Leaders' Behavior and Subordinates' Task Perceptions: A Multivariate Investigation

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated that leaders' behavior can affect the task and role-perceptions of subordinates. This study extends prior research by demonstrating multivariate relationships between sets of leaders' behaviors and subordinates' task or role-perceptions. Canonical analysis was used to test for set relationships and to protect against inflation of alpha error. Multiple regression was then used to decompose the canonical relationships into more interpretable data. For this heterogeneous sample of rank and file employees, leaders' participation was significantly related to subordinate perceptions of task scope. The effect of participation on task scope seems to be through provision of feedback and autonomy. Contrary to previous findings, participation was not significantly related to role conflict and ambiguity after controlling for the effects of leaders' consideration and initiating structure. Consideration and structuring behavior were negatively related to role stress. It is concluded that a cluster of leaders' behaviors may be useful in the work setting and that different leaders' behaviors might be employed to alter subordinates' task and role perceptions. The functions of leaders' participation in goal-setting approaches to motivation is also discussed.