Psychosocial Predictors of Employee Perceived Leadership Induced Stress

ABSTRACT

A common theme in the various definitions of leadership is that of ‗social influence‘ which one person—known as the leader, vested with power, authority or control—exercises on another person(s) known as the follower(s) [Nahavandi, 2000]. This suggests that a follower is subordinated to the leader‘s influence. It also suggests that a leader, being human with unique attributes (style, preferences, values, and temperaments), would bring these attributes to bear on influencing the followers. Since individuals spend most of their waking life in the workplace (Oguntuashe, 2009), leaders and followers have to work together, with followers also, sometimes, influencing their leaders (Porter, Allen, and Angle, 1981). However, followers are relatively more susceptible to the social influence, as well as, the personal attributes of the leader. Leaders‘ styles or manners of exercising social influence on followers do not just happen. They are impacted by the leaders‘ personal attributes. Consequently, followers may sometimes find their leaders‘ social influence in the workplace unpleasant and thus perceive varying levels of leadership-induced stress. Leadership-induced stress can be defined as an unpleasant job-related challenge which subordinate employees perceive they are experiencing as a result of the behavior of, or the treatment they are getting from their immediate superior at work; a situation the subordinates also judge as one they cannot cope with.