Transformational and Transactional Leadership of Female Managers: Predicting Subordinate Effectiveness and Performance

Abstract

Transformational and transactional leadership styles of female managers and relationships to subordinate effectiveness and performance were investigated in the current study. In a sales organization, 38 subordinates (males and females) rated their 19 female managers on transformational, contingent reward, management-by-exception, and laissez-faire leadership. In turn, the managers rated their subordinates on five dimensions of effectiveness and performance. Results of analyses of multiple-source data indicated that transformational and contingent reward leadership were similarly and positively related to the dimensions of effectiveness and performance, while laissez-faire leadership was negatively related to the criteria. As a set, the four leadership styles were predictive of each of the effectiveness and performance dimensions, but transformational leadership did not account for any variance in the criteria beyond contingent reward leadership.