Leadership self‐efficacy and managers' motivation for leading change

Abstract

SummaryThis study develops and tests a leadership model that focuses on managers' motivation for attempting the leadership of change. The construct of leadership self-ef®cacy (LSE) is de®ned, and a measure comprising three dimensions (direction-setting, gaining followers' commitment, and overcoming obstacles to change) is developed. Based on Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory, the primary hypothesis is that high LSE managers will be seen by direct reports as engaging in more leadership attempts. Relationships are also proposed between LSE and several factors that are expected to in¯uence this con®dence judgment. Managers' organizational commitment and crisis perceptions are modelled as potential moderators of the relationship between LSE and leadership attempts. The model was tested through surveys distributed to managers (n 150) and their direct reports (n 415) in a real estate management company and an industrial chemicals ®rm. Positive relationships ( p < 0.05) were found between the ®rst two dimensions of LSE and managers' leadership attempts. An interaction effect involving organizational commitment was discovered for the LSE/overcoming obstacles dimension ( p < 0.05). Several positive relationships were found between LSE dimensions and proposed antecedents, including self-esteem ( p < 0.05), subordinates' performance abilities ( p < 0.05), and managers' job autonomy ( p < 0.05).

Relationship between Leadership Self-Efficacy and Leadership Effectiveness of First-Line Nurse Managers

“…Also, Paglis and Green found that, there is a positive connection between leadership self-efficacy and measures of performance through subordinates' ratings of mangers' leadership effectiveness by attempts at driving change efforts in the work unit [13]. Leadership self-efficacy was also associated with higher organizational commitment and managers' leadership.…”

“…This speculation could be supported by Paglis and Green who clarified that, the relationship between leadership self-efficacy and work outcomes may be explained by highly self-efficacious leaders tending to undertake more responsibilities, investing more effort in their work, and persisting longer when met with difficulties [13]. Also, Paglis and Green found that, there is a positive connection between leadership self-efficacy and measures of performance through subordinates' ratings of mangers' leadership effectiveness by attempts at driving change efforts in the work unit [13].…”

“…Paglis and Green conceptually defining Leadership Self-Efficacy (LSE) as "a person's judgment that he/s can successfully exert leadership by setting a direction for the work group, building relationships with followers in order to gain commitment to goals, and working with them to overcome obstacles to change" [13]. Building upon the work of Paglis and Green and their definition of leadership self-efficacy, Anderson et al built a framework for assessing the relationship between leader's beliefs about their own abilities (leadership self-efficacy) and their job performance [14].…”

“…Studies in USA and European countries handled leadership selfefficacy and leadership effectiveness and their relationship with each other [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. These studies recommended for further investigation of this relationship to find or innovate ways to apply what has been learned about leadership self-efficacy to improve leadership effectiveness, and developing future leaders, placing them mindfully in superior-subordinate dyad and taking steps to create high leadership self-efficacy climate.…”

Trust and Emotions Energize Organizational Performance

“…Those studies that are essentially concerned with mediating effect of leadership self-efficacy as well as with the effectiveness of the leader seem to concentrate mainly on manager"s capacity in dealing with change (Paglis and Green, 2002). Semadar et al (2006) further highlight that a high level of self-efficacy results in a perceived organizational flexibility.…”