Great minds think alike: does leader-follower similarity in construal level of the work enhance leader-member exchange quality?
Leadership & Organization Development Journal
ISSN: 0143-7739
Article publication date: 3 January 2022
Issue publication date: 15 March 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether leader-follower similarity in construal level of the work, which indicates the degree of abstraction applied to mental representation of the work, influences the quality of interpersonal relationship at work.
Design/methodology/approach
First, an interview study was conducted to adapt the work-based construal-level (WBCL) scale. Then, a survey study was conducted for hypothesis testing. Data collected from 245 matched supervisor-subordinate dyads were analyzed using multi-level modeling.
Findings
Results revealed that dyadic similarity in work-domain construal level is positively related to leader-member exchange (LMX) quality. As a leader and a follower become similar to each other in terms of mental representation (i.e. construal level) of work, they experience higher relationship quality.
Originality/value
This study enhances the current knowledge of the role of cognition and cognitive similarity in leadership processes.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was conducted as part of the first author's PhD thesis submitted to the Dokuz Eylül University and advised by the second author. The authors would like to thank Dr. Banu Esra Aslanertik for providing valuable assistance with the adaptation of work-based construal level scale.
Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work.
Citation
Emirza, S. and Katrinli, A. (2022), "Great minds think alike: does leader-follower similarity in construal level of the work enhance leader-member exchange quality?", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 43 No. 2, pp. 181-195. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-04-2021-0169
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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