1. Is avoidant leadership a root cause of subordinate stress? Longitudinal relationships between laissez-faire leadership and role ambiguity.
- Author
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Skogstad, Anders, Hetland, Jørn, Glasø, Lars, and Einarsen, Ståle
- Subjects
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CHI-squared test , *CONCEPTUAL structures , *STATISTICAL correlation , *INDUSTRIAL relations , *JOB stress , *LONGITUDINAL method , *QUESTIONNAIRES , *MANAGEMENT styles , *OCCUPATIONAL roles , *STRUCTURAL equation modeling , *CASE-control method , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics - Abstract
Within a stressor-strain framework, the aim of this study is to examine the influence of perceived laissez-faire leadership – a type of leadership characterized by the superiors' avoidance and inaction when subordinates are experiencing a situational need for leadership – on stress in the form of experiences of role ambiguity. This was tested within a prospective 3-wave research design with time lags of 2 and 3 years respectively. A combination of 2 constructive types of leadership, initiating structure and showing consideration, was included as a control. In a sample of 1771 employees drawn from the Norwegian working population, structural equation modelling supported the hypothesis that perceived laissez-faire leadership would be positively related to experiencing role ambiguity at 3 consecutive measurement points. The findings did not support a potential reciprocal relationship between the two across time. Initiation of structure and Consideration were not related to role ambiguity, providing strong evidence of the importance of laissez-faire leadership within a stressor-strain framework. Demonstrating that laissez-faire leadership is a root source of subordinate role ambiguity underlines the importance of superiors perceiving situations and circumstances where subordinates experience a need for leadership and, accordingly, approaching this need instead of avoiding it. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2014
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