Transformable? A multi-dimensional exploration of transformational leadership and follower implicit person theories

ABSTRACT

Research on transformational leadership seems to suggest that followers are uniformly “transformable”. Drawing on the interactionist theory of person and environment, this study questions that assumption by focusing on the impact of follower implicit person theories on the relationship between transformational leadership, follower engagement, and follower performance. Results from a study of 216 employees and 99 leaders in the healthcare industry show that, although transformational leadership has direct relationships with engagement and performance, followers’ implicit person theories have a moderating effect on the relationship between transformational leadership and employee performance. In addition, using a four-factor model of transformational leadership, results show that the behavioural dimensions of inspirational motivation and idealized influence are only effective for incremental theorist followers.

Keywords:

• implicit person theory
• engagement
• performance
• transformational leadership

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, Stephanie R. Seitz, upon reasonable request.