sport organizations

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of Age in the relationships between leader-member exchange dimensions (Affect, Loyalty, Contribution, and Professional Respect) and Job Satisfaction and between Job Satisfaction and Intention to Stay among volunteers in nonprofit sport organizations. Design/methodology/approach – A series of moderated hierarchical multiple regression analyses was conducted using the survey responses of 214 volunteers in 22 nonprofit sport organizations. Findings – The results indicated that Age moderated the relationship between Professional Respect and Job Satisfaction such that it was stronger for younger volunteers, and Job Satisfaction had a greater positive influence on Intention to Stay for older rather than younger volunteers. Originality/value – These findings provide valuable insights into how age may be an important factor influencing volunteers’ job satisfaction and intention to continue to volunteer. Implications for practitioners and future...

Can socially responsible leaders drive Chinese firm performance

Abstract: Purpose – The relationship between socially responsible leaders, the key driver of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, and organizational financial performance is a salient issue in the global context for both CSR scholars and practitioners. The purpose of this paper is to provide much-needed insights into the interplay of responsible leadership, CSR practices, and organizational outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – It analyses 85 CEOs’ behaviors and their companies’ performance in a two-year database. It thereby enriches understanding of how leaders’ socially responsible decisions impact upon CSR engagement and firm performance. Findings – The results suggest that socially responsible leaders were positively related with organizational performance of return on equity (ROE). The aspects of integrity, morality, and stakeholder relationship aspects of responsible leadership are closely related to CSR. However, CSR practices were negatively related to ROA and ROE. It implies that in China CSR...

Religion, religiosity, and leadership practices

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and measure the relationship between a leader’s religion and religiosity (independent variables) and leadership practices (dependent variables) in the context of non-western Christian and Muslim organizational leaders. Design/methodology/approach – The quantitative correlation study involved 384 organizational leaders (150 Christians and 234 Muslims) working in various industries in Lebanon. Organizational leaders supplied their religious affiliation and self-rated their religiosity and leadership practices. Findings – Results were somewhat mixed, supporting some prior studies and contradicting others. Differences in the hypothesized relationship between the religious affiliation, religiosity, and leadership practices of organizational leaders were noted. The findings revealed that religion and religiosity both have an influence on the behavior and practices of organizational leaders; although the former is much more significant than the latter. Research ...

CEO transformational leadership and top manager ambidexterity: An empirical study in Taiwan SMEs

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of CEO transformational leadership in promoting ambidexterity of top managers. This paper posits that connecting CEO transformational leadership with the CEO-top manager interface offers a better explanation of heterogeneity in top manager ambidextrous behavior. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on a questionnaire survey of 388 senior managers in 80 top teams nested in 80 small- to medium-sized Taiwan manufacturing firms. Findings – The findings indicate that transformational CEOs shape the CEO-top manager interface, characterized by senior team behavioral integration, decentralization of responsibilities, long-term compensation, and individual manager risk propensity, and in turn promote ambidexterity at the individual top manager level. Originality/value – Hence, the authors contribute to the existing understanding that transformational CEOs may not only have a beneficial influence on firm-level ambidexterity, but also may be par...

Shared leadership and gender: all members are equal … but some more than others

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of shared leadership on the gap between male and female leadership influence in groups. Design/methodology/approach – The leadership influence of 231 members from 28 committees was studied using a social networks methodology. Gender differences in committee members’ directive and supportive leadership influence were analyzed through two ANCOVA tests. Findings – Results confirm significant differences between men and women’s leadership influence, as rated by their peers, using directive and supportive leader behaviors. Surprisingly, shared leadership has no significant effect on reducing this gender gap. Research limitations/implications – Results cannot be extrapolated to all other types of groups, since the committees studied have very unique characteristics due to their low typical mutual interaction. Practical implications – Organizations may need to consider complementary strategies in their group leadership design to prevent the emergence o...

