Leadership effectiveness, leadership style and employee readiness

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to test the Hersey and Blanchard Situation Leadership Theory (SLT) of leadership effectiveness and the impact of the degree of match between leadership style and employee readiness level on a variety of measures of leadership outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe measures used were employee job satisfaction, job performance, job stress, and turnover intention. SLT argues that an effective leader adopts a leadership style according to the ability and willingness of subordinates for a given task.FindingsThe results did not support SLT predictions that an appropriate match between leadership style and subordinate readiness results in higher levels of subordinate job satisfaction and performance and lower levels of job stress and intention to leave. However, the results did partially support SLT in that, the higher the leader's leadership score, the more effective is the leader's influence. However, the leadership score did not predict job performance. There was a positive correlation between ability and willingness, employee job satisfaction, and job performance. Employee willingness positively correlated with job satisfaction and job performance and was negatively correlated with turnover intention.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings from this study apply to the Taiwan culture and may or may not apply to other “Chinese” and non‐Chinese cultures.Practical implicationsThe use of the SLT in Taiwan is very widespread, so this study provides empirical evidence of its value when used in Taiwan as a tool to develop and use effective and appropriate leadership abilities.Originality/valueFew studies have attempted to explore the value of SLT in general and in non‐Western cultures in particular. This study expands our knowledge of leadership issues to an Eastern culture and explores the theory's effectiveness related to several organizational factors.