The importance of personal and professional leadership

Abstract

Organizational viability depends in part on effective leadership. Effective leaders engage in both professional leadership behaviors (e.g. setting a mission, creating a process for achieving goals, aligning processes and procedures) and personal leadership behaviors (e.g. building trust, caring for people, acting morally). A model of professional and personal leadership's impact on willing cooperation was developed and tested. Respondents provided perceptions of the leadership of their organizations and reported the extent to which they willingly cooperate with their organization's leadership. Perceptions of “organizational” leadership as opposed to individual leaders were measured. The direct effects of personal and professional leadership on willing cooperation were examined. Personal leadership was also examined as a mediator of professional leadership's impact on willing cooperation. Results revealed support for a mediated model. Specifically, professional leadership was related to the presence of willing cooperation (β=0.44) and personal leadership was related to the presence of willing cooperation (β=0.71). Finally, following a strategy developed by Baron and Kenny, personal leadership was shown to be a mediator of the relationship between professional leadership and the presence of willing cooperation. Limitations as well as research and practical implications are discussed.