Passive Leadership Research Articles

In the Eye of the Beholder: How Self-Other Agreements Influence Leadership Training Outcomes as Perceived by Leaders and Their Followers

Based on Yammarino and Atwater’s self-other agreement typology of leaders, we explored whether leaders’ and followers’ agreement influenced their ratings of leadership behaviors after training where leaders received multi-source feedback to stimulate behavior change. We used a prospective study design including 68 leaders and 237 followers from a Swedish forest industry company. Leaders underwent training to increase their transformational leadership and contingent reward styles and reduce management-by-exception passive and laissez-faire leadership. We found that self-other agreement influences followers and leaders reporting changes in leadership styles. We also found that although some leader types were perceived to improve their leadership behaviors, leaders and followers reported differential patterns in which types of leaders improved the most. Our results have important implications for how feedback should be used to support training to achieve changes in leadership styles.

Passive leadership styles and perceived procrastination in leaders: a PLS-SEM approach

This study explores the role of Management By Exception Passive (MBEP) and Laissez-Faire (LF) styles of leadership in the prediction of perceived procrastination in leaders. Further, it purports to examine the interaction effect MBEP*LF in the relationship between MBEP and perceived procrastination. Data were gathered using standardised questionnaires. The sample comprises of 268 middle-level textile managers, working in 14 Mega Industrial Textile Projects in Punjab (India). The results exhibit a significant positive effect of MBEP and LF style of leadership on perceived procrastination. However, MBEP*LF (interaction) does not moderate and predict perceived procrastination. The study has investigated theoretically driven hypotheses. The findings of the study have implications for the employers to make the appropriate decisions in the selection process so it reduces the chance of procrastination among leaders. As, per best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the association of styles of leadership (MBEP and LF) with perceived procrastination in leaders. MBEP and LF have a predictive relevance for perceived procrastination in a leader. Further, MBEP*LF was not significant in the present study. These findings are important and require researchers to consider leadership styles in subsequent researches on procrastination behaviour.

Safety leadership and safety voices: exploring the mediation role of proactive motivations

Motivating employees to speak up about safety issues in organizations is a daunting task for both scholars and practitioners. Previous research has shown that safety leadership is one of the most studied predictors because of its wide-reaching effects on safety behaviors. This contribution aims to test whether Parker et al.’s proactive motivational states (‘can do,’ ‘reason to,’ and ‘energized to’ motivations) mediate the relationship between transformational, transactional, and passive safety leadership and an expanded set of safety voice behaviors, a form of upwards safety communication. We tested our model using data gathered from a sample (N = 238) of US workers. Our results showed that (1) all three motivational states mediate the relationship between transformative leadership and promotive safety voice; (2) only ‘reason to’ and ‘energized to’ mediate the relationship between transactional leadership and preventive and prohibitive safety voices; and (3) only ‘can do’ motivations mediate the relationship between passive leadership and hostile safety voices. Implications for research and practice are also discussed: these results may be leveraged to improve practitioners’ ability to motivate employees to speak up, a notoriously difficult task, by considering the employees’ motivational drivers. We found that, in the safety realm, the relationship between a leader’s behavior and their followers’ safety behavior is partially mediated by employees’ belief that they are able to broaden their workplace role, their feeling of ownership, and their engagement.

Passive leadership styles and perceived procrastination in leaders: a PLS-SEM approach

This study explores the role of Management By Exception Passive (MBEP) and Laissez-Faire (LF) styles of leadership in the prediction of perceived procrastination in leaders. Further, it purports to examine the interaction effect MBEP*LF in the relationship between MBEP and perceived procrastination. Data were gathered using standardised questionnaires. The sample comprises of 268 middle-level textile managers, working in 14 Mega Industrial Textile Projects in Punjab (India). The results exhibit a significant positive effect of MBEP and LF style of leadership on perceived procrastination. However, MBEP*LF (interaction) does not moderate and predict perceived procrastination. The study has investigated theoretically driven hypotheses. The findings of the study have implications for the employers to make the appropriate decisions in the selection process so it reduces the chance of procrastination among leaders. As, per best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the association of styles of leadership (MBEP and LF) with perceived procrastination in leaders. MBEP and LF have a predictive relevance for perceived procrastination in a leader. Further, MBEP*LF was not significant in the present study. These findings are important and require researchers to consider leadership styles in subsequent researches on procrastination behaviour.

