Servant Leadership Behaviour Scale: A hierarchical model and test of construct validity

Servant leadership is widely believed to be a multidimensional construct. However, existing measures of servant leadership typically suffer from highly correlated dimensions, raising concerns over discriminant validity. We set out in this study to examine the dimensionality of the hypothesized six-factor Servant Leadership Behaviour Scale (SLBS) and validate a hierarchical model of servant leadership. Using structural equation modelling, convergent and discriminant validity of the higher-order servant leadership construct was examined in relation to measures of character-related behaviour, Machiavellian leadership orientation, and social desirability. Our findings suggest that the SLBS assesses a single, higher-order construct of servant leadership with evidence of construct validity and absence of social desirability bias. The high correlation between servant leadership and character-related behaviour supports our expectation that servant leadership reflects in large part the character strength of the leader.     

Male leaders with paternity leaves: effects of work norms on effectiveness evaluations

ABSTRACT

With the growing relevance of work–family balance and gender equality at work, researchers have extensively recognized the importance of men’s greater home involvement. Yet, little is known about how people evaluate men and particularly male leaders with involved fathering behaviours, such as taking a long paternity leave. Using a social normative perspective, we explore whether cultural standards providing social approval for work–life balance influence competence evaluations of male leaders who request a paternity leave. Results from three experimental and field studies suggest that perceptions of a supportive work-family culture favour more positive evaluations of male leaders with a paternity leave. Associations were stronger for people with leadership aspirations and roles. Several main effects emerged too: male leaders taking a leave beyond the standard (from 2 weeks to 3 months) received more negative evaluations than male leaders with a shorter, statutory leave (from 2 days to 2 weeks), and employees’ sexism predicted negative evaluations. Also, slightly lower status was attributed to male compared to female leaders who requested a leave. Findings are discussed in terms of how male managers’ domestic behaviour should be further reinforced with organizational discourses and practices.     

A time-lagged analysis of the effect of authentic leadership on workplace bullying,burnout, and occupational turnover intentions

Destructive interpersonal experiences at work result in negative feelings among employees and negative work outcomes. Understanding the mechanisms through which bullying can lead to burnout and subsequent turnover is important for preventing and managing this problem. Leaders play a key role in shaping positive work environments by discouraging negative interpersonal experiences and behaviours. The aim of this study is twofold. Specifically we aim to examine the relationship between authentic leadership and new graduate nurses experiences of workplace bullying and burnout over a 1-year timeframe in Canadian healthcare settings. Furthermore we aim to examine the process from workplace bullying to subsequent burnout dimensions, and to job and career turnover intentions. Results of structural equation models on new graduate nurses working in acute care settings in Ontario (N = 205) provide support for the hypothesized model linking supervisor's authentic leadership, subsequent work-related bullying, and burnout, and these in turn to job and career turnover intentions. Thus, the more leaders were perceived to be authentic the less likely nurses’ were to experience subsequent work-related bullying and burnout and to want to leave their job and profession. The results highlight the important role of leadership in preventing negative employee and organizational outcomes.     

Student Teachers' Reflections of a Community Service Learning Experience

The study examined student teachers' reflections on being involved in a social responsibility project in a community setting. Participants were 71 beginning students in two sequential cohorts (cohort 1 = 34, cohort 2 = 37). Data on their community learning experience were gathered using focus group discussion and reflection journals. The data were thematically analyzed. The teacher education students engaged in focus group discussions junior students who joined the project in the 2007–2008 academic year (Cohort 1) and 37 junior students who joined the project in the 2008–2009 academic year (Cohort 2). Three themes were listed for students' reflections: entry into the teaching profession, constraints and barriers, and the school principal as a community leader. Results of the study revealed that student teachers had the opportunity to have their first-hand experience in a context that they had never encountered in the same way before.     