Embracing leadership: a multi-faceted model of leader identity development

Abstract: Purpose – Leadership development has been replete with a skill-based focus. However, learning and development can be constrained by the deeper level, hidden self-knowledge that influences how people process information and construct meaning. The purpose of this paper is to answer the question of how people construct and develop their leader identity. The authors intend to shed light on the critical facets of identity changes that occur as individuals grapple with existing understanding of the self and of leadership, transform them, and absorb new personalized notions of leadership into their identity, resulting in a higher level of confidence acting in the leadership domain. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a grounded theory study of participants and their mentors in a lay leadership development program in a Catholic diocese. The authors inductively drew a conceptual model describing how leader identity evolves. Findings – The findings suggested that leader identity development was not a uni-dimensional event. Rather, it was a multi-faceted process that encompassed three key facets of identity development: expanding boundaries, recognizing interdependences, and discerning purpose. Further, it is the co-evolvement of these three facets and people’s broadening understanding of leadership that led to a more salient leader identity. Research limitations/implications – The model addresses the gap in literature on how leader identity develops specifically. It enriches and expands existing knowledge on leader identity development by answering the question of what specific changes are entailed when an individual constructs his or her identity as a leader. Practical implications – The findings could be used to guide leadership development professionals to build targeted learning activities around key components of leader identity development, diagnose where people are in their leadership journey, set personalized goals with them, and provide pointed feedback to learners in the process of developing their leader identity. Originality/value – The authors provide an in-depth and integrative account of the contents and mechanisms involved in the construction of the leader identity. The authors zero in on the critical transformations entailed in the process to establish and develop a leader identity.

Knowledge donating and knowledge collecting: The moderating roles of social and economic LMX

Abstract: This is the authors’ accepted, refereed and final manuscript to the article. Publisher’s version available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-11-2012-0145

Barking up the wrong tree. On the fallacies of the transformational leadership theory

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that the magnitude of interest in and of enthusiasm for transformational leadership is out of proportion with its weaknessesFindings: The theory

Positive and negative supervisor developmental feedback and task-performance

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize, understand, and measure positive and negative aspects of supervisor developmental feedback (SDF) and investigate their relationships with task performance. Design/methodology/approach – In Study 1, common themes in SDF were identified and a set of SDF items were developed to capture the positive and negative SDF domain. Study 2 entailed the administration of the items to respondents to examine the dimensionality of the items through exploratory factor analysis. In Study 3, using confirmatory factor analysis we further examined the extent to which positive and negative developmental feedback (PSDF and NSDF) were conceptually distinct from each other and different from an existing general measure of supervisor feedback. Findings – Study 1 and Study 2 yielded evidence that positive and negative SDF are distinct yet related constructs. Positive SDF predicted employee task performance. The positive SDF by negative SDF interaction predicted task performan...

Leadership skills as construed by nonprofit chief executives

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how chief executives of 20 nonprofit organizations construe and prioritize the skills they use to perform typical leadership tasks. Design/methodology/approach – The in-depth interview protocol used in the study is based on the Repertory Grid Technique, which elicits assumptions, beliefs, and values of respondents without imposing the researchers’ implicit frame of reference. Findings – The interviews generated 285 skill constructs. Respondents in this study report that they utilize a mix of technical, interpersonal, and conceptual skills. Interpersonal skills, especially communication and trust building, appear to be particularly prevalent among the many skills used by executives to perform their leadership tasks. Research limitations/implications – Because this is an exploratory study, its findings cannot yet be generalized to other contexts. Therefore, the paper concludes with some propositions for further research. Practical implications – The study ma...

The relationship between supervisor support and individual improvisation

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of perceived supervisor support on individual improvisation, and the mediating role of the psychological empowerment and improvisation-related self-efficacy in that relationship. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected in 2011 from the large municipal organization. The total sample size was 593. The partial least square analysis conducted to estimate the mediation effects of empowerment and self-efficacy on the relationship between supervisor support and individual improvisation. Findings – The findings of the study show psychological empowerment and improvisation-related self-efficacy as mechanisms through which supervisor support affects individual improvisation. Research limitations/implications – Limitation of the study is that it concerns only one organization. The study extends understanding of the factors effecting on individual improvisation in organizations and invites management to pay attention to the mechanisms through ...