MODERATING FUNCTIONS OF PASSIVE LEADERSHIP AND PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT ON INCIVILITY - CWB DYAD

This study aimed to inspect the effect of workplace incivility on organizational CWB and enlightened whether perceived organizational support and passive leadership strengthens or weakens the relationship between incivility – CWB-O dyad.Survey method was used to collect data from employees of diverse serviceorganizations including banks, university, NGO, IT, and outsourcing companies located inLahore, Pakistan.Outcomes of the study indicated that workplace incivility is positively related to CWB-O andthis association is moderated by passive leadership and POS. While passive leadershipstrengthens the relationship between incivility and counter working behavior, POS weakens thesame.Self – reported measures were used which were considered suitable according to the nature ofstudy. As an alternate, peer – reported measures can be adopted. Besides, data could be collectedfrom more than one city of Pakistan in future studies.Every organization endeavours to limit the occurrences of CWB. Results of this study show that apassive leader may aggravate incivility into CWB. On the contrary, if the employees perceivethat their organization is supportive then they may not engage into such deviant behavior.Societal norms must be implemented to create a sense of equality among people.Through POS, an organization may be able to reduce the workplace stresses which is beneficialin improving work lifequality but also diminishing the psychological effects of such deviantbehaviors.This is one of the first empirical studies that uncovers the moderating effects of passive leadership and POS in the workplace incivility and CWB-O relationship in South Asian Context.

Passive avoidant leadership and safety non-compliance: A 30 days diary study among naval cadets

The leadership literature suggests that passive leadership undermines employee safety performance; because passive leadership behavior signals that the leader is not committed to organizational safety goals. We tested this hypothesis and investigated the role of two possible moderators, moral disengagement and intolerance of uncertainty. Participants were 78 naval cadets who responded to daily surveys during a 30 days voyage on board of a sailing ship (N occasions is 2166 for H1 and 1910 for H2– H4). The results of multilevel analyses showed as expected that a substantial portion (49%) of the daily safety non-compliance was caused by variation within each crewmember from day to day, and that an increase in daily passive avoidant leadership was related to increased daily safety non-compliance. More unexpectedly, those crewmembers high (and not low) on moral disengagement and intolerance of uncertainty were less influenced by passive avoidant leadership in terms of daily safety violations. Several explanations for the results are discussed.

The Effects of Environment Uncertainty and Leadership Styles on Organisational Innovativeness

The paper aims to better understand the importance of a company’s external environment uncertainty level and the CEO’s leadership style for innovation. Different leadership styles were assessed in the context of a full range leadership theory, namely: transformational (Tfl), transactional (Tsl) and passive leadership (PL). Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Model was developed, tested and validated to explain the effect of environment uncertainty and leadership style on organisational innovativeness. The hypotheses were tested using responses of managers from 159 medium and large organisations in the Republic of Serbia during 2017. The results suggest that there is a statistically significant relationship between environment uncertainty and organisational innovativeness, while transformational leadership was described as important leadership style that cannot be ignored if organisation wants to improve organisational innovativeness. Influence of transactional leadership was not statistically significant, while passive leadership style was found to have the negative influence on organisational innovativeness. Based on the results of the study, practical implication of creating a more supportive workplace for all types of innovation is emphasised. Encouraging managers to predominantly use proactive leadership, i.e. transformational style, facilitates significant innovative capacity. The effective use of leadership style and its innovativeness in South-eastern European countries is vastly unexplored. Thus, the results of the research fill the literature gap between Western leadership theory and South-eastern European context.

