The destructiveness of laissez-faire leadership behavior.
The aim of the study is to test the assumption that laissez-faire leadership behavior is not a type of zero-leadership, but a type of destructive leadership behavior that shows systematic relationships with workplace stressors, bullying at work, and psychological distress. A survey of 2,273 Norwegian employees was conducted and analyzed. Laissez-faire leadership was positively correlated with role conflict, role ambiguity, and conflicts with coworkers. Path modeling showed that these stressors mediated the effects of laissez-faire leadership on bullying at work and that the effects of laissez-faire leadership on distress were mediated through the workplace stressors, especially through exposure to bullying. The results support the assumption that laissez-faire leadership behavior is a destructive leadership behavior.
Skogstad
Anders
A
University of Bergen, Faculty of Psychology, Bergen, Norway. anders.skogstad@psysp.uib.no
Einarsen
Ståle
S
Torsheim
Torbjørn
T
Aasland
Merethe Schanke
MS
Hetland
Hilde
H
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005639:Frustration; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009664:Norway; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010559:Personnel Management; D012380:Role; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace