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1 – 10 of 12Ethlyn A. Williams, Kate M. McCombs, Rajnandini Pillai and Kevin B. Lowe
This research aims to examine the influence of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) dark triad traits, follower COVID-19 anxiety and self-leadership on follower evaluations of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to examine the influence of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) dark triad traits, follower COVID-19 anxiety and self-leadership on follower evaluations of the effectiveness of organizations’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper data were collected over two time periods. At time 1, mid-October 2021, 650 participants responded to questions on their CEO’s leadership traits and self-leadership. At time 2, (3-week lag) 275 matched individual responses provided followers’ evaluations of the effectiveness of the organization’s COVID-19 response and follower self-leadership.
Findings
CEO dark triad traits had direct and indirect negative effects on followers’ evaluations of the organization’s COVID-19 response (through COVID-19 anxiety). Follower self-leadership mitigated the negative effects.
Research limitations/implications
By examining the moderating role of self-leadership, we can offer organizations evidence-based strategies to mitigate some harmful effects of leaders exhibiting dark triad traits.
Practical implications
Given that organizations are still dealing with the ongoing ramifications of COVID-19 and planning for future crises, our findings emphasize the negative effects of dark traits on COVID-19 anxiety, and in turn, on follower’s evaluation of effective organization response to a crisis, highlighting the importance of top-level leader selection.
Social implications
Our results bolster Manz’s (1986) argument that self-leadership might be key to achieving peak performance in organizations and important for follower well-being.
Originality/value
This study of dark traits is especially important in a crisis context to understand how leaders affect followers’ perceptions about organizational outcomes and factors that might mediate or moderate the negative impact. Despite interest in understanding leadership during a crisis, the majority of research is focused on positive traits of leaders (Palmer et al., 2020).
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Ethlyn A. Williams, Terri A. Scandura, Seema Pissaris and Juanita M. Woods
The authors examine the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) and the selection of upward influence tactics. The purpose of this paper is to integrate research on…
Abstract
Purpose
The authors examine the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) and the selection of upward influence tactics. The purpose of this paper is to integrate research on perceptions of justice, LMX, and influence tactics in order to empirically test an integrative model.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaires were administered to n=407 employed Masters of Business Administration students at a private Southeastern University in the USA. Structural equation modeling was used to test the statistical significance of paths specified in the models.
Findings
Results indicate that perceptions of organizational justice have indirect effects on upward influence tactics reported. LMX had mediating effects on the relationship between interactional justice and the use of rational and coalition tactics.
Research limitations/implications
The data are cross-sectional and were collected using self-reports, which limits the conclusions that can be drawn. The findings however, suggest that perceptions of interactional justice are associated with LMX, whose effects in turn are associated with the use of influence tactics.
Practical implications
Coalition strategies were used more when subordinates experienced poor LMX. The research suggests that perhaps for individuals experiencing poor relationships with the supervisor, coalition strategies might present an alternative to “rational” influence tactics (which are used more in high-quality relationships).
Originality/value
The current study extends LMX research by examining differing subordinate influence strategies in high- and low-quality relationships. It also extends organizational justice research by examining the effects of the interpersonal implementation of fair procedures on the dynamics between leadership and upward influence.
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Kate McCombs and Ethlyn Williams
Although important for organizational performance, much is still unknown about the relationship between employee well-being and transformational leadership. The authors answer…
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.
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Ethlyn Williams, Juanita M. Woods, Attila Hertelendy and Kathryn Kloepfer
The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of leader potential in an extreme context – it develops and tests a model that describes how subordinate perceptions of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of leader potential in an extreme context – it develops and tests a model that describes how subordinate perceptions of individual-focused transformational leadership, subordinate trust in the leader and subordinate identification with the team influence supervisory evaluations of subordinate crisis leader potential.
Design/methodology/approach
Surveys were administered to emergency services personnel and their supervisors working in a large fire rescue organization in the Southeastern USA. Survey responses were analyzed using hierarchical regression.
Findings
Results support the theoretical model – subordinates reporting high levels of trust in their transformational leader were evaluated by their supervisors as having stronger potential to become crisis leaders. Lower levels of subordinate identification with the team strengthened the transformational leadership to trust association and the indirect effect of perceived transformational leadership on supervisory evaluations of subordinate crisis leader potential (through subordinate trust in the leader).
Practical implications
Supervisors who are viewed as transformational and fostering trusting relationships by subordinates are more likely to evaluate subordinates as having the potential to lead in crisis situations. In an extreme context within an organization facing change, subordinates who identify less with their team might build a more trusting relationship with a leader who is perceived as demonstrating transformational behaviors.
Social implications
Subordinate focus on the leader appears to enhance supervisory evaluations of subordinate potential (for leader development) in the study. Individual-level rewards for employees that involve competition might counter efforts toward shared mental models and remain the greatest challenge in the public emergency services setting.
Originality/value
Evaluating leader development, in terms of crisis leader potential, in an extreme context using a process model – to understand the interplay of individual-focused transformational leadership and trust given the moderating effect of team identification – is a key strength of the current study.
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Kate McCombs, Ethlyn Williams and Bryan Deptula
This study aims to explore individual leader identity development across four key dimensions: strength, integration, meaning and inclusiveness.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore individual leader identity development across four key dimensions: strength, integration, meaning and inclusiveness.
Design/methodology/approach
Around 70 semi-structured interviews with aspiring and practicing leaders were conducted to gather qualitative data.
Findings
The majority of individuals interviewed showed development or were developing in the dimensions of strength and integration. However, over half of the sample demonstrated underdevelopment in the dimensions of meaning and inclusiveness.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing literature by providing nuanced insights into the level and patterns of development across all four dimensions of leader identity within individuals. It reveals that while some symmetry of development across dimensions is possible, it is less prevalent than previously assumed.
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Ethlyn A. Williams and Stephanie L. Castro
In light of contradictory research findings, the purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating effects of team setting (face‐to‐face or online) on the relationship that team…
Abstract
Purpose
In light of contradictory research findings, the purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating effects of team setting (face‐to‐face or online) on the relationship that team member affect and interaction processes have on individual team source learning, and at the team level on the relationship between group cohesiveness and perceived team performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Students enrolled in graduate level organizational behavior classes at a large university in the southeastern United States responded to the survey. The final sample included 79 students in 21 on‐campus teams and 97 students in 26 online teams. All classes surveyed required a detailed team project. Tests of the moderator hypotheses were conducted using hierarchical linear multiple regression.
Findings
Team setting moderated the relationship that member teamwork orientation and member social interaction had on individual team‐source learning; the relationships were stronger in online teams.
Practical implications
The results have implications for teams in a variety of settings since the team composition and nature of the work conducted by student teams are similar to that in Western organizational contexts. To avoid possible conflicts that impede learning and performance in online teams, administrators should ensure that team members are chosen carefully and give members a strong reason for being on the team.
Originality/value
This paper extends the model examined by Williams et al. to include member social interaction and consider the context in which teamwork occurs and its effects on personal learning and team performance.
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Rajnandini Pillai and Ethlyn A. Williams
We tested a model proposing that transformational leaders build committed and high performing work groups by enhancing employee self‐efficacy and cohesiveness. Questionnaires were…
Abstract
We tested a model proposing that transformational leaders build committed and high performing work groups by enhancing employee self‐efficacy and cohesiveness. Questionnaires were completed by 303 fire department personnel following preliminary in‐depth interviews with fire rescue personnel. After accounting for missing data, 271 responses were included in our data analysis. Results indicated support for the theoretical model in comparison to three alternative models that were considered. Implications of the findings for research and practice are discussed.
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Benjamin Mekpor and Kwasi Dartey-Baah
The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which leadership styles predict the voluntary work behaviors of employees.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which leadership styles predict the voluntary work behaviors of employees.
Design/methodology/approach
The quantitative approach was adopted to collect data from 234 respondents. Both purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used for the selection of the respondents.
Findings
The findings of the study revealed that though both the transformational and transactional leadership styles positively predicted the organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) of employees, transformational leadership is more significant. Also, transformational leadership was found to have a significant negative relationship with the counterproductive workplace behavior (CWB) of employees, whereas transactional leadership had an insignificant relationship with CWB.
Research limitations/implications
The research addresses the gap in the literature on how leadership styles influence employees’ tendency to exhibit either OCB or CWB specifically in the Ghanaian context.
Practical implications
The findings suggested that transformational leadership should be used in the quest to encourage OCB and to mitigate CWB.
Originality/value
The study provides an in-depth account on how the leaders’ style influences both employees’ OCB and CWB and how to appropriately manage such voluntary behaviors.
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