Communication challenges facing management teams

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore what kinds of communication challenges management teams (MTs) experience and to suggest ideas for developing competent communication practices. Design/methodology/approach – Working according to the principles of qualitative research, a total of seven MT members from seven different international companies were interviewed. The thematic in-depth interviews were analyzed by first looking at all references of communication challenges, and then grouping them into six different dimensions. Findings – Most of the communication challenges facing MTs are related to the teams’ meetings, where issues of leadership, decision making and participation may well be intensified. The meetings were experienced as formal communication forums, where MT members do not always express their true opinions either because other team members prevent it or because they are unable to do so. Informal communication plays a pivotal role in facilitating trust and competent communication ...

Benevolent leadership in not-for-profit organizations: Welfare orientation measures, ethical climate and organizational citizenship behaviour

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships among the welfare constituents of benevolent leadership, ethical climate, and organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) by examining the direct as well as the indirect impacts of benevolent leadership constructs on OCB mediated through the ethical work climate (EWC). Design/methodology/approach – The data analysis for managerial responses obtained from eight not-for-profit organizations established that ethical sensitivity, spiritual wisdom, positive engagement, and community responsiveness as the welfare elements of benevolent leadership significantly influenced OCB both as proximal and distal outcome through the mediating effect of EWC found in the organizations. Findings – This study substantiated the point that the welfare orientation exhibited by top and senior management as the core of benevolent leadership behaviour in not-for-profit organizations influenced the EWC and OCB among the organizational members that in turn would enabl...

How leaders influence followers through the use of nonverbal communication

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the relationship between a leader’s use of nonverbal immediacy (specific hand gestures) and followers’ attraction to the leader. This study provides initial evidence that certain hand gestures are more effective than others at creating immediacy between leaders and followers. Design/methodology/approach – In an experimental study, participants (male=89; female=121) were shown one of three videos of an actor, as leader, using three positive hand gestures, three defensive hand gestures, and no hand gestures, which have not been previously operationalized (and were grouped arbitrarily by the experimenter). Three hypotheses were tested using a 3×2 ANOVA (by group and gender) for main and interactional effects. Findings – The independent variable, positive hand gestures (M=2.4), was perceived by participants as more immediate than the other two independent variables, defensive hand gestures (M=−19.2) or no hand gestures (M=−21.6). Analysis of data indicate that...

Leader roles, organization-based self-esteem, and employee outcomes

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between different managerial roles and organization-based self-esteem (OBSE), and employee job satisfaction, organization commitment, and turnover and absence intentions. Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected from 1,386 employees in a high technology industry. Employees described the roles their managers fulfilled, and then rated their own OBSE, satisfaction, commitment, and turnover and absence intent. Findings – Different managerial roles had different relationships with OBSE, which mediated the relationships between some of the management roles and employee outcomes. Research limitations/implications – This study used a cross-sectional design with single source data in a single industry. Future research should examine these relationships using longitudinal designs, multiple data sources, and a variety of industries. Practical implications – Managers should be aware that their behaviors affect employee self-esteem, wh...

How toxic leaders are perceived: gender and information-processing

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study gender-based differences in information-processing impact on message perception, leading to women viewing the behavior of potentially toxic leaders more negatively than they are viewed by men. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 381 participants completed a series of measures of cue recognition items, collusion and conformity pertaining to a hypothetical toxic leadership scenario. Findings – Results indicated that women perceived the toxic leader more negatively than men, elaborating more on negative message connotations, while men emphasized positives. Likewise, men recorded higher scores on their tendency to collude with the toxic leader compared to women. Evidence was also found that participants were more attuned to negative messages and behavior from a leader of the same gender. Research limitations/implications – The Anglo-Celtic dominance of the sample is identified as a potential limitation. Further research exploring how not only gender, but age...

What matters most in leader selection? The role of personality and implicit leadership theories

