The role of respect in leadership

Abstract

Many managers acknowledge respect in leadership as crucial in order to get the best out of staff. However, there are a number of managers who have yet to recognise the importance of respect in leadership processes and leader-follower exchanges. Therefore, the present study investigates the role of respect by examining the relationship between leadership and organisational outcomes, such as work-related attitudes and the impact respect has on influencing this relation. Two surveys were conducted in nineteen organisations in the cities of Auckland and Dunedin (New Zealand). The results of the surveys showed that respect moderated transactional leadership, such that, transactional leadership behavioural characteristics were associated with higher levels of follower job satisfaction when leaders treated staff with dignity and respect in interactions. The results extended the research on leadership and work attitudes by examining respect and its effect on leadership processes and work-related attitudes. This research serves as a step towards better understanding how leaders can further satisfy their followers, and improve their work-related attitudes by treating them with dignity and respect in exchanges. Additionally, the results provide a contribution to further understanding the conditions under which transactional leaders can be more effective in terms of their impact on follower work-related attitudes and organisational performance.