Abstract
This study examines employee perspectives of leader behavior to better understand how these perspectives influence and shape employee work experiences. Creating empowering work environments in today’s workplace is an ongoing challenge for leaders and managers. Research has shown that leaders who work to build interpersonal relationships with workplace subordinates are using emotional intelligence (EI) to lead individuals to work more effectively, and thereby increase overall job satisfaction. We employed a qualitative descriptive design using in-depth interviews to elicit and explore managers’ perceptions of their leader’s behaviors and their own sense of empowerment in the workplace. We present the findings within two major categories: perception of leader’s behavior and feelings of empowerment. This study adds to the body of evidence that demonstrates how the use of leadership skills that focus on the EI construct is necessary to build relationships and empower employees, thus creating conditions for creativity in the workplace.
Highlights
Significant investments are made in resources and effort to attract, select, and retain leaders in business organizations
Managers who perceived their Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to be self-aware in the decision-making process and manage interactions felt their work setting provided access to sources of structural empowerment which in turn provided them with more autonomy in their work
The findings in this study suggest an employee’s perceptions and evaluations of leader behaviors are strongly connected to workplace empowerment
Summary
Significant investments are made in resources and effort to attract, select, and retain leaders in business organizations. In a work environment restrained by financial constraints and organizational changes, leaders and managers are responsible and remain accountable for the organization’s success (Yukl, 2013). There is an ongoing need to identify organizational factors that best promote positive employee attitudes and behaviors and positive organizational performance (Albrecht & Andreetta, 2011). Leader behaviors have been found to influence employees’ abilities to meet and exceed employers’ expectations in accomplishing organizational goals (Cummings, 2004; Heckemann et al, 2015). Job performance is a result of organizational behavior and is critical to an organization’s success (Brady Germain & Cummings, 2010; Yukl, 2013). Attitudes and behaviors of the executive in an organization play a dominant role as they interact and lead subordinates in the workplace
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