Engagement and flexibility: An empirical discussion about consultative leadership intent for productivity from Pakistan

Abstract

Change and development are continuous processes inside organizations. Maintaining a high level of productivity is critical at all times. Flexibility and engagement are the two most essential factors in determining productivity. Leadership is necessary for an organization to manage these characteristics to be produced correctly. Nevertheless, consultative leadership has been determined to be the most theoretically appropriate form of leadership. The model has been tried and tested in Pakistani higher educational settings. The findings of this study provide evidence that the proposed model is booming, and the pertinent parts of this paper clarify the theoretical and practical aspects of the model.

Keywords:

• Consultative leadership
• strategic intent
• positive leadership
• engagement
• flexibility
• education
• productivity

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Organizational transformation calls for goal-setting and implementation plans to be negotiated through talks between different departments. The goal of consulting others is a worthwhile and successful one. As it aligns so well with the goals of global management practices, Asian institutes could be attracted much thought and study from scholars interested in putting it into reality. Notwithstanding the challenges, there is potential for improved adaptability, higher follower involvement, and more fruitful sanity in the services industry.

Introduction

Positive psychology is a discipline that supports the hypothesis that these influences in a person’s life have the power to transform and improve their quality of life, e.g. (Abbas, Ekowati, Suhairidi, et al., 2022). Examples of positive attitudes include character strengths, intent and leadership skills, positive emotions, and constructive institutions, e.g. (Abbas, Saud, et al., 2022). Leadership is essential for an organization as it helps members respond more effectively, promotes motivation and morale, and leads to higher productivity. It also makes the people more responsible and accountable for their actions, making it easier for the organization to achieve its goals (Aguinis & Pierce, 2008). To assist workers in striking a healthy balance between their responsibilities and those of their jobs, fostering employee involvement and flexibility at work has been considered part of the solution, e.g. (Sekhar et al., 2018). The implications of the consultation approach on the participation of stakeholders with the various types of consultations to identify the variety of ways participation can be increased. Findings reveal that it significantly impacts the understanding of the relationship between consultation strategies and stakeholder participation, e.g. (Fraussen et al., 2020).

Consultative leadership is a type of leadership that focuses on the development of teams and makes use of the knowledge and experience of other people when developing plans and making decisions, e.g. (Oshagbemi, 2008). Leaders use communication to engage their teams to acquire their employees’ views and perspectives (Sutton et al., 2023). Thus, they can better steer followers into deliberative and practical choices, e.g., (Bhattacharya et al., 2005). One form of leadership known as “consultative leadership” emphasizes others’ capacity to set goals and make societal decisions. To make intelligent, strategic choices, leaders regularly join for feedback that helps people perform their best with less effort, e.g. (Hendriks & Lees-Marshment, 2019). In a power-oriented society like the Asian Region, consultation becomes especially important (Vollero et al., 2020). The practice context is about acquiring the ability to inspire and motivate instead of exerting power. It effectively influences followers in strategic planning and problem-solving (Yu et al., 2017). Increasing worker adaptability requires a concerted effort to enhance processes, foster team management, and establish a dominant cultural norm. In a high-performance work environment, people’s behavior can be self-regulated rather than controlled by sanctions and coercion (Beltrán-Martín et al., 2008). Nimble individuals may benefit the organization if willing to accomplish their duties in any function (Kampkötter et al., 2018). Career enrichment can be achieved through flexibility, which systematically moves personnel from one job to another (Sekhar et al., 2018). Employee engagement, development, and career progression are part of this process (Abbas et al., 2021a).

Creating a conducive atmosphere is crucial to the growth of any firm because it fosters stability and predictability (Dervitsiotis, 2005). To achieve this, organizations must nurture their collective intelligence and blend leadership positive psychology with the strategic intent of creating an environment where excellence can strive (Fenitra et al., 2022). Companies must encourage workers to provide their best (Nantavisit & Wongsa, 2022).

This study attempts to posit consultative leadership as transformational leadership that is effective. A literature review and theoretical framework have been developed and described in the next section. Later in this paper, the authors give research methodologies, findings, and conclusions, as well as our social, theoretical, and practical consequences, all under separate headings.

