The resilient effects of transformational leadership on well-being: examining the moderating effects of anxiety during the COVID-19 crisis

Abstract

Purpose

Although important for organizational performance, much is still unknown about the relationship between employee well-being and transformational leadership. The authors answer calls to consider the relationship (1) in an extreme context (i.e. coronavirus pandemic), (2) at the dimension level and (3) differences that exist depending on the employee's gender.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed a two-wave study with data collected from 212 working individuals. Respondents reported their level of COVID-19 anxiety and leadership experiences at time 1 starting at the height of the pandemic and three weeks later reported well-being.

Findings

The authors found COVID-19 anxiety weakened the influence of transformational leadership style on well-being, and this was only the case for females. Further, the authors found that while the moderator of COVID-19 anxiety weakened the influence of core transformational leadership behaviors and intellectual stimulation on well-being, the more individualized and short-term focused transformational behaviors of individualized consideration and performance expectations proved to have resilient effects on well-being with no moderating effects. Looking at gender differences, the authors found that this was only the case for females.

Originality/value

The findings extend research by capturing an external shock concerning the coronavirus pandemic to better understand how transformational leadership style, its dimensions and employee gender, influence well-being. While the authors expected COVID-19 anxiety to weaken the positive effects of transformational leadership style on well-being, paradoxically the authors also expected differential effects when examining individual dimensions.

Citation

McCombs, K. and Williams, E. (2021), "The resilient effects of transformational leadership on well-being: examining the moderating effects of anxiety during the COVID-19 crisis", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 42 No. 8, pp. 1254-1266. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-02-2021-0092