Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology (Nov 2019)
The Development and Validation of the Leader as Security Provider Scale
Abstract
In three studies we examined, from an attachment perspective, the utility and the validity of a scale assessing followers’ perceptions of leaders as security providers (LSPS). Based on the literature, we designed a 15-item scale tapping the five functions of a security-enhancing attachment figure (secure base, safe haven, proximity seeking, emotional ties, and separation distress) within organizational contexts. The scale showed acceptable reliability and a one-factor structure in all the studies. In Study 1 (N = 237), the LSPS was positively associated with transformational leadership and inversely associated with passive-avoidant leadership. Moreover, employees’ perceptions of their leader as a security provider made a unique contribution to their satisfaction with the manager and perception of the manager’s efficacy. In Study 2 (N = 263), the LSPS was positively associated with authentic leadership. Employees’ ratings of their leader on the LSPS were positively associated with employees’ organizational identification, work engagement, and work satisfaction. In Study 3 (N = 263), we found that employees’ perceptions of their leader as a security provider had a protective effect on their job burnout. The findings indicate that research on the follower-leader relationship can benefit from the adoption of an attachment perspective.
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