Literature review and hypotheses development

Sociocultural barriers are exacerbated by management practices that foster power distance. So, in the Asian context, employment flexibility hindered by management structure is not a frequently recognized practice, e.g. (Himawan et al., 2022). COVID-19 has broken the barrier to studying these flexibility models in Asia, e.g. (Suhariadi et al., 2023). Flexibility enables proactive participation demonstrating management’s intent to facilitate expansion and productivity (Bhattacharya et al., 2005). Flexibility generates intrinsic motivation, responsible conduct, and higher output. When performance is designed to achieve a goal, it must be viewed in a manner that integrates the numerous motivational orientations that shape the complex psychology of individuals (Behl et al., 2022; Hatch, 2018).

Organizational leadership is based on sociological role theory and applies these principles to leader-follower relationships. Group members have specific expectations regarding the conduct of an organization’s post holder, derived from the position and related organizational context, attributes, status associated with that person, and observations of the position holder’s previous behavior (Winkler, 2009). Consultative leadership is influencing others without imposing authority (Oshagbemi, 2004). Intentional consultation requires a plausible hypothesis about who has the more admirable traits, e.g., (Gallessich, 1985). A leader needs to be well-informed and organized to make the right decisions during times of crisis (Fenitra, Abbas, Ekowati, Suhairidi, et al., 2022). Credibility as a leader is contingent upon intelligence, initiative, and corporate integrity. Emotional stability, cognitive capacity, and self-assurance are necessary for effective leadership (Alotaibi et al., 2020).

A company’s ability to create a vision, support a strategy, and act as a catalyst to improve the bench strength of its employees depends on the quality of its leadership (Khan et al., 2017). According to the philosophy of transformational leadership, a coherent argument serves as a magnet for related ideas and concepts. The relevance of a negotiating argument’s fundamental intellectual force and strategic goal to leadership practices are essential. The Bass & Colleagues model under the five aspects of transformational leadership styles included consultations (Bass & Stogdill, 1990). Gaining a deeper understanding of one another is essential for having delicate interactions and managing diversity (Abbas et al., 2021b). To reap the benefits of human capital creation (2022), leaders must understand how their followers acquire knowledge and become more sociable. Once these elements are in place, leaders can inspire human motivation by generating common beliefs and admirable character attributes (Inglehart, 2004). The team’s priorities and the leaders must match for practicality. Leader-follower communication shapes management practices. For a team to be practical, the leader’s priorities and those of the team members must be congruent. Inconsistencies may hinder this relationship, whereas consistent leadership behavior helps it to flourish, e.g. (Ruben & Gigliotti, 2021).

The leader engagement concept sets principles for determining the form and extent of participatory decision-making in different contexts. Depending on the specifics of the scenario, such as the amount of information available, the problem’s structure, and the subordinates’ attitudes may vary (Schriesheim & Neider, 1989). Compared to other leadership approaches, the consultative initiative carries far less authority. It spends significantly more time integrating other sources’ experiences, abilities, and ideas. Although consultation is logical and takes considerable time, its benefits are plausible. When leaders make consultation an integral part of their management style, it opens the door to flexibility. It is important to remember that people are inspired to follow in their footsteps because of their accomplishments. Leaders can still arrive at conclusive judgments successfully after receiving further feedback. Consultative mind leaders thus will consider the opinions of all parties who may be affected before making any final decisions (Gallardo, 2019). Education benefits from collaborative and participatory approaches (Perpék et al., 2021). When leader fulfills their assigned or specialized role, followers’ efforts are more productive (Yukl, 2012, 2019). According to role theory, expectations define roles. Here, leadership as a role is significantly influenced by ideals favoring a particular leadership position at work (Chong et al., 2018).

A wide variety of literature testifies to the significance and artistry of leadership studies. It is determined that methods involving consultation are beneficial in Asian societies. The literature above assists us in identifying that Asian contexts are relevant to consultative leadership and flexibility strategies in academic debate.

A consultation necessitates the intent of both parties involved, which can only be achieved via the engagement of dialogues, e.g., (Elwyn et al., 2017). Although this approach risks oversimplifying the intricate and dynamic interpersonal communication process, it enables participation and shared decision-making (Reed et al., 2018). Though participative approaches, especially in sustainable development, do not entirely overcome the expected beneficial or societal effects in some instances, e.g., (Sterling et al., 2017). It has been evident that collaborative strategies to address sustainability challenges can lessen the likelihood of disagreements. It fosters trust development, making learning new things easier for stakeholders and the public. As a result, these groups are more likely to support the project’s objectives and carry out decisions over the long term, e.g. (Reed et al., 2018). The role episode’s procedure is problematic. It involves multiple individuals in a single relationship, making sending and receiving expectations more dynamic and intricate. The theory does account for the content or form of role communication, which affects the perception and interpretation of role-sending, e.g., (Winkler, 2009). Suppose consultation is conducted humanely with a comprehension of the worries of the other party and communication of the sender’s upcoming actions. In that case, it assists in building the engagement process (Guix et al., 2018).

