The culmination stage of leadership succession

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to shed light on employees' emotional status during the culmination stage of leadership succession.Design/methodology/approachAn inductive research design is adopted, relying on the qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews conducted with participants.FindingsThe qualitative data analysis revealed that subordinates are shocked anytime new leadership practices, contradicting the previous ones that they were used to, are initiated by the successor. Moreover, anger is found to be the dominant negative emotion exhibited by the subordinates during the culmination stage, given that they are nostalgic to the practices of their old transformational leader.Originality/valueThe value of this study lies in its longitudinal qualitative nature, assessing affective response during an organizational change, where subordinates are attempting to digest the change. It adds to the existing literature on emotions during leadership succession, thus assisting people in key managerial positions to better assess the situation and channel their subordinates' negative emotions into a more positive affect while supporting them all the way through.