PREDICTING LEADERSHIP STYLES BASED ON ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION

Purpose: The fields of motivation and leadership are very wide, and there is a large number of factors that mediate their relationships. The research aimed to examine is there a correlation between leaders’ achievement motivation and their leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and passive), and whether the achievement motive can be a predictor of leadership style.
 Methodology: Quantitative research was conducted in 4 companies from the territory of Serbia. Leaders and their subordinates completed two questionnaires, MLQ (Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire) and AMI (Achievement Motivation Inventory). The MLQ was used to measure transformational, transactional, and passive leadership style. AMI is a psychological test that was used to evaluate the expression of achievement motivation.
 Main Findings: The results showed that there is a correlation between achievement motivation and passive (r = -. 544; p <.01; N = 30), transactional (r = .381; p <.05; N = 30), and transformational leadership style (r = .412; p <.05; N = 30). Regression analysis determined the equations by which those leadership styles can be predicted based on achievement motivation.
 Applications: The possibility of predicting leadership styles can contribute to the process of selection of employees in companies, especially those who come directly to management positions, and employee development process.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: Assessing motivation for achievement as a personality trait among employees and predicting the type of leadership style based on that.

The Relationship Between Leadership Styles and Organizational Identification: A Meta-Analysis

Organizational changes such as service integration, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, are often only partially implemented. Failure of fully implemented change is often attributed to leadership and lack of integration between organizational cultures. Therefore, understanding the role of leadership style in influencing employee organizational identification may be critical in successful organizational change. This study aimed to provide a meta-analytic estimate of relationship between a range of leadership styles and follower organizational identification. A meta-analytic review examined the correlation between followers’ perceptions of leadership styles and their organizational identification across eight leadership styles. The meta-analytic estimate of the correlation between perceptions of leadership styles and organizational identification was r = 0.47 (k = 62, N = 22,893). While all but passive leadership showed positive correlations with organizational identification, some styles yielded stronger correlations than others. In particular, transactional (r = .60), ethical (r = .54) and transformational (r = .51,) leadership yielded the largest correlations with organizational identification. Results suggest that various leadership styles can be used to foster a positive connection to their organization in employees. This research presents the first known meta-analysis examining a range of leadership styles and their relationship to followers’ organizational identification.

Effect of illegitimate tasks on work-to-family conflict through psychological detachment: Passive leadership as a moderator

Illegitimate tasks as a workplace stressor have been linked with various negative employee well-being and behavioral outcomes. However, whether and how its negative effects might spill over to employees' family domain has been less examined. The current study examined psychological detachment as a mediator in the relationship between illegitimate tasks and three types (time-based, strain-based, and behavior-based) of work-to-family conflict (WFC), and investigated the moderating effect of passive leadership. We collected data from 129 participants across three waves. Results showed that psychological detachment mediated the relationships of illegitimate tasks with time-based and strain-based WFC, but not with behavior-based WFC. Further, the negative effect of illegitimate tasks on psychological detachment as well as the indirect effect of illegitimate tasks on strain-based WFC via psychological detachment were stronger for individuals experiencing more passive leadership, suggesting that having a leader who does not provide functional leadership could exacerbate the effect of illegitimate tasks on psychological detachment and its indirect effect on strain-based WFC via detachment. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the potential negative effect of illegitimate tasks beyond the work domain through psychological detachment, and the exacerbating effect of passive leadership on stressor-strain relationships.

What mitigate and exacerbate the influences of customer incivility on frontline employee extra-role behaviour?

Customer incivility towards frontline employees (FLEs) is a pervasive dilemma within the hospitality industry that remains a significant concern for managers because of its frequency and the severity of its influence. This study investigated the effect of customer incivility on FLE extra-role behaviour by assessing the mediating impact of employee burnout. The study also examines what mitigates and exacerbates the negative influence of customer incivility by measuring the moderating effects of passive leadership and customer orientation. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data collected (using a time-lagged research technique) from 252 FLEs employed by UAE hospitality firms. Supervisor-measured employee extra-role behaviour was also assessed (n = 126). The findings show that customer incivility directly and indirectly (via burnout) affects FLEs’ extra-role behaviours negatively. This effect is exacerbated when a leader is passive and is mitigated when the employees have a high customer orientation. The implications of the study findings for management practice and future research are discussed.

