Leaders' Romantic Conceptions of the Consequences of Leadership

Author: Schilling, Jan

Source: Applied Psychology An International Review, Volume 56, Number 4, November 2007 , pp. 602-623(22)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

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Abstract:

By inverting the notion in the romance of leadership literature that extreme results evoke attributions of leadership, the present study investigates the ideas of leaders concerning the content of leadership consequences. To understand the deeper meaning and importance of leadership from the leader's viewpoint, a qualitative approach of data collection and analysis was chosen. Using semi-standardised interviews, 42 managers were asked about their conceptions of the consequences of positive and negative leadership. The results reveal a wide diversity of consequences of leadership with follower feelings, attitudes, behavior, and organisational results as the main categories. While positive consequences are predominantly moderate in their impact, negative statements more often tend to be extreme. A higher degree of leadership experience is related with an optimistic (i.e. naming more positive aspects), but unromantic (i.e. naming fewer extreme consequences) conception of leadership. Limitations of the present approach and implications for future research on the romance of leadership are discussed.

En inversant la notion relevant de la littérature sur la romance du leadership selon laquelle des résultats exceptionnels provoquent une attribution de leadership, cette recherche porte sur les idées des leaders concernant le contenu des retombées du leadership. Pour comprendre la signification profonde et l'importance du leadership du point de vue du leader, on a choisi un recueil des données et une analyse qualitatives. Dans le cadre d'entretiens semi-directifs, on a demandéà 42 cadres de parler de leurs conceptions des conséquences du leadership positif et négatif. Les résultats traduisent une grande diversité des conséquences du leadership en ce qui concerne le comportement, les attitudes et les sentiments des collaborateurs ainsi que les suites organisationnelles pour ce qui est des principales rubriques. Alors que les conséquences positives sont généralement modérées dans leur impact, les descriptions négatives tendent plus fréquemment vers le dramatique. Une grande expérience du leadership est en rapport avec une conception optimiste du leadership (c'est-à-dire citant davantage de dimensions positives), mais non romantique (c'est-à-dire mentionnant moins de conséquences extrêmes). On présente les limites de cette approche et les implications pour de futures recherches sur la romance du leadership.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-0597.2007.00306.x

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