The research described above contributes to the formation of the hypothesis that consultation makes engagement possible. Leadership that opts for a consultation to achieve employee engagement is effective strategically.

Personal productivity and leadership are inextricably intertwined. In businesses, overall output will be sustained by the quality of the teams’ performance (Desjardins, 2012). Consultative leadership is typical of mixed cultural dimensions where the leader’s approach to business has a noticeable and lasting impact on the bottom line (Yousef, 1998). Today’s literature affirms the growing implicitness of productivity and leadership styles (Abbas et al., 2023; Zhu et al., 2015). According to Lee, the ability of leaders to inspire their teams is crucial to the success of performance management. The motivational impacts of transactional and transformational leadership are distinct (Lee, 2020). If the leader is unsure of the best course of action and might use their team members’ input, they should adopt a consultative style (Mwai et al., 2018).

One should approach changing the nature of employees at work with realism. This assertion applies to the ever-changing path of action generated by COVID-19. Considering human psychology is not consistent in changing working habits, it is a realistic technique to employ various tactics to maximize performance, e.g., (Suhariadi et al., 2023). Stable businesses encounter changes in business processes in predictable ways in formal environments. Change is often considered a normal operating process, and leadership perceptions about their ability to govern the success of their organization alter frequently. Strategic leadership enables change based on context and levers. Three parties are involved in the strategy practice pyramid. The first step is to identify who will be impacted by the change. Second, strategizing activities: What will change for them and others? Third methodologies of strategy Which method should be used? (Johnson et al., 2020, p. 499). In a setting similar to COVID-19, the backdrop confirms that leadership emerged through practice. When comparing supervisors’ likeability and competence predictors, communality was more important than control (Eichenauer et al., 2022). Positive leadership psychology is the best possible paradigm for organizations during change. It is a deliberate or celebratory act that can positively impact one’s well-being. The strategic intent of positive psychology leaders is to establish workplace excellence. It requires more work commitment and not being concerned about saving money but inculcating a growth mindset (Dyck & Caza, 2021; Reif et al., 2022; Sims et al., 2021; Van Dijk et al., 2021). When members of an organization are complete, a positive mind is consciously active for psychologically engaged individuals, communities, and organizations toward productivity (Smith & Stacey, 1997; Stacey, 2003).

The literature suggests that consultation in leadership establishes relations in all cultures. It can increase the likelihood that employees will follow the leader’s instructions in a given direction. Another hypothesis developed from this thinking suggests that consultative leaders may be more instrumental in facilitating employee productivity.

Flexible working is a strategic management style that promotes employee engagement and well-being (Sekhar et al., 2018). Many people were acclimated to working remotely during the pandemic, and sharing time between the office and home is projected to become the new normal (Himawan et al., 2022; Yang et al., 2021). Organizations must recognize the importance of a flexible routine; working from home has enabled autonomy and promotes mental health, contributing to engagement and productive work behavior (Savić, 2020; Suhariadi et al., 2023). Therefore, leaders are advised to be realistic about hybrid work strategies and flexible in their selection (De Smet et al., 2021). It succeeded in eliminating workplace social contacts but empowered workers. Flexible working with in-person collaboration is a future strategic option (Yang et al., 2021). For real, COVID-19 altered how people react and correspond to change (Abbas, Ekowati, Shuairidi, et al., 2022). A work-from-home does not accurately represent how modern businesses operate. However, workers are becoming more willing to adapt to various environments; it is now possible to have a variety of work settings (Suhariadi et al., 2023). There have been significant shifts in the socialization of workers and a new psychological and emotional understanding of their jobs as a result (Sokolic, 2022). Gallup found that providing workers with more options in their work schedules led to higher levels of enthusiasm. Workers who are invested in their work show greater vigor and energy and are healthier and more productive (Surma et al., 2021).