Self-perception of leadership style of dentists: heads of dental departments in community hospitals, Southern Thailand

Leadership is crucial in all professions and organisations, including the oral health profession. The aims of this analytical cross-sectional study were to evaluate the self-reported leadership behaviours and the factors influencing leadership behaviours among dentists who were heads of dental departments in community hospitals, southern Thailand. The self-administered questionnaire was composed of four parts: personal data; a 45-item Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire version 5× short (MLQ 5× short); a 34-item organisational climate perception; and a 52-item emotional intelligence screening test. Of 134 dentists, 133 returned the questionnaire, providing a 99.3% response rate. The scores on the transactional component had a mean score of 2.98 (SD=0.46). The transformational scores ranged with a mean of 2.90 (SD=0.49). The scores of the passive leadership component had the lowest results, with a mean of 1.21 (SD=0.57). Afterwards, the highest score for each head of the dental department was examined and compared across the three components. Approximately 60% of the dentists fell on the transactional, 34.6% on the transformational and 2.3% on the passive-avoidant scale. Multiple linear regression showed that the factors influencing the leadership of the dentists included emotional intelligence, the professional position of the dentists and the perception of the organisational climate. The majority of heads of dental departments had transactional leadership style followed by transformational leadership style, and passive-avoidance was the least common. Emotional intelligence, the professional position and the perception of the organisational climate significantly increased the transformational leadership score.

Workplace romance versus sexual harassment: a call to action regarding sexual hubris and sexploitation in the #MeToo era

Purpose The #MeToo movement has brought questions of sexuality and power in the workplace to the forefront. The purpose of this paper is to review the research on hierarchial consensual workplace romances and sexual harassment examining the underlying mechanisms of power relations. It concludes with a call to action for organizational leaders to adopt fair consensual workplace romance policies alongside strong sexual harassment policies. Design/methodology/approach This paper represents a conceptual review of the literature on consensual workplace romance, sexual harassment, passive leadership and power relations. Passive leadership leads to a climate of incivility that in turn suppresses disclosures of sexual harassment (Lee, 2016). Consensual workplace romances across hierarchical power relations carry significant risks and may turn into harassment should the romance turn sour. Findings Two new concepts, sexual hubris and sexploitation, are defined in this paper. Sexual hubris, defined as an opportunistic mindset that allows the powerful to abuse their power to acquire sexual liaisons, and its opposite, sexploitation, defined as a lower-status member using sexuality to gain advantage and favor from an upper-level power target, are dual opportunistic outcomes of an imbalanced power relation. Sexual hubris may increase the likelihood for sexual harassment such that a mindset occurs on the part of the dominant coalition that results in feelings of entitlement. Sexploitation is a micromanipulation tactic designed to create sexual favoritism that excludes others from the power relation. Research limitations/implications Sexual hubris and sexploitation are conceptualized as an opportunistic mechanisms associated with imbalanced power relations to spur future research to tease out complex issues of gender, sexuality and hierarchy in the workplace. Sexual hubris serves to protect the dominant coalition and shapes organizational norms of a climate of oppression and incivility. Conversely, sexploitation is a micromanipulation tactic that allows a lower-status member to receive favoritism from a higher-power target. Four research propositions on sexual hubris and sexploitation are presented for future scholarship. Practical implications Most organizational leaders believe consensual romance in the office cannot be legislated owing to privacy concerns. Passive leadership is discussed as a leadership style that looks the other way and does not intervene, leading to workplace hostility and incivility (Lee, 2016). Inadequate leadership creates a climate of passivity that in turn silences victims. Policies concerning consensual workplace romance should stand alongside sexual harassment policies regardless of privacy concerns. Social implications The #MeToo movement has allowed victims to disclose sexual misconduct and abuse in the workplace. However, the prevalence of sexual harassment claims most often can be traced to a leadership problem. Employers must recognize that sexual hubris and sexploitation arise from imbalances of power, where sex can be traded for advancement, and that often consensual workplace romances end badly, leading to claims of sexual harassment. Consensual romance policies must stand alongside sexual harassment policies. Originality/value Sexual hubris and sexploitation are offered as novel concepts that provide a mechanism for conceptualizing the potential for abuse and manipulation from unbalanced power relations. These are original concepts derived from the arguments within this paper that help make the case for consensual workplace romance policies alongside sexual harassment policies.

