Impact of Socialization on Transformational Leadership: Role of Leader Member Exchange

This study examined the relationship between socialization of subordinates, superiors' self-reported transformational leadership, and subordinate-rated quality of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) relationship. Seven dimensions of socialization (tolerance towards unethical behaviors, assertiveness, working long hours, doing tasks well, emphasizing harmonious relationships, self-confidence, and independence) and four mediums of socialization (family, school, peers, and media) were studied using a sample of 102 pairs of managers and subordinates from a large public sector bank in India. Results reveal that subordinates' being socialized to be less assertive enhances superiors' transformational leadership. The hypothesis that LMX as perceived by subordinates would moderate the effect of socialization on transformational leadership was not supported. However, LMX is positively related to subordinates' being socialized to be self-confident. Within the last decade and a half, exceptional leaders who infuse ideological values and moral purpose into organizations and who have extraordinary effects on their followers and organizations have captured the attention of leadership scholars (e.g., Bass, 1985; Burns, 1978; Conger & Kanungo, 1998; House, Spangler, & Woycke, 1991). Variously labeled charismatic, transformational, inspirational, and visionary, these exceptional leaders have qualitatively different and quantitatively greater effects on their followers than the effects of exchange or transactional leaders. The study of transformational leadership in the organizational sciences has primarily focused on the personal characteristics and qualities of the leader. However, several contextual factors affect the emergence and effectiveness of transformational leadership. Characteristics of followers constitute one such contextual factor (Erhart & Klein, 2001). This paper attempts to look at the impact of followers' socialization on transformational leadership. As Bass (1990) observed, leadership can be attributed not only to the exceptional individual, but to the exceptional situation and to the interaction between. the two as well. The interaction between the leader and the follower has been studied under various exchange theories, Leader Member Exchange (LMX) being one of them. Though much work has been done in this regard (e.g., Bauer & Green, 1996; Liden & Graen, 1980; Scandura, 1999; Settoon, Bennett, & Liden, 1996), work still needs to be done towards understanding the follower, especially in context of differences that exist because of socialization. This study aims to see how followers who have been socialized differently, would differentially affect the emergence of transformational leadership. The role of LMX in such relationships is also studied. THEORY AND HYPOTHESES Burns (1978) defined leadership as leaders inducing followers to act for certain goals that represent the values and motivations, the wants and needs, the aspirations and expectations of both leaders and followers. The essence of leader-follower relation is the interaction of persons with different levels of motivation and of power potential, including skill, in pursuit of a common or at least joint purpose. That interaction, however, takes two fundamentally different forms-transactional and transformational. TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP The concept of transformational leadership was introduced by Burns (1978) to describe the process by which leaders effect radical change in the outlook and behavior of followers. "Transformational leadership occurs when one or more persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality" (p. 20). Bass (1985) extended Burns' work and applied it to various types of organizations, defining a transformational leader as one who motivates followers to do more than they are originally expected to do. He postulated that transformational leadership could move those influenced to transcend their own self-interest for the good of the group, organization, or country. …