The research above lends credence to the concept that workplace flexibility benefits employee engagement

Groupthink promotes social awareness; for example, Bandura’s concept explains how communities are strengthened, e.g. (Abbas et al., 2021). The rationality of a belief depends on other factors, e.g., speed and level of engagement (Vogel et al., 2021). Employees may have found strategies or habits that allow them to contribute to their work consistently. Time management is also crucial in determining the participation rate, as a person’s and leaders’ personality traits may play a role in these differences (Mubarak et al., 2021). People’s beliefs in the permanence of the first influence their level of motivation, level of involvement, and behavior, all of which affect their performance (Murphy & Reeves, 2019). Researchers have been exploring the concept of mentality from the perspective of teams and organizations. A cultural component studied was the beliefs, practices, norms, and leadership messages of significant people inside an organization (Emerson & Murphy, 2015). Organizational behavior studies extensively investigate hidden norms and how they affect cultures (Berger, 2016; Neffinger & Kohut, 2014). Productivity is defined as individual capability with culture and leaders when an individual ingress, chooses, and performs a cognitive ability on demand. The conceptual, emotional, and physiological environment are used to classify individual thinking capacity: concentration, consciousness, intuitive understanding, good remembering, possible interpretation, problem-solving, and decision-making, e.g. (Dane, 2011; Giampaoli et al., 2017; Stansfeld & Candy, 2006). A workplace environment must create a culture of collaboration, alliances, team cohesion, and unity. This culture includes individuals, structural alignment, value alignment, and mission alignment (Cheng et al., 2005; Hirsch, 2015). Sustainability is a long-term effect that persists even when leadership changes, and requires good integration, negotiating, and dispute-resolution abilities. Leaders must have knowledge of values, company culture, and geographical variations to achieve desired results (Muradli et al., 2019).

So, the research cited above provides evidence in favor of the premise that once engagement happens, employees become productive.

The conceptual framework presented in Figure 1 has been formed while reviewing a significant amount of relevant literature to support relationships and arguments.

Figure 1. Causal Model of the study.

Methods

Procedure and Sample

In August 2020, a self-administered Likert Scale questionnaire was circulated to collect responses from volunteers working in Pakistan’s private and public higher education sectors. Slovin’s formula used in prior research of the higher education sector was used to estimate the sample size. A central location for collecting and disseminating questionnaires was established per management directives per COVID-19 requirements. Respondents received a sealed envelope with printed questionnaires. The higher education workers in Islamabad were randomly sampled (n = 380) at a 5% confidence level to complete a survey.

$\mathrm{n}=\hspace{0.17em}\frac{\mathrm{N}}{\begin{array}{c}1+n\times {\left(\mathrm{e}\right)}^2\end{array}}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{c}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}=\hspace{0.17em}\frac{7154}{1+7154\hspace{0.17em}{\left(0.05\right)}^2}\hspace{0.17em},\hspace{0.17em}\mathbf{n}=379$

Upon willingness, they were asked to return the questionnaire during office hours, while the time lag approach was employed (Podsakoff et al., 2003). According to the literature, the time-lag method allows a scientific examination of a multi-generational workforce. Research in this area is most often conducted in education, psychology, and youth development. If data is not acquired all at once, it is possible to look for discrepancies across ideas. Participants were first given questionnaires designed for consultative leadership. We sent our questionnaire measuring productivity, adaptability, and employee engagement the following week. On both occasions, demographic information was gathered after receiving informed consent from participants. All outliers, missing values, and unfinished surveys were removed from the data before it went through statistical processing because the researchers processed it independently.

Nonetheless, situational variables, the consequences of COVID-19, and the apparent convenience in scheduling throughout the pandemic all contributed to lesser participation. A total of 250 questionnaires were returned, of which 220 were found complete for analysis. Equal 110 questionnaires from the public and private sectors were solicited for statistical analysis to support the theory. The data were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS for structural equation modeling and path analysis. Factor loadings, cross-loadings, model fit indices, correlation, and path coefficients were obtained from literature consideration (Abbas et al., 2020). Studies revealed that using empirical analysis in Pakistani educational landscape research is helpful (Adil & Kamal, 2019; Asrar-Ul-Haq et al., 2019). We believe that consultation on leadership objectives is a novel issue that sends a loud and clear message to people in authoritative positions. Transformational education is a matter of time (Butt et al., 2023).

Following is a self-explanatory Table 1 containing the demographic profile indices of the study’s respondents. From what we can see, most participants were men with relevant work experience.

Table 1. Demographic Statistics

Variable	Range	Frequency	Percent	Cumulative %
Age	below 30	53	24.091	24.091
	31–39	51	23.182	47.273
	40–49	82	37.273	84.545
	50–59	34	15.455	100
Gender	Male	144	65.455	65.455
	Female	76	34.545	100
Experience	<5 Yrs.	84	38.182	38.182
	6–10 Yrs.	114	51.818	90
	11–15 Yrs.	22	10	100
Education	Graduation	117	53.182	53.182
	Masters’	95	43.182	96.364
	PhD	8	3.636	100

^{N=220, missing values=0}

Measures

In conjunction with a varied body of literature on implicit leadership, transformational leadership skills were used to develop a leadership questionnaire, e.g. (Bass & Stogdill, 1990; Keller, 2003). The sample questions for the consultative leadership construct comprised 04 items. Sample items are “leaders should be willing to communicate changes they want to make” and “before taking any action, leaders must consult the group.” In a consultative leadership questionnaire, respondents must indicate how much leaders should consult, participate, or delegate in their daily operations (Gillespie & Mann, 2004; Oshagbemi & Ocholi, 2006; Oshagbemi, 2004).

The job engagement questionnaire had three questions. Items contain such as “When I am at work, I feel like I am full of energy,” “The work I do has a lot of meaning and purpose,” and “I am excited about my job.” These questions were adopted from the literature recommendations (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004; Schaufeli et al., 2006).

Bhattacharya et al. (2005) produced four ways to measure human resources’ flexibility. Some sample questions were, “We change practices often so the HR system can cope with changing work needs.” “Our practices are flexible as a whole.”

We used the measurements from a study that had items like “I can deal with issues and challenges at work” and “I can better adapt to changes at work than my colleagues” (Kock et al., 2019). Literature reports that for companies, and individuals, flexibility in human resources creates strategic consistency across levels and units, enhances environmental responsiveness, and builds a difficult-to-imitate, non-substitutable competency that impacts staff engagement and work performance (Sekhar et al., 2018)

Results

Reliability is the precision with which a technique evaluates an attribute. At the same time, validity is the ability to replicate results in the same settings. Validity is the reliability of a measurement, specifically if the findings accurately reflect the variable being measured. The factor loading indicates the proportion of that component’s variance that may be accounted for by that variable. Cross-loadings should meet minimum>.40 (Maskey et al., 2018), AVE >.50, Alpha and CR e.g., composite reliability >.70 (Hair et al., 2014). Factor loadings of 0.7 or above indicate sufficient variance is extracted from the variable using the SEM technique (Hair et al., 2021). The values of these criteria that are close to the threshold that specifies (SRMR 0.08 NFI>0.90) indicate a good fit for a PLS-SEM model. Results from this study indicate that SRMR values of 0.06 are within the indicated threshold. In contrast, NFI values of 0.89 and above are close to the range. Table 2 displays statistical indicators with this study model’s values achieving the allowable range.

Table 2. Factor loading, reliability, and validity

Construct	Item Code	Loading	CA (α)	rho_A	CR	AVE
Consultative Leadership	CNSLD1	0.849	0.852	0.857	0.900	0.693
	CNSLD2	0.850
	CNSLD3	0.850
	CNSLD4	0.779
Engagement	ENG1	0.874	0.866	0.869	0.918	0.789
	ENG2	0.910
	ENG3	0.880
Flexibility	FHR1	0.862	0.875	0.891	0.915	0.730
	FHR2	0.899
	FHR3	0.904
	FHR4	0.742
Productivity	PROD1	0.795	0.861	0.863	0.900	0.643
	PROD2	0.820
	PROD3	0.823
	PROD4	0.788
	PROD5	0.783
^SRMR < 0.08, (0.068)| NFI >.90, (0.890)		^.70 >	^. 70 >			^.50 >

Notes: CR (Composite Reliability) | AVE (Average variance Extracted) | CA (α) (Cronbach Alpha)

Discriminant validity evidence aims to distinguish between different measures of the same thing. Indices presented in Table 3 hold a primary threshold (Fornell & Larcker, 1981) between ≥.85 and ≤.90 (Gold et al., 2001).

Table 3. Discriminant validity

	1	2	3	4
1. Consultative Leadership	0.833
2. Engagement	0.541	0.888
3. Flexibility	0.493	0.519	0.854
4. Productivity	0.667	0.548	0.405	0.802

^{Threshold ≤ .90}

The fundamental assumptions of model fit, validity, reliability, and discriminant validity have been established to lead a path analysis. Path analysis can examine more sophisticated and realistic models than multiple regression. Based on the analytical results, the researcher’s postulated model is plausible. Hypothesis testing can begin once the fundamental assumptions are established. As shown in Table 4, the model’s path analysis yielded coefficients, t-values, and p-values to determine the hypothesis statement’s validity.