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the primary basis upon which raters make decisions in the context of selection for formal leadership positions. Specifically, this paper examines the applicant’s personality, the rater’s personality, and the congruence between the applicant’s personality and the rater’s implicit leadership theories (ILTs) as predictors of interview scores. Design/methodology/approach – The hypotheses were tested via random coefficient modeling analyses using HLM software with the control variables included in Step 1 and the main effects entered in Step 2, and interaction effects in Step 3 as appropriate. Findings – Analyses suggest that both applicant and rater personality impact interview scores, but raters do not appear to select leaders on the basis of their conceptualization of an ideal leader. Research limitations/implications – The results suggest that raters may not consider their own ILTs when attempting to identify future leaders. Given this lack of a natural tendency toward selecting individuals that match one’s perceptions of an ideal leader, future research should focus on adapting current selection methods to leader selection and the development of new selection methods that are more valid. Practical implications – These findings suggest that current staffing practices may not encompass the most effective tools for selecting future leaders of the organization. These results highlight the importance of clarifying the outcome goals of the selection process in advance by giving raters a clear representation of the qualities and ideals that should be present in potential leaders. Originality/value – This study is among the first to examine the relationships between personality and ILTs in the context of a formal leadership selection process and makes a significant contribution to the literature by providing insight into the influence of both rater and applicant personality differences along with rater conceptualizations of ideal leadership in the context of formal leadership selection.

Leader-member exchange differentiation and team creativity

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation on team creativity by developing a moderated mediation model. The model focuses on the mediating role of relationship conflict in linking LMX differentiation with team creativity and the moderating role of team-member exchange (TMX) median in influencing the mediation. Design/methodology/approach – The authors tested the model with a time-lagged field survey data from 358 employees and 98 supervisors belonging to 98 teams in a large diversified company with more than 15,000 employees, based in Shanghai, Southeastern China. In the first stage (T1), employees assessed LMX, TMX, relationship conflict, and control variables. In the second stage (T2), the leaders were asked to report team creativity. Findings – Results indicated that the relationship between LMX differentiation and team creativity was mediated by relationship conflict. Moderated mediation analyses further revealed that relationship conf...

Relationships among applications of tacit knowledge and transformational/transactional leader styles: An exploratory comparison of the MLQ and TKML

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine intercorrelational relations among the self-report behavioral construct Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) 5X transformational and transactional subscales and the Tacit Knowledge for Military Leaders Inventory (TKML) leader-level specific situational judgment test scenarios. Design/methodology/approach – In total, two leadership measures, the behavioral construct MLQ and the cognitive construct TKML assess different aspects of how a leader functions and were administered to 125 active US Army officers representing three leader levels: platoon, company, and battalion. The authors examine the intercorrelational relationship between these two measures. Findings – Results show a correlational pattern that contours the evolution of a leader’s skills (from novice platoon leader to expert battalion leader), with the strongest correlation at the higher leader levels. Research limitations/implications – The decision to restrict the number of TKML scenarios ...

Exploring power assumptions in the leadership and management debate

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to take a fresh look at the leadership and management debate through exploring underlying power assumptions in the literature. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a conceptual discussion that draws on the power-based literature to develop a framework to help conceptually understand leadership in relation to management. Findings – The paper highlights the historically cliched nature of comments regarding conceptual similarities and differences between leadership and management. The paper draws attention to a problem within this debate – a confusion regarding assumptions of power. As a result the paper brings to the forefront perspectives of management that are of an emergent and non-work perspective which enables the development of a framework of the literature that includes managers “doing” leadership, managers “becoming” leaders, “being” leaders and managers, and leaders “doing” management. The paper goes on to explore the meaning and potential behind each part of the framework and suggests a need to develop an understanding of “doing” leadership and management and “being” managers and leaders through an exploration of “becoming” in organisations. Originality/value – This paper provides a new perspective on the leadership and management or leadership vs management question by introducing a non-work, emergent or personal perspective on management. Furthermore, this paper concludes that whether leadership and management are similar or different is dependent upon which power construct underlies each phenomenon, a consideration that has been neglected in the leadership and management debate for some time.

Organisational learning and intrapreneurship: evidence of interrelated concepts

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore in-depth the interface between organisational learning and intrapreneurship. In this way, the paper aims at understanding how these two concepts are interrelated and mutually dependent. Design/methodology/approach – The method employed is qualitative analysis, including multiple exploratory case studies. For data collection, interviews with staff members of the selected companies and analysis of documents were used. Content analysis served as the data processing technique. Findings – The research identifies four dimensions of organisational learning and intrapreneurship in which both concepts are interlinked. Within each of these levels, the most beneficial attitudes and behaviours are highlighted. Practical implications – This study helps to better understand the dyadic effects between organisational learning and intrapreneurship. Through the dimensions and drivers identified, mechanisms can be developed and implemented leading firms to improve their perf...