Past research has shown that an empowering leadership style can be effective in improving follower performance, but it is unclear how individual personality traits influence that relationship. This research paper specifically looks at how the extraversion of the leader has an influence on the effectiveness of an empowering leadership on follower performance.
The research hypothesizes that a leader using an empowering leadership has a positive influence on follower performance, and that the follower performance is higher when the leader has a high level of extraversion, compared to a low level of extraversion. The hypotheses are tested with a sample of 100 employees and their direct managers. Neither of the two hypotheses have found support, suggesting that there is no relationship between empowering leadership and follower performance, and that the relationship is not influenced by the leader’s level of extraversion.
Table of Contents
Introduction and Theoretical Framework
Method
Results
Discussion
Research Objectives and Themes
This research investigates the influence of a leader's extraversion on the effectiveness of empowering leadership in relation to follower performance. The central research question examines whether a leader's level of extraversion, as defined by the Big Five Model, moderates the relationship between an empowering leadership style and the resulting performance of followers.
- Empowering leadership as a driver for employee motivation and performance.
- Extraversion as a moderating personality trait within the Big Five Model.
- The interaction effect between leadership style and leader personality.
- Methodological application of linear regression and PROCESS macro analysis.
Excerpt from the Book
Introduction
One of the most discussed topics in behavioral science over the past few years is the difference between introversion and extraversion and how these two affect the outcomes of a leader’s leadership style. Extraverted people, as opposed to introverted people, tend to be more assertive and sociable. Therefore, extraversion is linked to the level of comfort people have with social interactions and in relationships. Consider two teams, both managed by leaders who lead through empowering leadership- the process of sharing power, and allocating autonomy and responsibilities to followers, teams, or collectives through a specific set of leader behaviors for employees to enhance internal motivation and achieve work success a lead, however, a key difference between these two teams is that one of these leaders is introverted and the other is extroverted. In this scenario, we propose that the extroverted leader would be more effective in improving follower performance.
Furthermore, it has been proven that generally speaking the extraversion of the leader does positively affect follower performance/outcomes (Macsinga et. al). However, viewing extraversion as a moderating variable to the cause-and-effect relationship of an empowering leadership style and follower performance adds another, perhaps, a more interesting dimension that could help boards with choosing their next CEO for example. This moderating role of extraversion has not been examined yet and we, therefore, conduct our research on it.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction and Theoretical Framework: Outlines the research problem regarding leader personality and leadership style, while defining the key variables of empowering leadership, follower performance, and extraversion.
Method: Describes the cross-sectional study design, sampling of 100 leader-follower dyads, and the specific scales used to measure the study's primary variables.
Results: Details the statistical analysis performed, revealing that neither the direct relationship between leadership style and performance nor the moderating effect of extraversion reached significance.
Discussion: Interprets the null results, evaluates potential reasons for the lack of support for the hypotheses, and offers recommendations for future research and practical implications.
Keywords
Empowering Leadership, Follower Performance, Extraversion, Big Five Model, Leadership Style, Moderating Variable, Behavioral Science, Job Performance, Personality Traits, Organizational Behavior, Quantitative Research, Leader-Follower Dyads, Employee Motivation, Workplace Effectiveness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The study examines whether a leader's level of extraversion influences how effective an empowering leadership style is in enhancing follower performance.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The research centers on empowering leadership, the Big Five personality trait of extraversion, and the metrics used to evaluate employee performance in a corporate setting.
What is the primary research question?
The study asks: "Does the extraversion of the leader as described by the Big Five Model influence the effectiveness of an empowering leadership style on follower performance?"
Which scientific methodology was utilized?
A cross-sectional survey design was used, with data analyzed through simple linear regression and Hayes' PROCESS macro to test for interaction effects.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The paper covers the conceptualization of leadership and personality variables, the statistical testing of these variables using a sample of 100 dyads, and a critical discussion of the results.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Key terms include Empowering Leadership, Follower Performance, Extraversion, Big Five Model, and Moderating Variable.
Why did the author hypothesize that extraverted leaders would be more effective?
The author reasoned that extraverted leaders are more likely to build deeper, trusting relationships with their followers, thereby increasing their motivation and performance.
What was the outcome regarding the two tested hypotheses?
Both hypotheses were rejected, as the statistical analysis showed no significant relationship between empowering leadership and performance, nor any interaction effect with leader extraversion.
How does the author explain the unexpected lack of significant results?
The author suggests the sample size might be too small and notes that the measure for extraversion was based on a limited 4-item subset of the Big Five scale, which may have impacted accuracy.
What is a practical implication of the findings for recruiters?
The findings imply that recruiters do not necessarily need to prioritize an empowering leadership style or high extraversion scores in candidates, as these traits did not significantly boost follower performance in this study.
- Citar trabajo
- Alex Broere (Autor), 2019, The Effect of a Leader’s Extraversion on Empowering Leadership and Follower Performance, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/462334
