Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 22, 2025
13:57
Assessing the Multiple Dimensions of Engagement to Characterize Learning: A Neurophysiological Perspective
Published on: July 1, 2015
12.8K
Exploring the Leadership-Engagement Nexus: A Moderated Meta-Analysis and Review of Explaining Mechanisms
Anouk Decuypere1, Wilmar Schaufeli2,3
1Research Group HRM and Organisation Behavior, Department of Marketing, Innovation and Organisation, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Summary
Positive leadership styles like transformational and servant leadership significantly boost employee engagement. These styles share common traits, including ethical conduct and fostering self-determination, leading to improved organizational outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Management Science
Background:
- Employee work engagement is crucial for organizational success.
- Various positive leadership styles are recognized but their comparative impact needs synthesis.
- Understanding the commonalities and distinct contributions of these styles is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and quantify the impact of established positive leadership styles on employee work engagement.
- To identify common theoretical underpinnings across different positive leadership styles.
- To develop an integrative model of leadership, mediators, and moderators influencing work engagement.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative and qualitative systematic review and meta-analysis of 86 studies.
- Meta-analysis to determine the overall effect size of positive leadership on work engagement.
- Theoretical analysis to identify common leadership principles and development of an integrative research model.
Main Results:
- Several positive leadership styles (transformational, authentic, empowering, ethical, servant) show overlapping effects on work engagement (general r = 0.47).
- Common themes include moral perspective, role-modeling, follower self-determination, and positive social exchanges.
- An integrative model incorporating follower, team, and organizational moderators, and psychological needs, trust, resources, and organizational variables as mediators was developed.
Conclusions:
- Positive leadership styles collectively contribute to enhanced employee work engagement.
- Shared leadership principles provide a foundation for effective leadership practices.
- The integrative model offers a framework for future research and practical leadership development.
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