Table 4. Path analysis

Path	β + STDEV	T Statistics
Consultative leadership → Flexibility	0.493 + 0.064	7.716***
Consultative Leadership → Engagement	0.377 + 0.069	5.492***
Consultative Leadership → Productivity	0.523 + 0.061	8.542***
Flexibility → Engagement	0.333 + 0.072	4.650***
Engagement → Productivity	0.265 + 0.069	3.822***

^{T value ≥ 2.57 *** is significant at the 0.001}

Path analysis may be used to assess models that are more sophisticated (and meaningful) than the regression model. It may evaluate multiple models to decide which one best matches the facts. Path analysis in Table 4 can reject a model that postulates a significant link among the variables presented above. The model’s initial hypothesis was that consultative leadership has more potential to influence flexibility in managerial approaches. The positive correlation between the two variables is indicated by a path analysis result of 0.493 coefficients, t-values of 7.716, and a significance level of 0.001. Path analysis’s second set of hypotheses suggests that consultative leadership facilitates engagement. Confirmation of this hypothesis is indicated by coefficients of 0.377, t-values of 5.492, and p-values of 0.001. According to the third hypothesis test, consultative leadership is a productivity enabler. We can conclude that this hypothesis is correct because its coefficients add up to 0.523; its t-values total 8.542, with a significance level of 0.001. The results showed a redistilled between productivity and consultative leadership. Flexibility fosters engagement, which was the purpose of hypothesis four testing. Coefficients of 0.333, t-values of 4.650, and p-values of 0.001 show that this hypothesis is supported. At the fifth and final step, the presumption was made that engagement enables productivity. Coefficients of 0.265, t-values of 3.822, and p-values of 0.001 show that this hypothesis is supported. However, this association is weaker than the path beta observed for all validated hypotheses.

The R-Square statistic indicates how much an explanatory variable explains regressor variance (s). For a predictive model to be successful, its R² must be less than 0.1, indicating that it was able to capture some of the content’s variability. For instance, if the R² of a model is 0.5, it means that it only explains 50% of the variation in data. According to the academic literature on business concerns, R² values of 0.75, 0.50, or 0.25 for endogenous latent variables can be roughly regarded as considerable, moderate, or weak, e.g. (Hair et al., 2021). Several other factors may affect or impact a single variable in a conceptual framework. The elimination of an external factor may influence the dependent variable. Whenever an exogenous factor is no longer included in the model, the F-Square statistic indicates the degree of change in R-Square (e.g., Table 5). The f² statistic quantifies the magnitude of an effect (> = 0.02 indicates a minor effect, > = 0.15 a moderate one, and > = 0.35 a large one) (Cohen, 2013). The effect size of consultative leadership on engagement is modest, whereas it is significant for flexibility and productivity. Predictive relevance (Q-square) is a metric that determines whether or not a model is predictive (>0 is good). Q² also establishes the endogenous components’ predictive value. Q-Square values greater than zero suggest that the model’s values have been well rebuilt and that the model is predictive (Geisser, 1975).

Table 5. Effect Size

#	Latent Variable	Q^2	R^2	f 2
				2	3	4
1.	Consultative Leadership			0.173	0.322	0.382
2.	Engagement	0.289	0.377	0.135		0.098
3.	Flexibility	0.169	0.243
4.	Productivity	0.307	0.494

*^{Q2 (=1-SSE/SSO)}

Discussion

Leaders who consult with employees first think their workforce has always had the skills and knowledge necessary to do a good job. Consultative leaders may make the ultimate call but value hearing the team’s thoughts first (Yu et al., 2017). Change typically occurs in spurts, with successive coupling and uncoupling across time. It is impossible to keep beamforming at all levels concurrently. Influential constituencies continually re-evaluate the legitimacy of the leadership group. Strategic change in varied situations is a series of incidents in which leadership group members may promote change through their actions (Denis et al., 2001). Forming a strategic leadership constellation is more challenging because of the tensions and convergence that arise from differences between the strategic leadership configuration and the executive team. This is especially true when the requirements change and the barriers to replacing the senior team diminish (Ma & Seidl, 2018). Strategic consultation in the form of business strength and conditioning is a solution-focused practice based on a systemic integration approach. It is a valuable tool for business leaders since it allows them to gain insight quickly and cheaply into the underlying dynamics of a company. It may resolve many intricate relationships and complex interactions (Burchardt, 2015). A wide gap exists in employee engagement between those who can execute their jobs as they see fit and those who do not, regardless of age (Pitt-Catsouphes & Matz-Costa, 2008). That is possible with the perseverance and patience of construction-minded executives who value methodical engagement for workforce flexibility (Richman et al., 2008). Flexibility and engagement can increase productivity over time (Anderson & Kelliher, 2009).