Positive psychology at work: A conceptual review,state-of-practice assessment,and a look ahead

Positive psychological principles have become increasingly prevalent in the workplace in recent years. However, the field still lacks a comprehensive and practice-based overview of this important trend. The present article focuses on reviewing recent research in positive psychology as it relates to the workplace, including research regarding constructs such as resilience, appreciative inquiry, empowerment, gratitude, psychological capital, work engagement, supervisor and organizational support, positive teamwork and co-worker relations, and positive leadership. For each, we synthesize research examining the nature of the construct itself, its nomological network, individual- and organizational-level outcomes, and how organizations can enhance each within their employees for increased organizational success and enhanced employee experience. Finally, we discuss gaps in the relevant literature and make specific recommendations regarding how to ameliorate such oversights in order to enhance the rigor of positive workplace research as well as the frequency and efficacy of relevant organizational interventions.     

差异化变革型领导对知识分享与团队创造力的影响:社会网络机制的解释

差异化变革型领导是团队领导领域的最新议题,现有的研究局限于探讨其社会心理方面的作用机制。本文从社会网络机制出发解释差异化变革型领导对团队知识分享及团队创造力的影响。基于65家企业的225个工作团队样本的结构方程模型分析表明,团队一致性变革型领导正向影响团队交流网络密度从而提高团队知识分享;个体差异性变革型领导正向影响团队成员交流网络密度差异性从而降低团队知识分享;团队知识分享正向影响团队创造力。本文的证据表明,在中国情境下,差异性团队领导行为不利于创造稠密的团队交流网络,以及团队知识分享,从而不利于提升团队创造力水平。     

Authentic leadership and its relationships with work engagement and organizational citizenship behaviors in military units: The role of identification as a mediating variable

The objective of the study is to explore the relationship of authentic leadership with work engagement and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) in military units, measuring the mediating effect of personal identification with the leader and social identification with the military unit. We used the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique to analyze data from a sample of 225 Spanish military troops. The results showed that social identification with the military unit influenced the relationship of authentic leadership with the outcome variables.     

Intolerable Cruelty: A Multilevel Examination of the Impact of Toxic Leadership on U.S. Military Units and Service Members

We examined the effects of toxic leadership on unit and employee outcomes. Based on Bandura’s social learning theory (1977), we predicted that toxic leadership would have a direct impact on unit civility and that unit civility would mediate the relationship between toxic leadership and job satisfaction and organizational commitment. We also predicted that within-unit variability in perceptions of toxic leadership, or toxic leadership congruence, would moderate these effects such that the relationship between toxic leadership and unit and employee outcomes would be stronger when unit members had similar perceptions of their leader’s engagement in toxic behavior. Results indicate that toxic leadership behavior is negatively related to unit civility and that unit civility mediates the relationship between toxic leadership and job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Contrary to expectations, toxic leadership congruence did not moderate any of the effects of toxic leadership behavior. Implications for research and practice are discussed.     

Military Leaders’ Adaptability in Unexpected Situations

This paper investigates adaptability among lower-level military leaders in unexpected threatening situations. Two studies were performed. In the first, a grounded theory approach was used, and 16 Swedish officers and soldiers with experience from international peacekeeping operations were interviewed. A model was developed based on the results. In Study 2, the model concepts from Study 1 were operationalized into a questionnaire and data was obtained from 102 respondents from the Swedish Armed Forces who had recently served in Afghanistan. Based on Study 1, the model suggests that the key aspects of adaptive leadership in such circumstances are 2 balancing acts. One is how subordinates handle structure/following rules versus their own initiatives/freedom of action. The other concerns the balance between individual decision making versus group input. Both are affected by availability of time, resulting in a favorable/unfavorable outcome. The hypotheses from Study 1 were partly confirmed in Study 2.     

Conclusion

Abstract

The influence of culture within a parent-child activity group is analyzed in order to explore how leaders of parent-child activity groups can use knowledge of group culture to design effective interventions. This chapter concludes with the author describing revisions to her original guidelines for parent-child activity group intervention which developed through her reflections on the findings of her qualitative study about one parent-child activity group.