Shared or different realities

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the consequences of self–other agreement (SOA) between leaders and subordinates on constructive and passive leadership behaviors for employee well-being, performance and perception of learning climate.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaire ratings of 76 leaders and 211 subordinates in a forest industrial company on full-range leadership and subordinate ratings of well-being, work performance and learning climate have been used in this paper. The data were analyzed using polynomial regression with response surface analysis.FindingsSOA on constructive leadership (transformational leadership and contingent reward) was related to subordinates’ perception of a positive learning climate. SOA on passive leadership (management-by-exception passive) reduced subordinates’ performance, while disagreement reduced their well-being.Practical implicationsIt is important to give leaders feedback on their own and their subordinates’ ratings of not only constructive leadership behaviors but also passive behaviors.Originality/valueThe study demonstrates how SOA on leaders’ constructive and passive leadership behaviors impacts employees’ well-being, performance and work climate.

Leadership, stress and burnout among basketball referees

The study analyses leadership styles and their influence on burnout and stress among basketball referees, applying a non-probabilistic sampling, convenience sampling, to 61 referees, 85.2% men, 14.8% women. Descriptive analysis, correlations and hierarchical multiple regression models were performed. By applying the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire MLQ-5, Inventario de Burnout en deportistas Revisado IBD-R [Revised Athlete Burnout Inventory], and Escala de Estres en el Ambito Deportivo EEAD [Stress Scale for Sports]. Moderate stress level (26-50) as well as burnout (50-60). Transformational leadership is associated with low levels of stress (p=.003) and high levels of personal accomplishment (p= .026). The developer style, inverse and significant effect (p= .013) with stress. Corrective leadership is associated with low levels of stress (p=.005) and high personal accomplishment (p= .019) and emotional exhaustion (p= .006) of burnout. Passive leadership is associated with high levels of stress (p= .013) and low levels of personal accomplishment (p = .023). As a conclusion, referees mainly apply transformational leadership associated with low levels of stress and high levels of personal accomplishment. They have moderate level of stress and burnout, while there are differences between those at the national level and those at the local-regional level, in addition there are differences regarding the role played, in relation to stress.

Karakteristike liderskih stilova studenata Univerziteta Donja Gorica

The research performed on a sample of 210 students of the University of Donja Gorica (UDG), Podgorica, Montenegro, aimed to determine their leadership profiles' characteristics and examine the possible connection and the impact of selected demographic variables on its manifestation. In accordance with the total transformational leadership of Bass and Avolio, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X, self-rated version) was applied to measure the components of transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership. The results of descriptive, comparative (t-test and ANOVA) and correlational analysis of the obtained data showed that the leadership profiles of UDG students are characterized by high scores for the transformational leadership factors (individual consideration, charisma, inspirational motivation, and intellectual stimulation), also followed by high scores for the contingent reward factors and management by exception - active related to transactional leadership, but with lowest scores for management by exception - passive and laissez-faire leadership. Such a leadership profile with predominant transformational qualities makes a good base for future leadership effectiveness. The results of the impact of demographic variables (gender and playing sports) were discussed in the context of their consistency/ inconsistency with the findings of previous research, theoretical and practical implications, and, specifically, regarding current policy and vision of UDG, entirely compatible with strategies used by efficient transformational leaders.

Impact of Passive Leadership on Organizational Citizenship Behavior and Turnover Intentions; Mediating Effect of Organizational Interpersonal Trust

This study investigates the impact of passive leadership on organizational citizenship behavior and turnover intentions with the mediating effect of organizational interpersonal trust. Data has been collected from a sample of 180 working at managerial levels in public and private sector universities based in Islamabad. Findings of the current study confirms that passive leadership is negatively associated with organizational citizenship behavior and employee turnover intentions and the mediating role of organizational interpersonal trust confirms the partial mediation between these relationships. The study provided with new insights into the body of knowledge and also provided with practical implications. Limitations of the current study along with the future directions of research also discussed at the end.

