Relationship between Leader Behavior, Subordinate Satisfaction, and Group Effectiveness at Three Levels within the Company

摘要

The relationship between leader behavior, subordinate morale, and group performance was examined at three levels. Results showed that leaders at all three levels were perceived primarily in terms of task and interpersonal orientation. However, these two dimensions were highly related, probably in part due to response bias. Leaders' interpersonal orientation was more highly related to subordinates' satisfaction with the Army (and perhaps reenlistment intentions) than was leaders' task orientation at all three levels. Further, leaders' interpersonal orientation became more highly associated with subordinate morale (and perhaps performance) at higher levels within the company. These results were interpreted in terms of increasing leader influence at higher levels -- that is, because of leaders' increasing influence (power) at higher levels, a leaders' interpersonal orientation may have more impact on subordinates' outcomes, and hence on subordinates' morale and performance. Leaders' task orientation also seemed to become more highly associated with unit performance (as perceived by subordinates) at higher levels within the company. This finding was interpreted in terms of House's (1971) path goal model--that is, because of increasing job complexity and ambiguity at higher levels, a leader's task orientation may become more valuable in facilitating task performance at higher levels within the company. Originator-supplied keywords include: job satisfaction, unit effectiveness, and company-level leadership.