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Transformational Leadership and Job Performance: The Mediating Role of Work Engagement

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  • Fong-Yi Lai
  • Hui-Chuan Tang
  • Szu-Chi Lu
  • Yu-Chin Lee
  • Cheng-Chen Lin

Abstract

This study proposed that transformational leaders use various behaviors to provoke followers’ organizationally beneficial behaviors (e.g., better task performance and helping behaviors) through ignition of followers’ work engagement. That is, employees who inspired by transformational leadership are more likely to immerse themselves in the work, and, in turn, this is likely to result in better task performance and helping behaviors. In this study, we adopted a multitemporal and multisource research design to reduce the consideration of common method variance. Hypotheses were tested on a sample of 507 nurses working in 44 teams. The hierarchical linear regression analysis showed that, after controlling for several relevant variables (e.g., leader–member exchange [LMX], role-based self-efficacy, and transactional leadership) and several participants’ demographic variables (e.g., gender, age, and education), work engagement still mediates the positive relationship among transformational leadership, job performance, and helping behavior. Strengths, limitations, practical implications, and directions for future research are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Fong-Yi Lai & Hui-Chuan Tang & Szu-Chi Lu & Yu-Chin Lee & Cheng-Chen Lin, 2020. "Transformational Leadership and Job Performance: The Mediating Role of Work Engagement," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(1), pages 21582440198, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:10:y:2020:i:1:p:2158244019899085
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244019899085
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    5. Eckhaus Eyal, 2021. "The Fourth Dimension of Happiness and Work Satisfaction," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 16(2), pages 118-133, June.
    6. Dr. Khan Sarfaraz Ali & Professor Dr. Mezbah-Ul-Islam & Tamanna Nowrin Azam & Lt. Cdr. (Retd.) Wares-Ul-Matin, 2021. "Influence of Job Engagement on Transformational Leadership Style and Organizational Performance," iRASD Journal of Management, International Research Alliance for Sustainable Development (iRASD), vol. 3(1), pages 14-21, june.
    7. Phyu Phyu Zaw & Yoshi Takahashi, 2022. "Effect of Transformational Leadership on Contextual Performance Mediated by Work Engagement and Moderated by Mindful Awareness," Merits, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-17, September.
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    9. Nguyen Hai Thanh & Nguyen Van Quang & Nguyen Ngoc Anh, 2022. "The relationship between leadership style and staff work engagement: An empirical analysis of the public sector in Vietnam," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
    10. Jolly Sahni, 2021. "Employee Engagement Among Millennial Workforce: Empirical Study on Selected Antecedents and Consequences," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(1), pages 21582440211, March.
    11. Ioana Gutu & Daniela Tatiana Agheorghiesei & Alexandru Tugui, 2022. "Leadership and Work Engagement Effectiveness within the Technology Era," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-25, September.
    12. Che Mohd Syaharuddin Che Cob & Ummi Kalsom Zakaria & Mohd Hafeez Al-Amin Abdul Wahab & Julaina Baistaman & Siti Nur Zahirah Omar & Nor Baizura Osman, 2024. "Factors Influencing Job Performance among Academic Staff in Malaysian Public University," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 16(1), pages 31-42.
    13. Jin Cheng & Kunlin Li & Ting Cao, 2023. "How Transformational Leaders Promote Employees’ Feedback-Seeking Behaviors: The Role of Intrinsic Motivation and Its Boundary Conditions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-25, November.
    14. Nguyen Hai Thanh & Nguyen Van Quang, 2022. "Transformational, Transactional, Laissez-faire Leadership Styles and Employee Engagement: Evidence From Vietnam’s Public Sector," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    15. Afriyadi Cahyadi & József Poór & Katalin Szabó, 2022. "Pursuing Consultant Performance: The Roles of Sustainable Leadership Styles, Sustainable Human Resource Management Practices, and Consultant Job Satisfaction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-20, March.
    16. Magdy Sayed Ahmed Abolnasser & Ahmed Hassan Abdou & Thowayeb H. Hassan & Amany E. Salem, 2023. "Transformational Leadership, Employee Engagement, Job Satisfaction, and Psychological Well-Being among Hotel Employees after the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Serial Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-27, February.

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