Leader-member exchange and follower trust in leader: The moderating effect of leader emotional expressivity

Abstract

This research attempts to explain the moderating effect of leader emotional expressivity on the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) and follower trust in leader. Accordingly, quantitative data, collected via survey administration to front-line employees of service-rendering companies from Istanbul was used to test the hypotheses. The findings of this study revealed that the strength of leader emotional expressivity weakened the positive contributions of LMX to follower trust in leader for leaders who engage in a high level of LMX. On the other hand, higher leader emotional expressivity compensates for the low levels of LMX relationship in terms of increasing follower trust in leader. 

Keywords

• Leadership,emotions,leader-member exchange,leader emotional expressivity,follower trust in leader

References

1. Blau, P. (1964). Exchange and power in social life. New York: Wiley.
2. Cashman, D., Dansereau, F., Graen, G., & Haga, W. J. (1976). Organizational understruc-tureand leadership: A longitudinal investigation of the managerial role-making pro-cess. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 15(2), 278-296.
3. Cropanzano, R., & Mitchell, M. S. (2005). Social exchange theory: An interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 31(6), 874-900.
4. Dansereau, F., Graen, G., & Haga, W. (1975). A vertical dyad approach to leadership within formal organizations. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 13(1), 46-78.
5. Dienesch, R. M., & Liden, R. C. (1986). Leader-member exchange model of leadership: A critique and further development. Academy of Management Review, 11(3), 618-634.
6. Dirks, K. T., & Ferrin, D. L. (2002). Trust in leadership: Metaanalytic findings and implications for research and practice. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 611-628.
7. Erdogan, B., & Liden, R. C. (2002). Social exchanges in the workplace: A review of recent developments and future research directions in leader–member exchange the-ory. In L. L. Neider & C. A. Schriesheim (Eds.), Leadership (pp. 65-114). Greenwich, CT: Information Age.
8. George, J. M. (2000). Emotions and leadership: The role of emotional intelligence. Human Relations, 53(8), 1027-1055.

9. Graen, G. B. & Cashman, J. (1975). A role-making model of leadership in organizations: A development approach. In J. G. Hunt & L. L. Larson (Eds.), Leadership frontiers (pp. 143-165). Kent, OH: Kent State University Press.
10. Graen, G. B., & Uhl-Bien, M. (1995). Relationship-based approach to leadership: Devel-opment of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective. Leadership Quarterly, 6(2), 219-247.
11. Hosmer, L. T. (1995). Trust: The connecting link between organizational theory and philo-sophical ethics. Academy of Management Review, 20(2), 379-403.
12. Inelmen, K. (2009). Role of trust in mediating the effects of satisfaction and commitment on employee performance. Boğaziçi Journal, 23(1-2), 55-73.
13. Kring, A. M., Smith, D. A., & Neale, J. M. (1994). Individual Differences in Dispositional Expressiveness: Development and Validation of the Emotional Expressivity Scale. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66(5), 934-949.
14. Liden, R. C., & Graen, G. (1980). Generalizability of the vertical dyad linkage model of leadership. Academy of Management Journal, 23(3), 451-465.
15. Liden, R. C., Sparrowe, R. T., & Wayne, S. J. (1997). Leader-member exchange theory: The past and potential for the future. Research in Personnel and Human Re-sources Management, 15, 47-119.
16. Mishra, A. K., & Spreitzer, G. M. (1994, August). Building trust and empowerment during industry upheaval.Paper presented at the Academy of Management Conference, Dallas.
17. Norman, S. M., Avolio, B. J., & Luthans, F. (2010). The impact of positivity and transpar-ency on trust in leaders and their perceived effectiveness. The Leadership Quarterly, 21(3), 350-364.
18. Rotter, J. B. (1971). Generalized expectancies for interpersonal trust. American Psycholo-gist, 26(5), 443-452.
19. Rotter, J. B. (1980). Interpersonal trust, trustworthiness, and gullibility. American Psy-chologist, 35(1), 1-7.
20. Rousseau, D. M., Sitkin, S. B., Burt, R. S., & Camerer, C. (1998). Not so different after all: A cross-discipline view of trust. Academy of Management Review, 23(3), 393-404.
21. Rubin, R. S., Munz, D. C., & Bommer, W. H. (2005). Leading from within: The effects of emotion recognition and personality on transformational leadership behavior. Academy of Management Journal, 48(5), 845-858.
22. Scandura, T.A. & Schrieshiem, C.A. (1994). Leader-member exchange and supervisor career mentoring as complementary constructs in leadership research. Academy of Management Journal, 37(6), 1588-1602.
23. Yukl, G. A. (2005). Leadership in organizations (6th ed.). New York: Prentice Hall.
24. Zand, D. E. (1972). Trust and managerial problem solving. Administrative Science Quarterly,17(2), 229-239.