Think
about the following subjects:
·
What was
the point of the research?
·
What
were the hypotheses?
·
What was
the research method used?
·
Were the
results supportive of the research goals?
·
Of what
value was the research?
Your
reflective blog should summarize the research and its results and analyze the
value of the research within the context of this week's assigned materials
relating to transformational leadership theory.
The
point of the first research done was to elevate the study of transformational
leadership from just face-to-face interactions and include remote conversations
such as e-mail. “[L]eaders increasingly rely on technologically-based
communications with subordinates including the use of electronic mail (e-mail)
and video/teleconferencing.” (Kelloway et al, 2003) The hypothesis was that
subordinates reacted to remote leadership differently. The effects of
laissez-faire remote leadership would really be no different than if the leader
was present and that the management-by-exception remote leadership would have a
negative reaction by subordinates. The other aspect of this study was that an
e-mail communicated in a transformational leadership manner would elicit
positive results. The method would be used of creating a vignette to reflect an
e-mail that would focus on the “consequences of mistakes” (Kelloway et al, 2003).
These vignettes were responses by the three different leadership styles to a
mistake made and reported. These vignettes were read by eight graduate students
who had taken a transformational leadership class.
The
results were supportive of the research goals. The students could interpret the
different styles of leadership through the remote communication and that the transformational
leadership vignette garnered a greater sense of “Interpersonal justice and satisfaction.”
(Kelloway et al, 2003)
The second study was to determine if there was a “firm
basis for inferring that remote leadership can be effective.” (Kelloway et al,
2003) The study was to study how remote
leadership impacts motivation and performance. It also studied the effects
remote transformational leadership on intellectual stimulation and charisma. “Intellectual
stimulation is behavior that influences followers to view problems from a new
perspective and look for more creative solutions.” (Yukl, 2013) The method was
a laboratory-based and similar to a “NASA exercise.” The participants were
given a list of survival tasks that they had to, individually and then as a randomly
chosen group, prioritize based on the message from the leader. Specifically, a
list “containing either a charismatic, intellectually stimulating, neutral (neither
charismatic nor stimulating) or transformational (both charismatic and
stimulating) message.” (Kelloway et al, 2003)
The results were that there was no change from either
groups based on charisma or no charisma. The participants who received an
intellectually stimulating message did feel more intellectually stimulated
though. Motivation was higher in the intellectually stimulated group and the
individual performance was better too. The massage with charisma had no impact
on motivation but evidently had some effect on the individual. Ultimately, the
study “suggests that remote transformational leadership can still have the same
positive effects on performance and attitudes that occurs within face-to-face
interaction…electronically mediated communication channels may be used convey
the same leadership “message” as in face-to-face interaction.” (Kelloway et al,
2003)
The
value of both research studies was to evaluate remote transformational leadership
and its impacts on modern business environments. The era when all of the
workers are positioned at a table or desk in front of the boss’s glass front
office is basically gone and now leaders have subordinates who work remotely
from other locations or even other continents. The ability to convey a message
that gives the right tone and meaning without actually interacting face-to-face
is imperative to effective leadership today. “Transforming leadership appeals
to the moral values of followers in an attempt to raise consciousness about
ethical issues and to mobilize their energy and resources to reform institutions.”
(Yukl, 2013) This is very relevant and exciting. With the on-set of Skype and
videoconferencing, effective remote transformational leadership is coming even
more prevalent. It would be interesting to see these studies with
videoconferencing added into the mix.
Resources:
Kelloway, E.K., Barling, J., Kelley, E.,
Comtois, J., Gatien, B. (2003) Remote transformational leadership. Leadership
and Organizational Development Journal Vol. 24, No.3, 2003. Emerald Group
Publishing Limited.
Yukl, G. A. (2013). Leadership in
organizations (8th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
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