Hi Amy and All,
Amy, you are correct. Somehow the thinking in your field regarding "Average Leadership Style" (ALS) or "Charismatic-Transformational Leadership" (CTL) has become muddled (Lord & Dinh, 2014; van Knippenberg, & Sitkin, 2013). Formal hypotheses (untested and replicated assertions) involving the "leadership relationship" need to include observable measures on which both sides agree. Expert agree that a "black box" exists containing (a) person(s) with a vision, (b) person(s) who helps enact the vision voluntarily (without alternative explanations), and (c) a special bond between them which is characterized by mutual respect of competence and trust of motives. In addition, this "black box" construct produces observable of group collaboration. Many outcomes of this process need be observable including engagement and performance to identify the construct.
One theory (tested and replicated many times) has been called by several different names is now known as leader-member exchange theory of collaboration between individuals and among groups (Grace & Graen, 2014). The colloquial term "leadership" contains too many conflicting ideas to be useful as a theoretical construct. The same may be stated for "charisma". Those who are current with LMX theory are aware that we have examined the "black box" of collaborative alliance and has tested the internal working for engineering design teams on consulting projects (Graen, Hui & Taylor, 2006; Naidoo, Scherbaum, Goldstein & Graen, 2010).
Replication supporting LMX theory:
· Derived set of replicated hypotheses (Dulebohn, Bommer, Liden, Brouer, & Ferris, 2011)
· Both sides agree on alliance (up to 80%) with six major components of their collaborative alliance including respect for competence and trust (Graen, 2014a).
· Independent meta-analysis replication of predictions (Dulebohn, Bommer, Liden, Brouer & Ferris (2011) including performance, engagement and other outcomes.
· Experimental replication (Graen, Novak & Sommerkamp, 1982; Graen, Scandura & Graen, 1986).
· Career progress over 23 years (Graen, Dharwadkar, Grewal, & Wakabayashi, 2006).
· Black box investigations supported process of reciprocal respect and trust both gained and lost (Graen, 2014b; Graen, Hui, & Taylor, 2006).
· Derived hypotheses regarding collaborating alliances in the emerging information age (Grace & Graen, 2014).
· Shown the way to discard hypotheses employing colloquial notions of charisma and/a leadership (Graen, 2014b).
I hope this helps tidy our thinking about research because it needs to be straight forward and logical.
George Graen
'76 SIOP Fellow
REFERENCES
Dulebohn, J. H., Bommer, W. H., Liden, R. C., Brouer, R. L., & Ferris, G. R. (2011). A meta-analysis of antecedents and consequences of leader-member exchange: Integrating the past with an eye toward the future. Journal of Management, 38, 6, pp 1715-1759.
Grace M. & Graen, G. (2014). Millennial Management: Designing the Future of Organizations. LMX leadership: The series Vol IX. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Graen, G. B. (2014a). Some "big ideas" concerning the prediction of life's outcomes: Emotional intelligence (EI), intelligence quotient (IQ), universal leadership (UL) and unique strategic alliance (USA) under review
Graen, G. B. (2014b). What have we learned that is intersubjectively testable regarding the leadership process and leadership-performance relations? Industrial and Organizational Psychology Perspective on Science and Practice, 7, 193-196.
Graen, G. B., Dharwadkar, R., Grewal, R., & Wakabayashi, M. (2006), Japanese career progress over the long haul: An empirical examination. Journal of International Business Studies, 37, 148–161.
Graen, G., B., Hui, C., & Taylor, E. A. (2006) Experience-based learning about LMX leadership and fairness in project teams: A dyadic directional approach. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 5(4), 448-460.
Graen, G.B., Novak, M., & Sommerkamp, P. (1982). The effects of leader-member exchange and job design on productivity and satisfaction: Testing a dual attachment model. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 30, 109-131.
Graen, G.B., Scandura, T., & Graen, M.R. (1986). A field experimental test of the moderating effects of growth need strength on productivity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71, 484-491.
Naidoo, L. J., Scherbaum, C. A., Goldstein, H. W., & Graen, G. B. (2010). A longitudinal examination of the effects of LMX, ability, and differentiation on team performance. Journal of Business and Psychology, 26, 3, 347-357.
Lord, R. G. & Dinh, J. E. (2014). What have we learned that is critical in understanding leadership perceptions and leader-performance relations? Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 7(2), 158-177.
van Knippenberg, D. & Sitkin, S.B. (2013). A critical assessment of charismatic-transformational leadership research: Back to the drawing board? The Academy of Management Annals, 7, 1, pp 1-60.