Symbolic interactionism relies heavily on consultative leadership in its overall structure. Interaction between group members makes it possible for individuals to construct and negotiate their roles within the group (Fraussen et al., 2020). It also helps to increase engagement and relationships with coworkers and teammates and consider feedback from a wide range of people. Additionally, it can lead to new and innovative ideas emerging when people freely express their thoughts and ideas (Yawson, 2020).

Conclusion

Because Asian cultures contain significantly more aspects of authority and power, transformational leadership practices could be advantageous for expanding research and practice. Compared to other Asian nations, few studies in Pakistan examine the traditions of activities under practice. Policy and practice change may adapt as transformational leadership research grows. Since organizations are combinations of numerous groups, consultations have a broad impact. Once it occurs, organizational life may become productive by engaging individuals in flexibility strategies.

Theoretical, practical implication

Leadership positions require a unique combination of function and position, and role holders must be able to distinguish between them. As a result, the consultation process is often cumbersome, and leaders must decide how much flexibility to display for agile responses based on the urgency of the work. Social association processes exchange physical or intangible activity involving multiple individuals and bonding societies, e.g., recent research trends. Consultation intent in leadership may pave the grounds the flexibility, engagement, and productivity. This path is evident; it may be challenging and time-consuming. Transformational education in Pakistan is the clarion call, e.g., (Butt et al., 2023); this study model could be effective in educational landscapes. Since consultation is highly similar to the Islamic concept of (Shura), it has been viewed as balancing leadership realms (Elkaleh, 2023). Consultation intent encourages participation in Islamic culture, and people tend to believe more in leaders who consult. This statute permits social interactions between leaders and followers. After becoming acquainted with consultative leaders, individuals become more adaptable. So, they become more receptive to social connection, and social exchange in consultation concerns results in increased involvement and productivity. However, it also has broader social ramifications, as leadership-established identity plays a significant role in building exchange. Social interaction facilitates cooperation, courtesies, and compromises between family members, coworkers, and acquaintances. From the perspective of consultative intent in secular organizations, this idea is broader and adaptable to many practical and theoretical contexts.

Limitations and future directions

This study design contains demographic, sampling, and methodological constraints. This concept can be replicated in many contexts in future research. Nonetheless, a variety of future directions can also be foretold. The leader-member exchange processes can be used to regulate social contact and encourage the formation of social networks. Reciprocity is a fundamental and universal standard to strengthen social trade’s natural inclinations. Exchange processes require individuals to fulfill their responsibilities to continue receiving services. They can create a distinct social structure in which norms emerge that oblige individuals to sacrifice part of their interests for the sake of the group. Those imposed by social trade are not, initially, normative limitations.

Data sharing statement

The datasets in the study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Author contributions

All authors listed have made a substantial, direct, and intellectual contribution to the work and approved it for publication.

Ethics approval and informed consent

This study was performed according to the Declaration of Helsinki for Research involving Human Subjects. Ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the concerned Universities. The participants provided their informed consent to participate in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

We want to thank the Research Transfer and Technology Officer (RTTO) at Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, who has funded our research results' publication costs.

Notes on contributors

Dian Ekowati

Dian Ekowati is a prominent academician at the Department of Management Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Airlangga. From QEC, Head of International Office and Partnership, Deputy Executive Director, and Head of Airlangga Global Engagement, she is now Head of the Planning and Development Board for Airlangga University. She has produced numerous book chapters, journal articles, conference papers, and social development research projects. In addition to these endeavors, Dr. Ekowati teaches and does research with many Ph.D. and master’s students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In addition, she has expertise in qualitative research and analysis, organizational theories and behavior, change management, and internationalization. She holds a Ph.D. in Management of Change and Strategies, Interorganizational Network, Organization Politics/Power, and Organizational Territoriality from the University of York, United Kingdom.