Abstract
Purpose:
To explore the roles of perceived leader caregiving, and followers’ leader-specific attachment orientations, in followers’ experiences of negative interactions and emotions.
Methodology/approach:
In a qualitative field study, individuals identified as secure and insecure (avoidant or anxious) on a pre-measure of leader-specific attachment, were interviewed regarding perceptions of leader caregiving and experiences of negative affective events in their current leadership dyad.
Findings:
Followers perceived and interpreted negative interpersonal events and emotions in ways that reflected underlying attachment concerns, and embedded perceptions, of leader caregiving quality.
Research limitations/implications:
The study was small-scale but provides rich relational information on which future researchers can build to further explore the development and impact of leader-follower attachment dynamics.
Practical implications:
Attachment-focused leadership development training may be useful in enhancing leader-follower relationship quality.
Originality/value:
This study is the first to demonstrate qualitatively the associations between followers’ leader-specific attachment orientations, their perceptions of leader caregiving, and their experiences of negative affective events in the leader-follower dyad.
To explore the roles of perceived leader caregiving, and followers’ leader-specific attachment orientations, in followers’ experiences of negative interactions and emotions.
Methodology/approach:
In a qualitative field study, individuals identified as secure and insecure (avoidant or anxious) on a pre-measure of leader-specific attachment, were interviewed regarding perceptions of leader caregiving and experiences of negative affective events in their current leadership dyad.
Findings:
Followers perceived and interpreted negative interpersonal events and emotions in ways that reflected underlying attachment concerns, and embedded perceptions, of leader caregiving quality.
Research limitations/implications:
The study was small-scale but provides rich relational information on which future researchers can build to further explore the development and impact of leader-follower attachment dynamics.
Practical implications:
Attachment-focused leadership development training may be useful in enhancing leader-follower relationship quality.
Originality/value:
This study is the first to demonstrate qualitatively the associations between followers’ leader-specific attachment orientations, their perceptions of leader caregiving, and their experiences of negative affective events in the leader-follower dyad.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Emotions and Organizational Governance |
| Editors | Neal M. Ashkanasy, Charmine E. J. Hartel, Wilfred J. Zerbe |
| Publisher | Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. |
| Pages | 35-67 |
| Volume | 12 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-1-78560-997-8 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-1-78560-998-5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |
Publication series
| Name | Research on Emotion in Organizations |
|---|
Keywords
- Negative emotions
- affective events
- leadership
- attachment theory
- caregiving
- qualitative