Relationship between Leadership and Emotional Intelligence in Teachers in Universities and Other Educational Centres: A Structural Equation Model.

This study uses an explanatory model of the dimensions of leadership and emotional intelligence according to the methods used in particular teaching environments (universities and other educational institutions). The effect of different kinds of leadership on emotional intelligence dimensions is also established using an explanatory model. A total of 954 teachers participated in this cross-sectional study, teaching in 137 different schools/universities. The instruments used for the data collection were the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5) and the Trait Meta Mood Scale (TMMS-24). Data analysis was performed with the software IBM AMOS 23.0. (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA) using multi-group analysis and structural equations. Results showed that the structural equation model had a good fit. Transformational leadership depends mainly on intellectual stimulation in university teachers, whereas intrinsic motivation is more relevant at the lower educational levels. In relation to transactional leadership, contingency reward has a greater regression weight in non-university education, whereas passive leadership is governed more by passive exception in university teachers. There was a positive and direct relationship between levels of emotional intelligence and transformational leadership in non-university teachers, which reveals the need for effective understanding and management of both one’s own and students’ emotions in order to act effectively as a leader. Transactional leadership was negatively related to some emotional intelligence dimensions, given the relevance of obtaining power in this dimension.

Embedding corporate sustainability: An empirical analysis of the antecedents of organization citizenship behavior

AbstractThe relation between organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and the performance of both safety and environmental management systems has led researchers to investigate the drivers of safety‐specific and environmental‐oriented OCB. However, although the management of environmental and safety issues is often fully integrated into organizational and managerial practice, a holistic perspective of the drivers of health, safety, and environmental (HSE)‐oriented OCB is still lacking. Thus, the aim of the present study is to investigate the antecedents of HSE‐related OCB (OCBHSE). Drawing on both the OCB and sustainability literature, data from 135 manager–direct report dyads collected from eight large Italian companies are analyzed, to assess the effect of both situation‐related antecedents (i.e., organizational ambidexterity and leadership style) and person‐related antecedents (i.e., prosocial values) on prosocial and proactive OCBHSE. Organizational ambidexterity emerges as a direct situation‐related antecedent of both prosocial and proactive OCBHSE, whereas management by exception and passive leadership have a negative effect on the OCBHSE in direct reports. Surprisingly, transformational and contingent reward leadership styles do not emerge as significant drivers of OCBHSE. In terms of person‐related antecedents, the results highlight that prosocial values in direct reports significantly influence prosocial but not proactive OCBHSE. Finally, as OCBHSE is conceptualized in the study as a dimension that is complementary to formal HSE management structures, our findings can contribute to the general organizational effort to improve HSE performance.

Relationship between Senior Assistant of Extra Curricular Leadership Styles and Job Satisfaction of Extra Curricular Teachers in Malaysia

This study was carried out to determine extracurricular teachers’ perception of their Senior Assistant of Extracurricular leadership styles (transformational, transactional and passive avoidant) and their level of job satisfaction. In addition, the study investigated the relationship between Senior Assistant of Extracurricular leadership styles and extracurricular teachers’ job satisfaction based on the perception of 381 extracurricular teachers from 42 regular secondary schools throughout Malaysia. Data was collected using Avolio and Bass (1995) Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (5X Short Form) and The Job Satisfaction Survey by Spector (1994). The result indicated that extracurricular teachers in this study perceived the overall transformational leadership and transactional leadership practiced by their Extracurricular Senior Assistant are at a high level while the overall passive avoidant leadership practiced by their Extracurricular Senior Assistant is at a low level. Descriptive analysis also shows that extracurricular teachers in this study perceived their overall job satisfaction at a moderate level. In addition, the finding reveals that both transformational and transactional leadership have a positive significant relationship with teachers’ job satisfaction while passive avoidant leadership has a negative significant relationship with job satisfaction.