Leader-Follower Attachment: Implications for Personality Assessment in Organizational Contexts
Hal S Shorey1, Jason S Chaffin2
1a Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology, Widener University.
Journal of Personality Assessment
|June 14, 2018
Summary
Attachment theory significantly impacts workplace dynamics. This study introduces a new measure for leader attachment, finding it aligns with general attachment styles, personality traits, and emotional intelligence in executives.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Personality Science
- Attachment Theory
Background:
- Attachment theory offers insights into emotion regulation and social dynamics.
- Limited research explores workplace attachment dynamics and leader-perceptions.
- Existing measures may not suit organizational contexts, necessitating new tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a measure of leader attachment referencing direct reports.
- To examine the relationship between leader attachment and general adult attachment.
- To explore leader attachment's links with personality, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted to support the measure's two-factor orthogonal structure.
- Data collected from Fortune 500 executives.
- Correlational analyses examined relationships between leader attachment and other psychological constructs.
Main Results:
- The new leader attachment measure demonstrated a robust two-factor structure.
- Leader attachment was significantly related to general adult attachment patterns.
- Leader attachment showed theoretical consistency with the Big Five personality traits, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking.
Conclusions:
- A validated measure for leader attachment in organizational settings is now available.
- Leader attachment is a relevant construct for understanding workplace relationships and leader behavior.
- Findings support integrating attachment measures into organizational personality assessments for executive coaching and development.
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