Relationships between Leadership Style, the Degree of Change Experienced, Performance and Follower Commitment in Policing

Author: Hawkins John   Dulewicz Victor  

Publisher: Routledge Ltd

ISSN: 1479-1811

Source: Journal of Change Management, Vol.9, Iss.3, 2009-09, pp. : 251-270

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

This article presents the findings of the second of three stages of the 2008 Scottish Police Service Leadership Study (SPSLS), a major study focusing upon the relationship between leadership style, emotional intelligence, context and performance as a leader within the police service in Scotland. This stage of the SPSLS focuses specifically upon the relationship between leadership style, the degree of change experienced, follower commitment and performance as a leader, data on which were gathered through the use of the 360-degree version the Leadership Dimensions Questionnaire (LDQ). Data were gathered from bosses, peers and followers, as well as from the leaders themselves who participated in the study. Additional annual appraisal performance data were also obtained and analyzed. Based upon the perceptions of staff, it is reported that the Scottish police service is undergoing a 'significant' but not 'transformational' degree of change. The results reported identify the most prevalent styles of leadership within the service but do not provide support for the proposition that organizational context is a statistically significant variable mediating the relationship between leadership style and performance as a leader. Finally, a number of (statistically significant) positive relationships are reported between leadership style and performance as a leader and follower commitment. Where relevant, comparisons are drawn between this study and a similar study of leadership in the Royal Navy, in which the self-report version of the LDQ was used (Young and Dulewicz, 2006).

Related content