Thinking of leaving your leader: A meta-analysis and explanatory model of transformational leadership and turnover intentions

We review and explain the relationship between transformational leadership and follower turnover intentions, drawing upon social exchange theory. Supporting our expectation, meta-analytic evidence (k = 141 samples, N = 47,485 participants) shows a large negative association (corrected correlation = -.35), suggesting transformational leadership inhibits turnover intentions. This effect is then explained via a theoretical model specifying serial mediation among social exchange constructs (i.e., full mediation by perceived organizational support, then job satisfaction and organizational commitment). Results offer large-scale empirical support for the view that employee retention cognitions are partly a function of leaders’ transformational behavior, due to social exchange. Supplemental analysis shows results are robust to impression management bias. Implications for turnover theory are discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Li, Mengtong

Contributors dc:contributor

• Newman, Daniel A
• Drasgow, Fritz

• Turnover Intentions
• Social Exchange Theory
• Perceived Organizational Support

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 Mengtong Li

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117542

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F117542