Abstract
We investigated the relationship between self-ratings of leader character and follower positive outcomes—namely, subjective well-being, resilience, organizational commitment, and work engagement—in a public-sector organization using a time-lagged cross-sectional design involving 188 leader—follower dyads and 22 offices. Our study is an important step forward in the conceptual development of leader character and the application of character to enhance workplace practices. We combined confirmatory factor analysis and network-based analysis to determine the factorial and network structure of leader character. The findings revealed that a model of 11 inter-correlated leader character dimensions fit the data better than a single-factor model. Further, judgment appeared as the most central dimension in a network comprising the 11 character dimensions. Moreover, in a larger network of partial correlations, two ties acted as bridges that link leader character to follower positive outcomes: judgment and drive. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Highlights
Leader character has emerged as an important underpinning to leadership theories, focusing on who the leader is, which informs what they do or can do [1]
The results indicated that the best solution involved a model of 11 distinct and inter-correlated factors (χ2 (1540) = 1722.85 ; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = .04, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = .95, TLI = .94 and WRMR = 0.97)
The model of 11 intercorrelated factors fit our data better than a single construct model in which all 61 items loaded onto a single factor (S-B scaled χ2 (1595) = 1990.37 ; RMSEA = .06, CFI = .88, TLI = .88 and WRMR = 1.24)
Summary
Leader character has emerged as an important underpinning to leadership theories, focusing on who the leader is, which informs what they do or can do [1]. As Hannah and Avolio describe, “Most current leadership theories such as leader member exchange or ethical leadership do not include an in-depth discussion of character or other locus that drives such leadership. Sturm, Vera, and Crossan pointed out that “whereas the micro- and macro-oriented leadership literatures have often studied leader competencies necessary for effective performance, the role of leader character in relation to competencies and performance has been to a large extent neglected” [3, p. We aim to fill this gap by exploring how leader character relates to positive outcomes for organizational members, or followers, and the organization as whole
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