Energizing leaders via self-reflection: A within-person field experiment

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Leadership roles are demanding, often leading to leader depletion and disengagement.
• Existing research highlights the importance of leader energy for job performance and influence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and test a positive leader self-reflection intervention aimed at improving leader energy and work engagement.
• To examine the impact of enhanced leader energy on perceived prosocial impact and clout.

Main Methods:

• An experimental experience sampling study was conducted with leaders.
• Participants engaged in a positive leader self-reflection intervention or a control condition.
• The intervention involved reflecting on aspects of the self that contribute to effective leadership.

Main Results:

• Leaders in the intervention group reported less depletion and higher work engagement compared to the control group.
• Increased work engagement was associated with greater perceived prosocial impact and clout.
• A second study conceptually replicated the depletion-reducing effects, confirming specificity to leadership roles.

Conclusions:

• The positive leader self-reflection intervention effectively reduces leader depletion and enhances work engagement.
• Improved leader energy translates into increased influence through prosocial impact and clout.
• This intervention offers a practical tool for organizations to support leader well-being and effectiveness.